Share

Garcia wins back-to-back titles

Sotogrande - Sergio Garcia made it back-to-back European Tour victories when he captured the Andalucia Masters title on Sunday by a stroke from fellow Spaniard Miguel-Angel Jimenez.

In an exciting finale at Valderrama, Garcia's closing level-par 71 for a six-under 278 total was just enough to keep out a battling Jimenez (70).

Garcia, 31, had not won for three years when he claimed the Castello Masters title last week by 11 strokes.

His second successive victory was harder earned as he and Jimenez produced a dramatic finish at the 1997 Ryder Cup venue, formerly the home of the tour's season-ending Volvo Masters.

Starting the day two shots ahead of the field, Garcia, bogeying the sixth and seventh, was at first overtaken by Jimenez, one of the overnight second-placed players.

Garcia battled back in front by the 14th, only to be caught by the first and second round leader Richie Ramsay of Britain.

When Ramsay lost his ball on the short 15th to run up a double-bogey, however, the Scot's chance was gone.

Garcia forged three ahead of the field but Jimenez, unusually without a win this season, closed the gap to two with a birdie on 16.

The popular 47-year-old, urged on by a sizeable crowd from his home town of Malaga, gave himself further hope with an eagle chance on the notorious water-protected 17th where there is a plaque to commemorate Jimenez's spectacular albatross there in 1994.

Although Jimenez missed from 15ft, his birdie cut the margin between him and Garcia to only one.

A par by Garcia on the treacherous penultimate hole preserved the status-quo.

When he and Jimenez both parred the last, the $685 000 first prize and key Ryder Cup points went to Garcia, who had finished second three times in Volvo Masters events in the past at Valderrama.

Leading final-round scores from the Andalucia Masters at the par-71 course in Sotogrande, Spain on Sunday:

278 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70 70 67 71 279 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 71 70 68 70 280 Richie Ramsay (Britain) 65 72 73 70 281 Shane Lowry (Ireland) 72 71 71 67 282 Steve Webster (Britain) 75 72 66 69 283 Gregory Havret (France) 68 71 76 68 284 Alejandro Canizares (Spain) 71 72 71 70
Christian Nilsson (Sweden) 73 71 65 75 285 Stephen Dodd (Britain) 71 73 74 67 286 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 72 71 73 70
Francesco Molinari (Italy) 71 73 71 71 287 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 73 72 70 72
Martin Wiegele (Austria) 71 76 68 72
Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 68 76 70 73

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1804 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1767 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1067 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 451 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 184 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
4% - 248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE