Ferrie joins list of first-time winners at Canarias Open
IN: News | European PGA | Open de Espana (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 28 Apr 2003
24-year-old Kenneth Ferrie survived a three man playoff on what was one of the most congested leaderboards ever at a European Tour event, to win his first European Tour event, the 2003 Canarias Open de Espana.
The six par fives at the 6800 yard Golf Campo Adeje course were always likely to produce a rush of scoring and that was certainly the case this weekend. In the end, eighteen players were within three shots of the lead with many "if only" stories for those who missed the three-man playoff.
Ferrie's victory today was the culmination of the gradual progress he has made on the Tour since turning professional in 1999. His 16th place at the Algarve Open de Portugal last week indicated that his form was solid leading into this week although it would be fair to say he was an unlikely candidate for the major prize. His previous best finish had been a tie for third at last year's French Open and twice tenth at the 2002 Dutch and Spanish Opens also on the Canary Islands last year. He will have fond and, no doubt, lasting memories of this region.
Ferrie was one of six players tied for the lead going into round four and after opening with six straight pars he was struggling as the rest of those in contention were taking advantage of the easy scoring conditions. That was to change at the par five ninth, which he eagled and although he would produce two bogeys between there and the clubhouse it was his three consecutive birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th that got him back into the thick of the action. The par five 18th had been a source of rich pickings for Ferrie earlier in the tournament with eagles in rounds two and three but he was unable to repeat the dose here, in fact he could only make par, and so was forced to take on Lawrie and Hedblom in extra time.
Ireland's Lawrie, a graduate from the 2002 Challenge Tour, had bogeyed the 17th but an eagle on the 18th saw him in the playoff and Hedblom, a winner of the 1996 Moroccan Open, birdied four of the last seven holes to join the party.
Ferrie would birdie the par five 18th twice in the playoff, the second time being good enough to edge out Lawrie and Hedblom. The victory will assure his immediate future on the European Tour with the 290,000 euros first prize moving him into fifth place on the 2003 Volvo Order of Merit.
England's Brian Davis failed with an eagle attempt at the final hole to join the group and Denmark's Mads Vibe-Hastrup got close with two late birdies and a last round 65. They both tied for fourth.
Four players including Paul Casey, Santiago Luna, 18-year-old South African Charles Schwartzel and Gary Evans were another shot further back and included in the nine players tying for tenth at nineteen under par were two Australians, Richard Green and Peter Fowler.
New Zealander Stephen Scahill's fifteen under par total could only secure him 32nd place, with Jarrod Moseley rounding out the Australasians to make the cut in 57th.
The tournament uncovered two rising stars of world golf in the 18-year-old Charles Schwartzel, who earlier in the season had finished third at the South African Open and 17-year-old Spanish Amateur Pablo Martin who was tied for the lead going into the final round but, perhaps understandably, faded to finish 23rd.
Of the current stars of the game Olazabal 10th, only three behind and defending champion Sergio Garcia 19th.
The European Tour now heads to Brescia in Italy for the Italian Open.
