Johansson ends ten year wait in Russia
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Russian Open | Round Four | 05 Aug 2007
Sweden’s, Per-Ulrik Johansson, turned back the clock today by winning his first event in nearly ten years on the European Tour. Johansson’s final round of 67 at the Russian Open in Moscow sealed a victory that appeared would be his following a second round of 62 but not having won for that long this was never going to be an easy task.
Johansson’s previous win had been at the 1997 European Open in a season where he had also won the English Open but the European Tour’s Rookie of the Year in 1991 spent much of the last six years in the USA where he played with mixed success on the USPGA Tour.
Playing on invitation, Johansson took full advantage of the opportunity he had been given and as a result of the win secures his status on the European Tour until late in 2009.
“I haven’t played much this year but when I have and in practice I have been hitting the ball well and thought I had a chance,” said the 41-year-old. “I played well in Ireland a few weeks ago and although I didn’t hit the ball all that great this week I putted fantastically.”
Johansson had never been to Russia previously but had written to the organisers a few weeks earlier seeking an invite, something he will now not have to worry about in the immediate future.
Robert-Jan Derksen chased hard all the way but there was little he could do to close the gap between he and Johansson, especially after the Swede had extended his four shot lead to seven over Derksen and Scot, Alan Mclean, through nine holes of the final round.
The winning margin would eventually be six over Derksen with McLean finishing alone in third. McLean, the Scottish born and South African raised 36-year-old, played the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open last week in Ontario near his Canadian home having gained a start as a result of a good season on the Canadian Tour in 2007 where he has been twice runner up.
Terry Pilkadaris was the best of the Australians in 13th place, Scott Strange was 21st, Matthew Zions 25th, Brett Rumford 31st and Peter Fowler 38th.
Most of those players in this week’s field will now have a week’s break while the European Tour’s leading players play the USPGA Championship.
