AUSTRIAN OPEN:INDIA'S JEEV MILKHA SINGH thanked the golfing gods after taking a leaf from Nick Faldo's book to win the rain-shortened Austria Open in Vienna.
Singh carded a closing 71 with 18 straight pars to emulate Faldo's feat in the final round of his Open Championship victory at Muirfield in 1987.
The 36-year-old began the day with a four-shot lead and although he was never less than two ahead until the final hole, needed to survive a few nervous moments to claim the first prize of €216,660 and his third European Tour title after two second places earlier this season.
A 15-under-par total of 198 left Singh one shot clear of England's Simon Wakefield, who birdied three of the last four holes, with compatriot Iain Pyman, Swedish trio Martin Erlandsson, Pelle Edberg and Michael Jonzon and Australian Peter Fowler sharing third on 12 under.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who beat Singh in a play-off in the Ballantine's Championship in Korea in March, had been in contention but three-putted the 17th and then hit his approach into the water on the last to finish in a tie for eighth.
"I feel very fortunate to win with 18 pars," said Singh, who won the Volvo Masters and Volvo China Open in 2006.
"Shooting even par on the last day it's tough to win and Simon put up a great fight.
"I think the golfing gods were looking out for me. They did not want a play-off with the bad weather forecast. I didn't hit my last putt hard enough but it caught the edge of the hole and went in.
"I had no idea about matching Nick Faldo. I was trying to make birdies but they just weren't going in. When you have a lead you don't want to be too aggressive or too defensive, you just play 'mediocre' golf and hit fairways and greens.
"It's great to win, it's always a feather in your cap. I've knocked on the door a few times this season and at last the door has opened for me. I'm pretty excited about that."
Runner-up Wakefield is still seeking his first tour title in 206 events but was delighted to claim outright second with a late charge.
"The game plan was to just go out and not doing anything stupid to take me out of the tournament early on," admitted the 34-year-old from Newcastle-under-Lyme.
"But then after the 12th I just changed gear, tried to be a bit more aggressive and it paid off.
"It's fantastic. My season has not been sparkling so far but the last few weeks I could see some form there. With my wife Denise and little girl Lucy watching at home on TV I'm glad I put a good show on for them.
"Jeev won in China (in 2006) when I finished fourth, he always seems to beat me by a couple but hopefully in the next few years I can get my revenge."
Yorkshire's Pyman, a winner on the Challenge Tour in Kenya this year, had set the early clubhouse target on 12 under par after a closing 65. "I've been playing well all year, although you wouldn't think it from the scores, but I haven't been able to get the thing in the hole," said the former British Amateur champion.
"But the greens are fantastic here. I would love to play here every week.
"I've been struggling and with no sponsors and having to pay your own way it's difficult, it's mentally tiring, so this finish is a great boost." Pre-tournament favourite Darren Clarke saved his best for last, a closing 65 lifting the Ryder Cup star into a share of 19th place.
