Gronberg keeps Monty at bay

Sweden’s Mathias Gronberg held off a determined late charge from a re-invigorated Colin Montgomerie to win his fourth tour title in the Italian Open.

Gronberg carded a final-round 65 at Gardagolf for a 17-under-par total of 271 - two shots ahead of Montgomerie, Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez.

Montgomerie and Lara also shot closing rounds of 65, the latter missing out on second place on his own after a bogey on the last – while overnight leader Gonzalez recorded a final-round 70.

Gronberg collected the winners’ cheque for £127,000 and also his own weight (91kg) in cheese, courtesy of one of the tournament sponsors.

“It feels absolutely great to win,” said the 33-year-old, who had not tasted victory since January 2000.

“I didn’t really play that well from tee to green – but I managed to chip and putt really well to keep the round going.

“I got a putting tip from another Swedish player, Mattias Eliasson, after the second round which was very important. I’m sure I’ll have to do something for him – maybe a share of the cheese!

“I had a really solid year in 2001, but three years in between victories is no fun. I want to win more often but I just feel happy to have won again. It’s my son’s first birthday next week, so this is a very nice present to bring home.”

Runner-up Montgomerie was almost as happy to have re-discovered his form and rebuilt his confidence after an eight-week spell in America in which he failed to break 70 in 14 rounds, missed the cut in five of his six strokeplay events and lost in the first round of the World Matchplay.

The former European number one picked up a new set of cavity-back clubs from sponsors Hogan on his return from the US Masters, where rounds of 78 and 76 added up to the Scot’s second-worst display ever in 46 major championships.

The 39-year-old immediately put them to good use with a 62 in the pre-tournament pro-am and added rounds of 70, 67, 71 and 65 for easily his best finish of the season.

“I entered this week to get some confidence,” said Montgomerie, making his first appearance of the year in Europe.

“I lost my confidence in America for two months; I wasn’t supposed to play here but I wanted to get some confidence -and I’ve done that.

“The last four holes especially were good. I missed the green on the 15th and chipped in for birdie, made birdie on 16 and 17 and then got up and down from the bunker on the last to save par.

“I feel as if I’m back. I feel comfortable in Europe; the family is here - and I feel respected as well, which is nice.

“The start to yesterday’s round cost me. I three-putted the first and missed from inside eight feet for the next five holes. To win you have to hole half of them at least, and I didn’t do that. But at the same time a 65 today has given me a lot of confidence, going into the big three tournaments coming up.

“It’s a start in the right direction.”

Gronberg began the day three shots off the lead but carded four birdies in five holes from the third to be out in 32, and crucially eagled the par-five 11th to move into the lead.

A bogey on the 14th dropped him back into a tie with Montgomerie and Lara who were already in the clubhouse on 15 under, but birdies at the next two holes sealed a first tour victory since January 2000.

Montgomerie had been even further off the pace at the start of the final round on eight under par. But he got off to a flying start with a birdie at the second and an eagle from 20 feet on the third.

His charge was slowed with a run of seven straight pars before a birdie on the 11th, and he then picked up shots at the 15th – where he chipped in – 16th and 17th to join Lara as clubhouse leader.

South African Martin Maritz and England’s Simon Khan shared fifth place a shot further back, the prize money of £29,530 taking Khan’s earnings for the season to £106,571 – around £5,000 short of the amount probably needed to retain his card for next season.

“At the start of the year I wrote some goals down on paper – but none of them included keeping my card,” said the 30-year-old from Essex.

“I think you have to aim high and keep looking upwards and hope everything else takes care of itself.

“I got off to a bad start again like the last round in Tenerife last week but managed to birdie the ninth, which gave me a bit of impetus. I played really well on the back nine.”