Goosen claims German victory

Retief Goosen survived a last-hole stumble to claim his second victory in the space of a week in the Linde German Masters.

Goosen held a two-shot lead playing the 18th but drove into the water to the left of the fairway and missed from four feet to save his par after a superb recovery.

Overnight joint-leaders Nick Dougherty and Henrik Stenson needed to birdie the last to force a play-off but were unable to take advantage of Goosen’s slip-up.

The world number five’s closing 67 gave him a 20-under-par total of 268 and one-shot victory over Dougherty (68), Stenson (68), Jose Maria Olazabal (66) and David Lynn (67).

David Howell was a shot further back in sixth after a 66, one ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Paul Casey who also carded a 66.

The winner’s cheque of £340,000 (€504,100) took Goosen, who won in Beijing last week, top of the Order of Merit and into pole position for a third money list title.

Goosen began the day sharing the lead on 15 under par but found trouble on the par four second.

After driving into trees and taking a penalty drop, the South African compounded his error with three putts to run up a double bogey six.

The Ascot-based 36-year-old immediately bounced back with a birdie on the next however and added three more in the next four holes.

A birdie from five feet on the 10th drew him level with Anthony Wall and another birdie on the 12th took him into the lead for the first time.

The leading pair traded birdies on the 13th and 15th before Wall crucially bogeyed the 16th, missing the green with his tee shot and failing to get up and down for par.

That gave Goosen a two-shot cushion.

Graeme McDowell was best of the Irish at seven under par, with Damien McGrane a shot further back.