Golf-Bjorn wins Irish Open for ninth Tour title
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-22 21:08
MAYNOOTH, Ireland, May 22 - Denmark's Thomas Bjorn birdied the last two
holes on Monday to win the weather-affected Irish Open title.
Bjorn equalled the European Tour's record best recovery when he came back
from a first round 78 to close with a level-par 72 on the tournament's fifth day
to total five-under-par 283, a stroke better than Britain's Paul Casey.
The Dane's ninth European Tour title came after a battle of attrition with
the weather, high winds on the opening day and torrential rain on Sunday
extending the tournament's life.
Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke looked favourite to win when he began the
day two strokes ahead of the field on the ninth.
But he bogeyed the hole and with two bogeys in the last three holes,
including a three-putt at the 72nd, had to be satisfied with third place, a
stroke behind Casey.
Bjorn's victory represented a remarkable comeback.
On Friday morning, the 35-year-old Dane finished off his disrupted first
round with a triple-bogey eight for a six-over-par 78.
After a quick turnaround, though, he then equalled the course record 66 later
on that Friday to put himself into contention, only three strokes off the
halfway lead.
A 67 on Saturday gave him a share the lead and his grandstand finish equalled
a tour record set by George Burns, also in Ireland, who won the 1975 Kerrygold
International Classic at Waterville, also after beginning with a 78.
Bjorn's victory comes after a year of illness and injury and puts the Dane
into contention for a third Ryder Cup appearance.
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