Top award for Volvo Masters hotshot McGinley

PAUL McGINLEY has won the RBS Shot of the Year Award for 2005 for his third shot approach to the 17th in the final round of the Volvo Masters.

McGinley's 112-yard sand wedge shot on the treacherous par five set up a birdie to help clinch victory in the season-ending event at Valderrama.

The Dubliner collects a trophy and a £2,000 cheque for charity after beating the other monthly award winners.

McGinley said: "There have been a few memorable shots during my career, such as holing the winning putt in the 2002 Ryder Cup, but that was for the team as much as myself.

"I had been very close to winning in 2005 but hadn't managed to get my hands on a trophy, so it was a highly charged and tense moment on the 17th at Valderrama.

"Everyone knows how dangerous that hole can be and I knew that the slightest mistake could be fatal. I deliberately tried to leave myself a full sand wedge so I laid up with a nine-iron for my second shot and got my yardage exactly right.

"I wanted the ball to pitch and stop on the top tier and that meant controlling the spin. With the adrenaline rush, I could easily have gone over the back of the green and faced a treacherous downhill chip or gone into the water.

"I didn't fancy either option, so it was a great relief to see the ball finish close. When I holed the birdie putt I knew I was in a strong position to win the most important title of my career."

Meanwhile, Englishman Ross Fisher and South African Tim Clark posted five-under-par 68s to equal the course record and move into the overnight South African Airways Open lead.

Swede Henrik Nystrom finished one behind the lead, with compatriot Mattias Eliasson and South African Charl Schwartzel on three-under for joint third.

Defending champion Clark posted four birdies and an eagle for his round, the only blemish coming with a bogey on his ninth and final hole.

Fisher teed off on the 10th hole and posted five birdies and four pars to draw level with Clark at the turn. His back nine was not as consistent and he finished with two bogeys at the first and eighth, although he carded another two birdies at the fifth and ninth to go back to five-under.

Fisher's best result to date was a fourth at the European Tour's 2006 Volvo China Open held last month. He finished 18th on the 2005 Challenge Tour to secure his playing privileges for 2006, and then finished 14th on the European Tour Qualifying School to improve his category listing.

He started playing the game at the age of just three and turned professional in 2004.

Clark has officially joined the European Tour and will play at least the minimum 11 tournaments required during the 2006 season. A victory on Sunday would cap a fine year for the South African, who celebrates his 30th birthday this Saturday.

He picked up £1.3m on the PGA Tour, won the Scottish Open, finished third in the US Open and rose more than 50 places on the world rankings.

South African-born Justin Rose carded a one-over-par 74 for joint eighth.