Australian Peter O'Malley, who staged the greatest finish in golf history at the 1992 Scottish Open, produced another brilliant late charge to win
the Compass Group English Open at the Forest of Arden today.
O'Malley stopped Raphael Jacquelin making it two French wins in a row on the European Tour with a closing 66 highlighted by an eagle and fourbirdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn.
With overnight leader Adam Scott managing only a 73 and England's Justin Rose, joint fourth with a round to go, crashing to a 79, it developedinto a battle between the two.
And O'Malley won when Jacquelin, having holed a 30-foot putt on the 16th to draw level, bogeyed the last after coming out of sand to 10 feetand pushing the putt wide.
At Gleneagles nine years ago 35-year-old O'Malley played the last five holes in an unbelievable seven under par - eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle- to beat Colin Montgomerie by two.
"That little stretch today was similar sort of stuff," said the Bracknell-based player who won the Stg£133,330 top prize. "I got on a roll and I neededto make a burst like that.
"The last six holes are pretty tough and I thought 12 under was a pretty good score. Luckily, I went one more.
"I've played the last six weeks and that's almost too much, but I'm glad I played this one."
Darren Clarke finished six shots off the pace with a final round 68 while Paul McGinley was a further two shots back with a one-under par final round.
PAAustralian Peter O'Malley, who staged the greatest finish in golf history at the 1992 Scottish Open, produced another brilliant late charge to winthe Compass Group English Open at the Forest of Arden today.
O'Malley stopped Raphael Jacquelin making it two French wins in a row on the European Tour with a closing 66 highlighted by an eagle and fourbirdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn.
With overnight leader Adam Scott managing only a 73 and England's Justin Rose, joint fourth with a round to go, crashing to a 79, it developedinto a battle between the two.
And O'Malley won when Jacquelin, having holed a 30-foot putt on the 16th to draw level, bogeyed the last after coming out of sand to 10 feetand pushing the putt wide.
At Gleneagles nine years ago 35-year-old O'Malley played the last five holes in an unbelievable seven under par - eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle- to beat Colin Montgomerie by two.
"That little stretch today was similar sort of stuff," said the Bracknell-based player who won the Stg£133,330 top prize. "I got on a roll and I neededto make a burst like that.
"The last six holes are pretty tough and I thought 12 under was a pretty good score. Luckily, I went one more.
"I've played the last six weeks and that's almost too much, but I'm glad I played this one."
Darren Clarke finished six shots off the pace with a final round 68 while Paul McGinley was a further two shots back with a one-under par final round.
PA