Missed putt proves costly for Polland

EDDIE POLLAND recorded his best result for almost 17 months when he finished joint second with Spaniard José Rivero and Sam Torrance of Scotland in the Algarve Seniors Open of Portugal at a rain-soaked Quinta de Cima Golfe on Sunday.

Polland was in a four-way tie for the lead playing the difficult 18th but missed his birdie putt from eight feet after a majestic three iron approach.

It was too prove costly as American Jerry Bruner, playing in the final group, holed from 30 feet for a three that moved him one shot clear on 11 under par 205.

Torrance then suffered the same fate as Polland, missing his birdie putt to hand Bruner his first European Seniors Tour title since the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Classic in 2003. Polland, who has not featured prominently since his second place at the Wallonia Open in Belgium in May 2004, believes he is close to ending a six-year run without a win.

“It is nice to be back in contention and out in the final groups.

“I feel I have got a new lease of life. I changed my putter last week for the first time since I turned pro in 1968 and I am feeling much more confident,” he said.

Meanwhile, nine of the world’s top 10 golfers and 18 of the leading 40 have turned down the chance to win nearly £400,000 at the World Cup in Portugal on November 17-20.

Americans Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Chris DiMarco, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry, David Toms, Davis Love and Fred Couples have all declined invitations.

The USA will be represented instead by Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson, while the decisions of Vijay Singh, Michael Campbell, David Smail, Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, Nick Price and Thongchai Jaidee not to play mean Fiji, New Zealand, Trinidad, Zimbabwe and Thailand are no longer among the 19 exempt nations.