Golf: Sergio Garcia is back in the world's top 20 and top of Europe's Ryder Cup points race after grabbing his second victory in a row on Sunday. The 31-year-old, who ended close to three barren years in winning by a runaway 11-stroke margin in his home Castello Masters last weekend, just held off fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez to take the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama.
There was also a hugely encouraging finish for Ireland's Shane Lowry, who carded a four-under-par 67 to finish on three under in fourth and claim a cheque for €150,000. Peter Lawrie took home €41,400 after a 69 left him in a tie for 15th on four over.
Defending champion Graeme McDowell had two days to forget. He finished last of those who survived the cut on 25 over after rounds of 81 and 82.
"I'm out of words," said Garcia after getting up and down from the rough on the last to win by one. "It's been two amazing weeks."
His latest success was followed by an admission that he feared he would never come back from a slump that saw him crash from world number two to outside the leading 75 - and quit the game for a while last season.
"Ask Luke Donald," Garcia told Sky Sports. "We had a very tough conversation in Madrid."
Now, with Donald top of the rankings, they are on course to pick up their unbeaten Ryder Cup partnership in Chicago next September.
"Ryder Cup years are always special," Garcia added, "so hopefully we can make that team."
Garcia, three times a runner-up on a course where no Spaniard had triumphed, was three ahead with three to play. But Jimenez birdied the 16th and a marvellous five-wood over the lake gave the 47-year-old a 12-foot eagle chance on the next.
He had to settle for birdie, though, and when he left a 15-foot putt short of the final hole it meant three closing pars were good enough for Garcia.
Not that he found them easy. He was in trees and sand at the 16th, but holed from six feet, then was fortunate on the next when his second shot skipped out of a bunker.
"Don't plug," he shouted with the ball in the air, but after finding himself in the rough instead he made his five and then chipped to three feet from beside the final green.
Needing to win to qualify for this week's HSBC world championship event in Shanghai, Garcia's level-par closing round of 71 gave him the €500,000 first prize with a six-under total of 278.
Jimenez, runner-up to Tiger Woods at the venue in 1999, had taken over the lead going into the back nine, but bogeys at the 13th and 15th cost him dear.
The short 15th was also the hole Scotland's Richie Ramsay was left ruing. He had moved level with Garcia, but blocked his tee shot and the ball was not found until just after the five minutes allowed for the search were up.
It cost the former US Amateur champion a double bogey five and he had to be content with third place for the second week running.
England's Steve Webster fifth following a 69 spoilt by two closing bogeys.
England's Richard Finch had nothing to smile about either after taking an 11 on the 17th as he finished 13 over.
Final collated scores and totals, Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain (Gbr unless stated, Irish in bold, par 71):
278Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 70 67 71
279Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 70 68 70
280Richie Ramsay 65 72 73 70
281 Shane Lowry 72 71 71 67
282Steve Webster 75 72 66 69
283Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 71 76 68
284Christian Nilsson (Swe) 73 71 65 75, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 71 72 71 70
285Stephen Dodd 71 73 74 67
286Francesco Molinari (Ita) 71 73 71 71, Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 71 73 70
287Martin Wiegele (Aut) 71 76 68 72, Stephen Gallacher 68 76 70 73, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 73 72 70 72
288Thomas Bjorn (Den) 73 70 74 71, Peter Lawrie 70 73 76 69, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 73 72 71 72, Graeme Storm 73 75 69 71
289Romain Wattel (Fra) 73 70 73 73, David Howell 72 75 68 74, Mark Foster 72 77 69 71, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 78 71 70 70
290Ross Fisher 67 79 69 75, Oliver Wilson 73 71 72 74, Danny Willett 75 74 68 73, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 75 73 71, Johan Edfors (Swe) 75 73 72 70
291David Drysdale 70 76 73 72, Robert Rock 74 73 75 69, Justin Rose 72 71 74 74, Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 74 75 70 72, Matteo Manassero (Ita) 77 72 70 72, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 73 73 76 69, David Lynn 71 71 81 68
292Alexander Noren (Swe) 74 70 74 74
293Brett Rumford (Aus) 73 74 75 71, Andrew Dodt (Aus) 76 72 72 73
294Scott Strange (Aus) 70 78 73 73, Marcel Siem (Ger) 74 73 76 71, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 74 73 73 74
295Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 75 72 72 76, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 72 76 78 69
296Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 78 71 71 76, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 75 73 79 69
297Anthony Wall 76 73 76 72, Richard Finch 79 69 73 76
299Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 75 74 76 74, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 72 77 75 75
301Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 72 75 78 76, Soren Hansen (Den) 73 75 77 76, Jamie Donaldson 75 74 75 77
304Kenneth Ferrie 75 72 82 75, Manuel Quiros (Spa) 78 71 79 76
309 Graeme McDowell 73 73 81 82
