Fasth eyes Ryder return

Niclas Fasth today targeted a Ryder Cup return following his dramatic victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Hamburg.

Fasth, winner of the New Zealand Open in February in a play-off, defeated Argentina’s Angel Cabrera on the third extra hole at Gut Kaden after the pair had finished tied on 14 under par.

The Swede rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to take the €545,000 first prize after Cabrera had missed from a similar distance.

Fasth finished second behind David Duval in the Open at Lytham in 2001 to secure his place in the Ryder Cup, which was postponed until 2002 following the terrorist attacks in America on September 11.

The 33-year-old narrowly lost both his fourball matches at The Belfry but played superbly in the singles and was only denied the chance of sinking the winning putt when Paul Azinger holed his bunker shot on the 18th.

Qualification for the European team to defend the trophy at the K Club in Ireland next year begins on September 1 and Fasth said: “I’ve been talking about the Ryder Cup since I played at The Belfry.

“I’ve told all my family and friends that this is one I really want to be involved in because they really know how to stage an event in Ireland. That’s certainly one of the big goals in my career right now.”

With 36 holes being played on Sunday due to Thursday’s wash-out, Cabrera looked like adding to his BMW Championship win at Wentworth in May when he birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th to move three clear of the field.

But a poor approach to the last led to his only bogey of the day in a closing 67, and opened the door for the chasing pack.

Fasth took full advantage with birdies of his own on the 14th, 15th and 17th, and saved par superbly from a greenside bunker on the 18th to card a 68 and force extra holes.

The pair returned to the 18th and twice parred the tough 468-yard dogleg before firing in superb approaches which were so similar in length it required a tour official to determine which player was furthest away.

Cabrera’s putt was never on line but Fasth made no mistake.

“I really had to fight for it,” added Fasth, who went five years without a win until his victory in Auckland, where he birdied the second extra hole to beat Miles Tunnicliff.

“I didn’t have the greatest day, I was really struggling on the greens but I hung in and hung in and fought well to get the play-off. I was really proud.

“We played great in the play-off. It was more excitement than I needed but it was great, of course. I thrive on the pressure, it was the same in the Ryder Cup. It’s a good thing to have when you get into these situations once in while. I obviously play better with the pressure on.”

Former Open champion John Daly had stormed home in 30 with four birdies and an eagle in six holes from the 10th, but the American’s superb 65 was only good enough for a share of third with Scot Stephen Gallacher (69) on 12 under.

Germany’s Bernhard Langer, with his 15-year-old son Stefan as his caddy, finished in a four-way tie for fifth on 11 under alongside England’s Graeme Storm, Ireland’s Peter Lawrie and Welshman Bradley Dredge.