South African Retief Goosen won the European Open by five strokes on Sunday, two weeks after taking the US Open.
Goosen, who led by one shot through 54 holes, had a four-under-par 68 to finish at 275. Richard Green (66), Lee Westwood (71) and Peter O’Malley (70) ended at 280.
He becomes the first player to win his first start after claiming a major since Tiger Woods in 2000. Woods took the US PGA title and NEC Invitational.
Goosen won £550 005 (about R6,2-million) on Sunday and $1,15-million (about R7,01-million) at the US Open — the total is more than he earned all of last season.
”I was tired at the beginning of the week,” said Goosen. ”Now I’m really tired.”
He made a number of television appearances after winning at Shinnecock Hills, New York, two weeks ago and didn’t unpack his golf bag until last Tuesday. He said he won’t play in Scotland next week so he can prepare for the British Open.
”I don’t want to go to Troon the following week feeling like I don’t want to play,” said Goosen, now leading the Order of Merit standings.
Goosen didn’t bogey a hole in the final round. He had birdies at the third and fifth holes to break away and then birdied the 10th and 18th holes.
”I may have been tired coming here, but I expected to play well,” he said. ”It is a new golf course, and I was looking forward to it. I liked the course and the way it set up for my game, and I knew if I played well I had a chance of winning it.”
Goosen was asked if he made any mistakes.
”I had to make an eight-foot [3m] putt for par at the first, and I chipped 10 feet [2,4m] past and had to hole a 10-footer at the 11th for par,” he said. ”Otherwise, I was putting for birdies on almost every other hole.”
Green had his second straight 66 after shooting 78 on Friday.
”It was the best I could do,” he said of the 78.
”But I’m in terrific form at the moment,” said the Australian, who was tied second at the French Open last week.
Westwood said he didn’t putt well.
”It was pretty pathetic, really,” he said. ”I need to find a little secret on the putting green.”
Dutchman Maarten Lafeber shot 69 and Spain’s Jose-Manuel Lara — second after three rounds — had a 73 to share fifth. They were six back.
Green and French Open champion Jean-Francois Remesy clinched spots in the British Open by finishing first and second in a mini Order of Merit table that included events from the Deutsche Open in Germany in May to the European Open.
O’Malley also got into the Open by finishing as the highest player at the European Open not otherwise exempt. — Sapa-AP