Golf: Irish win slips from Owen's grip

New Zealand golfer Simon Owen finished second in the Irish Seniors Open yesterday after letting his first European Senior Tour victory slip from his grasp.

Owen, aged 50, led Japan's Seiji Ebihara by three strokes with four holes to play, and was still one ahead heading to the par-four 18th. But he bogeyed the hole for a three-over round of 75, while Ebihara finished with birdies on the 17th and 18th to snatch victory by one shot.

Ebihara, who had a 71 yesterday despite a triple bogey seven on the fourth, shot a nine-under 207 for the 54-hole tournament.