Dodd's incredible journey brings victory

Sometimes it is better to travel in hope than to arrive, the saying goes.

But that was not true for Welsh golfer Stephen Dodd when he decided, despite his dislike of air travel, to play in the Volvo China Open in Shanghai.

The event is now part of the ever-expanding European Tour and when it ended yesterday Dodd was celebrating his first-ever victory, one which ended a 15-year wait and was worth nearly €128,000.

It is easy to imagine his delight and sense of pride. This was a win for someone who refused to lose faith in himself.

“It seems that as time goes on you’re not sure it’s going to happen, but I never stopped believing I was good enough to do it,” he said. “If I didn’t think that I would have stopped a long time ago.”

Winner of the British amateur title in 1989, the 38-year-old from Cardiff then became part of the first Walker Cup side to win on American soil – against a team which included Phil Mickelson.

The pair clashed twice in the foursomes, with Dodd partnering current captain Garth McGimpsey and winning one and halving the other.

But while Mickelson was quickly a world star on turning professional, Dodd struggled to get his career off first base. He did not even make it to the final stage of the qualifying school at his first attempt. Nor at his second and third.

It was not until 1994 he finally earned himself a Tour card, but he lost it straightaway and it was not until 2001 – after a 10th school visit – that he avoided a return.

Now he can forget about the qualifying ordeal for a long time. As part of the 2005 Order of Merit schedule, the Shanghai win gives him an exemption through to the end of the 2007 season.

“My goal at the start of the season was to win. Now I’ll have to sit down and re-evaluate,” he added before moving on to the Omega Hong Kong Open starting on Thursday.

His first victory came at his 166th attempt, but although he was ranked only 229th in the world it did not fall into the category of totally unexpected.

Dodd’s 58th place on the 2004 Order of Merit was the best of his career and he finished it by coming 15th in the Volvo Masters.

Three ahead at halfway and after 54 holes, he was involved in a final-day duel with world number 31 Thomas Bjorn and matched him with a 68 – only two off the low round of the week – to win by three.

He was in the water for the second day running on the seventh but got out of it with a bogey as opposed to a triple-bogey and the only other moment of concern was when he three-putted the 17th.

Dodd still had a two-stroke advantage, however, and he was the one to birdie the par-five last.

His second shot there showed his self-belief. Steve Webster had pulled his approach into the lake not long before and with a bogey six had dropped out of a share of third place, but Dodd did not even consider it in play as he hit his rescue club onto the green.

Damien McGrane finished one under, tied in 18th place. Peter Lawrie occupied the same spot at the finish.