Broadhurst successfully defends in Portugal
IN: News | European PGA | Portugal Open (2006) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 03 Apr 2006
The win of 40-year-old Paul Broadhurst in this week's Open de Portugal comes nearly seventeen years after his maiden win on the European Tour. In between there have been four other wins, including in this event last year, albeit at another venue. Broadhurst birdied the par five last to edge out fellow Englishman Anthony Wall to win by a shot with a further shot back to Argentine Andres Romero with Ricardo Gonzalez third.
Gonzalez had led into the final day but his was a stop start affair on day four as his nearest challengers ran him down. Five birdies in the first seven holes had Broadhurst in charge although a double bogey at the 13th nearly brought him undone.
A bounce back birdie at the 14th and then the great up and down for birdie at the last saw him edge past Wall, who had finished in the group ahead of him at 15 under. Three birdies in his last four holes by Wall had placed the upmost pressure on Broadhurst but the man who all but got Europe across the line in the 1991 Ryder Cup was equal to the challenge.
Broadhurst now moves into the number five position on the 2006 European Tour Order of Merit, his win here and his runner up placing in Qatar the key contributors to his lofty position. He has now put himself into a position where his second Ryder Cup appearance is not out of the question.
After finishing second today, Wall now holds his highest ever position on the European Tour in 23rd. He has been a member of the Tour since 1998 with his win at the Alfred Dunhill event in South Africa his only victory to date.
Six birdies in the first seven holes got Andres Romero headed quickly in the right direction on day four with this cheque his first as a full member of the European Tour after qualifying by finishing 14th on the Challenge Tour in 2005. His last round 66 saw him edge past fellow countryman Gonzalez.
Of the two Australasians to play the event only Matthew Millar made the cut when finishing 33rd. It was Millar's fourth cheque in six starts in his debut season on the European Tour with a very good fifth place in Jakarta the highlight. New Zealander Stephen Scahill continues to struggle, missing yet another cut, the fourth in six starts in season 2006.
With the focus on Augusta this week the regular European Tour takes a break until it returns for the China Open in Beijing in a week's time.
