Michael Jonzon ended a 12-year wait for his second European Tour victory when the Swede won the Castello Masters on Sunday.
The 37-year-old stayed calm to birdie the final hole at the Mediterraneo club and post a four-under-par 67 for a 20-under total of 264, one stroke better than Germany’s Martin Kaymer and Swede Christian Nilsson.
Since he won the 1997 Portuguese Open, Jonzon’s career has failed to take off. But Sunday’s victory moved him from 158th on the money-list to 65th and in with a chance of playing next month’s lucrative Dubai World Championship.
“I was so proud of myself holing that putt on the last,” he said. “I was determined not to let the win get away from me.”
“Life has been desperate at times and I came here looking at playing at the qualifying school,” he said.
It looked as though Jonzon would run away with it going into the back nine after chalking up an eagle and three birdies in six holes to the turn.
Three dropped shots in three holes coming home, though, provided a nervous ending for the Swede.
Jonzon went to the 18th tied with Nilsson, who was already in the clubhouse, and Kaymer, one of his playing partners.
An 18-foot putt, while Kaymer missed from half that length, then earned Jonzon the US$495,000 first prize.
KAYMER BLOW
Kaymer slumped six strokes behind the Swede after double-bogeying the 13th. But the 24-year-old German, back after a nine-week injury absence, came roaring back.
While he made ground on Race to Dubai money list leader Lee Westwood, joint second place here was not quite enough for Kaymer to regain top spot.
“I came here not knowing what to expect after such a long time off so this is very encouraging,” he said.
■ARIZONA OPEN
REUTERS, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Troy Matteson won his second PGA Tour title in a three-way playoff for the Arizona Open on Sunday after shrugging off a faltering finish to the final round.
Having bogeyed the last two holes for a closing two-under-par 68, the American sealed victory after a spectacular six-iron approach to two feet at the second extra hole at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale.
The 29-year-old calmly knocked in the birdie putt to trump the pars recorded there by compatriots Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark, who also finished the 72 regulation holes on 18-under 262.
PGA Tour rookies Fowler and Lovemark had each signed off with a 64, Lovemark coming from four shots behind overnight with a sizzling run of five birdies in the last eight holes.
All three parred the first extra hole, Lovemark flirting with danger when he pushed his approach into water guarding the green before his ball remarkably hopped out on to dry land.
“It’s unbelievable because you just don’t think it’s coming sometimes,” a smiling Matteson said of his win in a greenside interview after punching his right fist skywards in celebration.
STRONG CHALLENGE
Three ahead at the start of another sunny day in the Arizona desert, Matteson appeared to have the title firmly in his grasp after fending off a strong challenge by Fowler.
He had slipped a stroke behind the 20-year-old Fowler with eight holes to go before regaining control with birdies at the 11th and 12th.
Matteson parred the next four holes to lead by two but then bogeyed 17 after finding the right rough off the tee.
At the last, he struck a perfect drive before surprisingly pulling his approach into a greenside bunker from where he splashed out to 10 feet and missed the par putt.
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