A CRESTFALLEN Des Smyth was close to tears after seeing an eighth European Tour victory escape when he four-putted the final green of the Madeira Island Open yesterday. Smyth had birdied seven of the first nine holes to set up the prospect of his first win since the 1993 Madrid Open, but then fell victim to the wickedly-sloping 18th green, where officials had cut the hole on the brim of the second tier.
The 43-year-old Drogheda professional was not the only potential champion to suffer last-green chagrin, for David J Russell and Carl Sunesson also four-putted when a birdie would have given them victory, and Sweden's Patrik Sjoland took five putts at the last when one would have gained him a maiden success.
The chief benefactor from all the putting misfortune was Jarmo Sandelin, the long-hitting Swede who had beaten Seve Ballesteros to capture the Canaries Open 12 months previously and was rookie of the year for 1995.
Just back from an unsuccessful foray on the US Tour, where he made only one cut in six outings, Sandelin had a closing 69 for a nine under par 279 to beat Welshman Paul Affleck by one stroke.
Smyth, Russell, Peter Mitchell and third round leader Daniel Chopra of Sweden tied third on 281. Smyth slumped, head in hands, after signing for a double bogey six at the last which saw him around in 69 after he had got out in 30.
"It was a tragedy," he said. "I cannot believe where they put the pin position at the last. I was just trying to make two putts, but my ball finished up 45 feet below the flag and almost off the green."
A par four would have put Smyth into a play-off, and it would have been no more than he deserved after starting out seven shots behind leader Chopra and overtaking him with a blistering surge. He birdied five holes in a row from the fifth, needing only 12 putts for the stretch (including three for a bogey at the fourth).
It was exhilarating golf from a player who had been forced to adopt an improvised stance for the week because of a strained ankle tendon. Ten under with nine holes remaining, the Irishman held the outright lead until a bunker visit cost him a shot at the 15th. Then came the body blow at the last.
Smyth won £13,196 and remained diplomatic despite his disappointment.
But Russell, a member of the European Tour board of directors and tournament committee, did not pull his punches. "Whoever set that pin at the 18th should be sacked and never work for the Tour again," he declared. "I put everything into the week, but some idiot puts the pin on top of, the tier and down nap. It cost me nearly £40,000, and I am gutted."
The tournament director, David Probyn, accepted full responsibility: "It is a very difficult green and hard to find enough pin placings for five days. But whether the last one was unfair is a subjective opinion. There are a lot of changes we would like to make to the course and the 18th green is a top priority."
Sandelin avoided last green indignity because he had the good fortune to see partner Stephen McAllister, from a similar position, send his ball to the bottom of the green. "I could easily have done the same," said the tall Swede, "but after seeing what happened to Stephen's ball I just touched mine softly and then prayed to it all the way to the hole."
It stopped just beyond and Sandelin safely secured the par four that put him one stroke clear of Affleck. The Welshman had also fallen victim to the closing hole, three-putting for the only bogey of a splendid 66.
Padraig Harrington and John McHenry managed only three birdies between them in tying for 48th place on a three over 291. Harrington met with early disaster, losing a ball in bushes off his three-wood second shot at the second to take seven on the way to an outward 40. He finished in 77.
