Monday, June 29, 2009

Dougherty holds on for BMW title

FINAL LEADERBOARD: (GB & Ire unless stated)
-22 N Dougherty -21 R Echenique (Arg) -18 R Goosen (SA) -17 F Aguilar (Chi), D Drysdale, MA Jimenez (Spa), G Storm -16 S Kapur (Ind)
Selected others: -15 D Willett -14 R McIlroy -12 B Dredge +1 C Montgomerie


Nick Dougherty
Dougherty carded an eight-under round to secure his win

England's Nick Dougherty resisted a late charge from Argentina's Rafa Echenique to claim the BMW International Open by one shot.

Dougherty began with four birdies in the opening five holes to pull level with overnight leader Retief Goosen.

Birdies on 13, 14 and 15 established a comfortable lead, but an albatross at the last helped Echenique to a European Tour record 27 on the back nine.

Goosen finished in third while home favourite Bernhard Langer ended ninth.

The third and most high-profile European Tour win of Dougherty's career had seemed in danger when Echenique sank his approach shot at the par-five last.

The three strokes picked up by the 243-yard three-iron cut Dougherty's advantage to just one heading onto the 18th tee.

But, after a bogey on the same hole on Saturday, the world number 120 kept his nerve to clinch an emotional win.

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The Liverpool-born player paid tribute to those who helped him after the sudden death of his mother in April 2008.

"The strength that my Mum had lives on in me," he said.

"I want to say thank you to all the people who have helped me through some tough times.

"I have a great team around me and it's great to be back where I feel I belong."

South Africa's Goosen, who had led over the first three rounds, could not maintain his pace under pressure from the chasing pack.

Dropped shots on the 10th and 12th saw him lose touch just as Dougherty accelerated.

Langer's hopes of becoming the oldest winner in Tour history in front of his home fans were fuelled by an opening birdie that put him within one shot of the lead.

But he finished level-par for the day as he struggled to reproduce the form that saw him go seven-under on Saturday.

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