Murphy challenge fades as Fasth seals win

Sweden’s Niclas Fasth ended the home nation’s dominance of the Mallorca Classic to complete his own Spanish double today.

Ireland’s Gary Murphy – joint leader with Fasth overnight – slumped to a 76 to finish in joint 13th at three over.

Fasth, who won the Spanish Open at San Roque in April, carded a final round of 68 for a five-under-par total of 275 and three-shot victory.

Pre-tournament favourite Sergio Garcia, first and second here the last two years, was second again after a closing 68.

That was completed despite a brief invasion of the 18th green by two protestors, believed to campaigning against the building of more golf courses on the island, as the Spaniard stood over his second shot.

Scotland’s Marc Warren and Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara were the only other players in red figures on one under to share third place.

Fasth began the day tied for the lead with Murphy and never looked back once he claimed the outright lead with a birdie on the sixth.

A bogey on the ninth saw the 34-year-old’s advantage cut to one but crucial birdies at the 10th and 14th effectively sealed victory.

Garcia had threatened to make matters interesting when he birdied the 13th to close within two shots, but the world number 10 then missed from six feet for another birdie on the next and his chance for a second win in three years had gone.

Fasth is the first non-Spaniard to win the title. Miguel Angel Jimenez won the inaugural event in 2003, with Garcia winning in 2004 and Jose Maria Olazabal triumphant last year.

Ireland's Paul McGinley shot an impressive final round of 67 to finish tied for sixth on one over par.