Steady Singh makes it three for India
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2008 Bank Austria GolfOpen | Round Three | 09 Jun 2008
Jeev Milkha Singh today won the Bank Austria GolfOpen in Vienna and in doing so became the third Indian golfer to win on the European Tour in 2008. Singh’s win follows victories by his fellow countrymen, SSP Chowrasia at the Indian Masters and by Arjun Atwal at the Malaysian Open.
In an event reduced to 54 holes as a result of the washout of Thursday’s opening round, Singh produced a run of 18 consecutive pars on the final day to eventually win by one over England’s Simon Wakefield.
Wakefield birdied three of the last four holes to assure himself of second place, two ahead of Pelle Edberg, Michael Jonzon, Martin Orlandsson, Iain Pyman and Peter Fowler.
For Singh it was his third European Tour victory to follow his 2006 Volvo China Open and Volvo Masters titles. Singh was already in the middle of a good season on the 2008 European Tour with two runner up finishes in Indonesia and Korea.
Wakefield, who was looking for his first European Tour win, made little impression on the leader in the early stages of the final round and it looked at that stage as if it might be the veteran, Peter Fowler, who would be the one to challenge the leader.
Fowler, just one day short of his 49th birthday, moved to 13 under and within three of Singh when he birdied the 12th hole but he would bogey the 15th and 16th to cost himself any chance.
Still it will be a huge boost for Fowler in terms of retaining his status on the European Tour until he considers European Seniors Tour options in twelve months time. Taking into account the fact that he had missed eight of his last ten cuts this season, the week was quite a turnaround.
Mark Brown was the next best Australasian in 13th position, although his final round of 71 after starting the day in third place would prove very costly. Andrew Tampion was 45th, while first round co-leader, Scott Barr was 49th along with last week’s winner in Wales, Scott Strange, and Terry Pilkadaris. Steve Alker survived the cut after a second round of 64 but a 73 today had him in 67th position.
The European Tour heads to France for the St Omer Open while those qualified to do so will play the US Open at Torrey Pines.
