GOLF DIGEST: CHALLENGE TOUR: Having gone without a win for the best part of six years, England's Robert Coles now has two in as many months after his thrilling play-off victory over Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts in the Challenge of Ireland at Moyvalley yesterday.
Coles, who recently captured his second Challenge Tour title in the Moroccan Classic, eventually saw off Colsaerts on the third extra hole after both men had finished on 10-under- par 278 at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort in Kildare.
The € 24,000 winner’s cheque he collected moved the 36-year-old to the top of the Challenge Tour Rankings, and one victory away from automatic promotion to the European Tour.
Coles said: “It feels absolutely great. It was a tough day out there, because the field was so congested. But I got off to a great start, which certainly helped. I didn’t play very well at all yesterday, so I was determined to put it right today. I knew I had to start fast to get myself back into the tournament, and I did that with two opening birdies.”
Colsaerts birdied his final two holes in regulation play to force the play-off, but looked to have let slip his chance of victory after finding the water with his approach shot at the first extra hole.
However, he managed to salvage a par five, and after both men again made par on the second extra hole, they returned to the 18th tee for a third time to try to find a winner.
On this occasion, Coles made a birdie after finding the green with his second shot and safely getting down in two to take his tally of Challenge Tour titles to three.
Coles’ compatriot Peter Baker finished in a tie for third place on nine-under-par 279 alongside Scotland’s Peter Whiteford.
Colm Moriarty (71) and Jonathan Caldwell (74) both finished on five-under-par 283.
US TOUR: Graeme McDowell shot a flawless seven-under-par 63 to claim the early clubhouse lead in the St Jude Classic at TPC Southwind in Memphis yesterday.
McDowell fired five birdies and an eagle at the 16th on his way to 11-under-par total of 269. On the course Brian Gay was five shots clear at 17 under par from Bryce Molder.
SENIORS TOUR: Delroy Cambridge of Jamaica captured his fifth European Seniors Tour title – and his first for seven years – as a three hole play-off was required for the second successive week to decide the Jersey Seniors Classic at La Moye after the pair tied on nine-under-par 207.
Cambridge beat Australian Mike Clayton after getting up and down from a greenside bunker at the third sudden-death hole for a par four, while Clayton failed with his own par putt after visiting a different trap.
The powerful 59-year-old Jamaican was recording his second victory in Jersey – and he drew on the memories of his previous success in 2002 to help him catch Clayton, who had led since shooting 64 on the opening day.
In fact, this time 68 was sufficient to match Clayton’s closing 70 and total of 207, with Japan’s Katsuyoshi Tomori third a further shot behind.
Des Smyth closed with a 72 for 211 and a share of eighth place while Jimmy Heggarty shot 73 for 216 and Denis O’Sullivan 70 for 219.
LET TOUR: Sweden's Johanna Westerberg beat Spain's Tania Elosegui in a play-off to claim her maiden Ladies European Tour title at the Portugal Ladies Open.
Westerberg holed a stunning bunker shot for birdie on the first hole of sudden death after finding the sand with both her first and second shots.
The 31-year-old Swede had fired a closing 67 to come from five shots off the pace at the start of the day. Elosegui birdied the 18th to match her total of three under par 213, but was unable to repeat the trick in the play-off.
Overnight leader Lotta Wahlin slumped to a closing 76 to finish four off the pace while Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley closed with a 70 for 219.
US OPEN: Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman has withdrawn from next week's US Open citing tendonitis, tournament organisers announced last night.
The South African told officials that tendonitis in his left wrist and elbow would prevent the 2008 US Masters winner from competing at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course.
First reserve Clinton Jensen, of the USA, will take Immelman’s place in the field.
