Golf: Brooky secures tour place with Spanish Open win

Lynette Brooky's Tour card is safe for the next three years. Picture / Tristan Jones

Lynette Brooky's Spanish Open triumph yesterday came at just the right time, guaranteeing her a place on the European Tour for three years.

The second-most celebrated golfer to come from Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, shot a final round 2-under 70 for an excellent 13-under 275 to win the title at Castellon, her fourth win on the European Tour.

The victory bumps her up to second on the Order of Merit behind Gwladys Nocera of France, whom she held off in a tight final round yesterday.

The win came around the same time Titahi Bay's most famous golfing product, Michael Campbell, was finishing equal fifth at the British Masters at The Belfry. His final round 2-over 74 dropped him off the pace. Swede Johan Edfors won the Masters, his second Tour win in seven weeks, with a final-round 70.

And to complete a decent day for New Zealand players, Phil Tataurangi took a share of 34th place at the Byron Nelson Classic in his home city of Dallas, pocketing US$28,000 ($45,188).

Brooky's win comes after earlier titles at the Austrian Open in 1998 and the French Open in 2002 and 2003 and opens the door to July's rich Evian Masters in Paris, which has prizemoney of €2.1 million ($4.35 million).

"It's been a long time waiting. If I didn't get a win this year I would lose my winner's status," she said. "I knew if I didn't win this year I'd have to work hard to keep my card so it's nice to know I can play on the Tour for the next three years."

Brooky set a course-record 66 in the opening round, then bettered it by one shot in Sunday morning's third round.

Nocera pressed early in the final round, but Brooky picked up shots at the sixth and ninth holes and turned for home four shots clear. Nocera got to within two shots at one point and although Brooky found the water at 17, she kept her head to bag a cheque for €41,250.

Tataurangi shot an even par 70 to finish at 2-under, 10 shots behind the winner, American Brett Wetterich.

Tataurangi, who had a sizzling second round 66 before falling over with a 74 on Sunday, had a poor start yesterday, with three bogeys in his first five holes. But he responded with five birdies in his last 12 holes for his best result so far in his PGA Tour comeback.

He has made the cut in three of his six Tour starts this year. This was his best finish and Tataurangi is happy with progress after the back problems which sidelined him for the best part of the previous two years.

"It's coming around," he said yesterday. "There's good signs every week that we're making progress. I'm under no illusions that it's all going to fall into place at once."

Campbell, out of action for five weeks, began well at The Belfry, but three-putted from less than 2m at the ninth, bogeyed 12 and 14 and despite a couple of late birdies, dropped a further shot when he three-putted the final hole.

But he still banked €101,691.

"The positive thing is that this result will help in my build-up for the US Open," Campbell said.