Lawrie loses out as Ferrie takes his first tour title in play-off

ENGLAND’S Kenneth Ferrie kept his nerve to win his first European tour title in Tenerife yesterday.

The 24-year-old from Ashington home town of Charlton brothers Bobby and Jack captured the Canaries Spanish Open with a birdie at the second hole of a play-off against Peter Lawrie and Swede Peter Hedblom.

Ferrie had earlier birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th holes in superb fashion to draw level.

Rookie Lawrie had set the target of 22-under par with a four-foot eagle putt on the last for a 66, and Hedblom, needing to birdie the 542-yard closing hole to reach 23 under, three-putted for only a par and a 67.

Ferrie, the British boys champion seven years ago, also failed to make the four he required for the £201,731 first prize more than he earned in his first three seasons on the circuit but after signing for a 69, the play-off gave him a chance to make amends, and he grabbed it.

After all three had birdied the same hole at the start of sudden death, they returned to the 18th again, and this time Ferrie was the only one to make a four. Lawrie three-putted from just over the green while Hedblom went right and made a mess of his chip.

Ferrie had fired in his approach to 10 feet, and two putts proved good enough.

"I'm really pleased," he said. "I had a couple of rocky patches, but then everything came together.

"I had a heart-to-heart with my coach John Harrison at the start of last year. I was not happy being a run-of-the-mill player, especially not seeing Sergio Garcia playing in Ryder Cups and Justin Rose doing all sorts.

"I consider myself as good as them This is the first time I've been in this situation and I didn't know what to expect. But I coped with it better than I thought I would," he said.

Londoner Brian Davis, missing a 12-ft eagle chance on the last, and Denmark's Mads Vibe-Hastrup shared fourth place a stroke behind.

An incredible 14 players held at least a share of the lead on the final day, but there were surprising errors from some of the favourites.

Surrey's Paul Casey, seeking the win that would have put him second on the Order of Merit behind Ernie Els, lost a ball up a palm tree on the long 11th, while Miguel Angel Jimenez also took a double bogey seven there, after climbing to top spot.

Then Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley bogeyed the 15th, 16th and 17th to fall out of contention.

Seventeen-year-old amateur Pablo Martin, who sensationally was part of a six-way tie for the lead after a third-round 64, was out in front on his own when he birdied the 539-yard first after a pitch to seven feet.

But the Malaga schoolboy's dream of capturing his national title in only his second European tour event and becoming both the first amateur to win on the circuit and its youngest champion ended when he triple-bogeyed the 459-yard fourth.

Going in the hazard with his second shot was bad enough, but then Martin three-putted as well. He finished with a 74 for joint 23rd place at 17 under, and missed by one the lowest-ever totals by an amateur on the tour.

He does go into the record books, though. No amateur had ever before led with a round to play before.

Jose Maria Olazabal's 10th place means he is still chasing his first Spanish Open title.

With defending champion Sergio Garcia coming only 19th, that means Max Faulkner remains the last man to win the title two years in a row, way back in 1952-53.