Higgins fourth as closing 67 seals Derksen’s victory

HOLLAND’S Robert-Jan Derksen fired a superb closing 67 to win the Madeira Island Open and claim his second European Tour title.

Derksen carded six birdies, including a decisive one from 15ft on the 18th, for a 13-under-par total of 275 at Santo da Serra.

Scotland’s Gary Orr had a chance to force a play-off with a birdie on the last but left his chip from the front of the green woefully short and missed the par attempt.

That also cost Orr, without a win in five years, outright second as playing partner Andrew McLardy of South Africa holed from 10ft for birdie moments later to finish 11 under.

David Higgins was a shot further back in fourth with England’s Tom Whitehouse in fifth on seven under, helped by holing a five-iron for a hole in one on the 15th.

“This is what it’s all about, I can’t smile more than this,” said Derksen, who won a lot of friends in Madeira by playing the tournament in 2003 a fortnight after his shock win in the Dubai Desert Classic.

“I really thought I could win today. I really felt confident. I thought 68 would be good enough and in the end I shot 67 and won by two so it was a good prediction.”

Derksen won ‘just’ £68,000 for his victory in this joint-sanctioned event between the main tour and Challenge Tour, compared to £200,000 for holding off world number two Ernie Els in Dubai, but added: “It’s different but I can’t say I enjoyed Dubai more.

“It was great to watch the last hole again, in Dubai it was Ernie trying to make a birdie and here it was Gary. It’s the same excitement and it’s almost better to win again. It’s fantastic.”

Derksen began the day one off the lead but birdies at the second and third quickly moved him into a lead he would never relinquish.

Orr ensured the Dutchman would not have it all his own way with three birdies in four holes from the 11th, but Derksen responded with birdies on the 15th and 18th to seal victory.