GOLF DIGEST: EUROPEAN TOUR: Seven years after picking up the silver medal for best amateur at the British Open championship, England's David Dixon captured his first European Tour title at the 108th attempt at the Saint-Omer Open yesterday.
Dixon's one-shot victory, secured courtesy of a flawless round of 66 on an action-packed final day at Aa St Omer Golf Club, was made all the more remarkable by the fact he was nine shots off the lead after the opening round.
However, consecutive rounds of 67, 69 and 66 launched the 31-year-old to the top of the leaderboard on five-under-par 279 at the expense of overnight leader Christian Nilsson, who finished one shot back on 280 after a closing round of 71.
A round of 68 from Steven O'Hara was good enough to secure third place for the Scot on three-under-par 281.
Michael Hoey was best of the Irish on three-over-par 287 after a final round of 70. Gareth Maybin shot 74 for 293, Colm Moriarty 73 for 294 and David Higgins 75 for 298.
SENIORS: England's Peter Mitchell denied Ian Woosnam a popular home victory by finishing two-shots clear of the Welshman to clinch his maiden European Seniors Tour title and the biggest pay cheque of his career at the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open.
Playing in only his second Seniors Tour event after making his debut in Jersey last week, Mitchell carded a one-under-par final round of 71 to finish with a three-under-par total of 213, with Woosnam on 215.
Mitchell's victory came 10 years after the last of his three wins on The European Tour, in the 1998 Portuguese Open, and the £75,000 (€95,000) first prize eclipsed the £58,330 (€74,000) he picked up at Le Meridien Penina a decade ago.
Prior to Jersey, Mitchell's last competitive tournament was back in 2003 but he showed few signs of ring rust out in the glorious sunshine at Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Course.
Eamonn Darcy shot 70, his best round of the tournament, for a total of five-over-par 221, while Des Smyth was a shot further back on 222 after a 74. Denis O'Sullivan had a disappointing 78 for 225, while Jimmy Heggarty carded a 70 for 226.
LET TOUR: Martina Gillen recorded her highest finish on the European Tour when claiming sixth place as Anne-Lise Caudal from France won her first title at the Portugal Ladies Open on the Algarve.
Caudal closed with a 70 for a 16-under-par total of 203 to win by a stroke from compatriot Gwladys Nocera and England's Georgina Simpson.
Gillen fired a best-of-the-day 66 for a 13-under-par total of 206 to finish alone in sixth place and collect a cheque for €7,000. The Beaverstown player's round included seven birdies, an eagle two at the 14th, and two bogeys.
Rebecca Coakley finished on level-par 219 after a final round of 74.
BRITISH AMATEUR: Shane Lowry, currently 10th in the world rankings, will be out to justify that lofty position when he tees off in the 113th Amateur Championship at Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast this morning.
Lowry from Esker Hills played for Europe in the Bonallack Trophy match against Asia Pacific at Valderrama in April and is enjoying a good season - and this is now his big chance to impress still further and secure his spot in the Britain and Ireland side for the St Andrews Trophy match later in the year.
He plays his first qualifying round over Turnberry's Kintyre course this morning with South African Lyle Rowe and Austrian Hans Peter Bacher and tomorrow moves to the neighbouring Ailsa course.
Lurgan's Gareth Shaw is ranked 23rd in the world and has shown some impressive form this year. Last June he actually went out of the Amateur Championship to Lowry in the second round but has his mind focused on going further this time.
Paul Cutler, a rising star from Portstewart, won the under-20 award at the Brabazon Trophy last month with some excellent golf and he could make a significant impact at Turnberry.
Dubliner Niall Kearney, Simon Ward from Co Louth, a third round casualty last year, and Galway's Joseph Lyons are among the other Irishmen going for glory.
