One-hole defeat for O’Sullivan

ENGLAND’S Carl Mason consolidated his place at the top of the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit when he defeated Denis O’Sullivan by one hole in a dramatic final at the Daily Telegraph/ Turismo Andaluz Seniors Match Play Championship.

Mason came into the match play event with a £20,486 lead over Scotland’s Bill Longmuir and he extended that advantage to £33,986 after overcoming a late charge from the former Irish Amateur champion.

Mason recorded three consecutive birdies from the 13th on his way to defeating Denis Durnian in the semi-finals but he must have thought that the boot was on the other foot when O’Sullivan birdied both the 354-yard 16th and the 361-yard 17th to get back to all square at the Los Flamingos course near Malaga.

But just when it looked certain that the match would get into extra time Mason got up and down from out of a bunker and O’Sullivan three-putted from the front edge of the final green to hand the match to his English rival.

“What a dreadful way to finish,” said the disappointed Irishman at the end.

“I thought I had a great chance when I pegged him back at 16 and 17 but then I handed to him but hitting a poor wedge into the final green.

“It’s tough to take at the moment but I’m sure I will bounce back.”

Mason was equally dumbfounded after a titanic tussle during which the lead changed hands on six occasions.

“They always said that golf was a funny old game and I guess this proves they were right,” said the Englishman.

“One minute I thought I was cruising and the next I thought I would lose. All credit to Denis. He did very well to claw me back to all square. It’s just a shame it ended the way it did. The match was so good it deserved a better finish than that.

“I can’t begin to tell you how good it feels to win this title,” added Mason, who has now won £195,586 from his first nine starts on the Seniors Tour.