The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Jeev tied fifth; Fernandez-Castano wins

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Jeev tied fifth; Fernandez-Castano wins

— Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

TRIUMPHANT: Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano is all smiles after winning the British Masters on Sunday.

The Belfry (England): A poor front nine marred Jeev Milkha Singh’s final round as he turned in a one-over 73 to settle for a tied fifth finish at the British Masters here on Sunday.

The Indian pro, who was tied third overnight just three strokes off the pace, ended his campaign with a total of six-under 282.

The other Indian in the fray, Shiv Kapur, had yet another disastrous outing, carding a 74 in the final round to finish tied 59th with a total of seven-over 295.

Steady start

Jeev was off to a steady start as he parred his first five holes before hitting a rough patch. A double-bogey on the sixth hole was followed by another dropped stroke on the ninth as Jeev made the turn three-over.

The Indian went on damage control mode in his back-nine and reeled off birdies on the 10th and 13th to raise hopes of a comeback.

He managed another birdie on the 17th but a bogey on the preceding hole meant that Jeev failed to break par for the first time in the tournament.

Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (67), who was tied for third spot with Jeev after three rounds, clinched the title after beating Englishman Lee Westwood (70) in a play-off.

The duo was tied at 12-under 276 after the regulation four rounds.

The victory earned Fernandez-Castano euro382,000 (US$300,000). He celebrated by taking a dip in the lake that fronts the final green and came to his media centre interview clad only in two towels.

“It was cold but not that cold, but it smelled terrible like I do right now,” he said.

It was his fourth European Tour victory and third in a play-off.

New Zealand’s Michael Campbell (72) settled for the third spot at 10-under 278. — Agencies

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