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Lawrie ends nine-year drought

Malaga - Scotland's 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie won the Andalucian Open by one stroke to end a nine-year win drought.

The 42-year-old - whose last win was in August 2002 at the Wales Open -edged out Sweden's Johan Edfors while Felipe Aguilar of Chile was third.

England's Kenneth Ferrie failed to build on his remarkable record-equalling 60 on Saturday shooting a five over par 75 to finish 11th.

Lawrie - who picked up a cheque for almost 145,000 pounds (170,000 euros) - had fallen behind early on as Englishman Mark Foster set the pace but the Scot, with six second places on tour since his last victory, steadied the ship and made the decisive move with a fabulous homeward nine holes which saw him make four birdies.

He bogeyed the final hole for a 70 and a 12-under par final total of 268.

"It's been a long time - 2002 seems a hell of a time ago," he said.

"I've had a few second places in there, but all of a sudden we're there again.

"It was going pear-shaped a little bit, but you've just got to keep going - that's all you can do.

"I played lovely and the putter behaved better. I got on a nice run at the right time."

Edfors provided a really tough challenge as he was joint leader on three occasions during the final round but a bogey on the 15th cost him dearly.

Foster too saw his chances of ending his eight year win drought disappear as he let his early lead slip and he ended up in joint fourth along with in-form Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who won the Sicilian Open last weekend.

Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara was left cursing his fatal lack of concentration on the final hole as he began it with a chance of taking the title but emrged with a triple bogey which saw him finish tied for eighth after a one over par 71.

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