Elson takes Volvo Open

JAMIE ELSON joined the ever increasing number of English golfing talent to capture his maiden professional title at the Volvo Finnish Open on the European Challenge Tour.

Elson, who is hoping to follow the path taken former Challenge Tour players Warren Bennett, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, shot a final round 66 to finish two shots clear of Austrian Martin Wiegele on 24 under par 264 and set a new 72 hole record at Eby spoon Golfsuera.

The 22 year old, who only joined the Challenge Tour three weeks ago, has leaped to 22nd on the Rankings by capturing the 16,660 first prize.

Elson tied for 14th on his Challenge Tour debut at the Clearstream International Luxembourg Open, and quickly followed that up by finishing joint tenth last week in the Galeria Kaufhof Pokal Challenge before today's victory. He has won 22,210 in three events.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted, this is just an amazing feeling I can't believe it, to be honest.

"I've played some great golf over the whole weekend, but today was probably the best of the lot. I was a little nervous before I teed off but I went to the turn in five under and then just tried to make pars all the way in.

"I had a look at the scores behind me and my playing partner Martin was getting pretty close to me but I hit a brilliant four iron into the 17th and holed the putt for birdie. As soon as that dropped I knew I had clinched it."

Australian Marcus Fraser finished a further one stroke behind Wiegele on 21 under 267, with Hennie Otto of South Africa and Denmark's Joachim Larsen tied for fourth on 20 under.