Cevaer holds nerve to win European Open
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 European Open | 01 Jun 2009
Joint third round leader, Christian Cévaër, recovered from a slow start to his final round and took advantage of late stumbles by his closest rivals to win the European Open at the London Golf Club in Ash, Kent.
The 39-year-old New Caledonian-born, Frenchman added this significant title to his 2004 win in Spain but this is a victory against some of Europe’s best. Currently 449th in the world ranking list Cevaer is about to make a huge leap in his standing.
Cevaer fell behind when he dropped three shots before the turn. His co-leader at the start of the day, Jeev Milkha Singh, had made fewer mistakes in the early rush and led at that stage but the closing nine holes would see many chances created and lost.
Cevaer held his nerve over the closing nine holes, adding a birdie at the 15th and importantly did not drop any shots over the demanding closing stretch of holes. All around him the challengers were doing their best to make his task easier.
Joint runners-up Alvaro Quiros and Steve Webster both bogeyed the final hole, Quiros no doubt cursing the par four 18th, which had cost him a triple bogey on day two.
Stephen Dodd, Jeev Milkha Singh and Chris Wood all shared 5th position, Wood another to let a great opportunity slip after a promising start to his day, Singh relinquishing his lead with three bogeys to start the final nine and Dodd bogeying the final two holes to miss by two.
Ben Curtis and Sergio Garcia served notice of better things to come when they recorded the equal best rounds of the day of 68, Curtis finishing 8th and Garcia 13th. Dodd also recorded a final round of 68.
The leading Australian was Marcus Fraser who was another with a chance to win over the closing stages but his challenge went begging when he bogeyed three of his last five holes. Fraser did however finish 8th but he too will be left wondering what might have been.
Brett Rumford was the only other Australian to make the cut finishing 55th.
The European Tour now moves to Wales for this coming week’s Celtic Manor Wales Open.
