<image="1" align="left" />Richard Green came close to a breakthrough European Tour win at the Open de Espana last night. But the veteran Victorian ultimately was heartbreaken to lose in a playoff as local hero Miguel Angel Jiminez won his home Open for the first time.
Green, 43, had won two of his three titles on that tour in playoffs. But he bogeyed the first hole of a three-way playoff after hitting his second shot through the green. Jiminez won with a par, securing an emotional victory at his 28th attempt to win the Spanish Open.
The left-handed Green, a 15-year veteran of the tour, was devastated. A triple bogey at the 14th hole after he hit his second shot into trees, needing a penalty drop, cost him the title. "I have to take a lot of positives out of it, it's the best I've played since the French Open last year," he said. "I played well in the Australian Open over Christmas, just unfortunately struggling to get the job done. I couldn't count how many times I have run second on The European Tour.
"It's just a shame that when the heat of the battle comes along a bit of misfortune happens every now and again. The 14th hole cost me big time and I played pretty solid from that point in and probably should have won the tournament by two shots if that had just been a par."
On the LPGA Tour Queenslander Sarah Jane Smith had a brilliant final round in the Kingsmill Championship to finish tied-second, equalling her best-ever LPGA finish. Smith carded a 66, the equal-low round of the day, with five birdies. Meanwhile fellow-Australian Katherine Kirk faded on the final day with a 75 after contending earlier in the week.
Victoria's Marc Leishman had a strong finish in the Byron Nelson Championship on the PGA Tour, finishing tied-third behind Brendon Todd of the United States after a final-round 70. John Senden finished well to finish tied-11th, continuing his consistent season.