Tunnicliff wins by Miles
England’s Miles Tunnicliff, the leader since an opening 67, cruised to victory in the Diageo Championship by five strokes at windy Gleneagles today.
The 35-year-old ranked 261st in the world achieved his second European tour victory after a superb closing 68. It was, by two shots, the biggest winning margin of the tour season so far.
Tunnicliff, who had recorded only two top-10 finishes since his shock win in the 2002 Great North Open at Slaley Hall near Newcastle, captured the €353,541 first prize with a 13-under-par total of 275.
“Some people thought I was maybe lucky with my first win, but I think I have proved them wrong,” he said. “I am definitely a winner and I’m going to try to go on from here.”
Three clear overnight, the Malaga-based player birdied the first two holes, sank a 20-footer for par on the next, had a mere 12 putts in an outward 33 and was the only player all day to keep a bogey or worse off his card.
The gap was still three after Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, winner of the Italian Open last year, had five successive birdies around the turn and then another on the 463-yard 15th.
But McDowell then ran up a double-bogey seven at the long next, finding a plugged lie in a greenside bunker and being unable to get it out first time.
Tunnicliff was in the same bunker, but splashed out to six feet and made it, then parred the 17th and so had the luxury of being able to run up a nine on the 533-yard last and still win.
Considering Londoner Chris Gane took 17 there last year – the second highest score on one hole in tour history – it was not quite over. But he parred it.
Last Wednesday Tunnicliff did not hit a single practice shot and was worried that a wrist hurt moving cases at home might keep him out.
But he strapped it up, had ice and ultra-sound treatment, popped a pain-killing tablet and gave the finest display of a career which has included 12 trips to the tour qualifying school – only four short of Phil Golding’s record.
It is the third week in a row on the circuit that the title has gone to a long shot. Scott Drummond was 435th when he won the Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth and Simon Khan 255th going into the Wales Open.
McDowell said: “I can’t be too hard on myself – 67 is pretty good out there. But the third shot to the 16th was highly disappointing.
“It was definitely a good decision to come here rather than go to US Open qualifying, though.”
Scot Steven O’Hara, his team-mate in the 2001 Walker Cup win in America, shared third place with Australian Nick O’Hern.
Pre-tournament favourite Colin Montgomerie finished 22nd after a closing 72 and will now do something he has not done since 1991 – miss a major.
Montgomerie’s fall outside the world’s top 50 and his corresponding slide down the European rankings cost him an exempt place in the US Open and with his mind on sorting out his home life after his marriage break-up he did not try to qualify as Nick Faldo did.
“I’ll try to get my apartment in order,” said the Scot when asked about his plans for the coming week. “I’ve been away a lot and I want to try to make that into a home.
“There are more important things (than the US Open), I’m afraid. I’ll get back into it, of course I will. We’ll get through this.”
He also has yet to earn a place in the Open over Royal Troon next month.
“I’m trying, but it’s not easy,” he added.
Compatriot Drummond, in his first event since his amazing win, fell back to nine over and 63rd spot with a 79.
The day contained two holes in one, first by Essex’s Robert Coles at the 211-yard fourth and then by Scot Raymond Russell on the 208-yard 10th.
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