SENIORS TOUR: American Bob Boyd produced a blistering birdie, eagle, par finish to overtake Spain's Jose Rivero and England's Jim Rhodes to claim his first European Seniors Tour title at the Castellon Costa Azahar Open de España at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo yesterday.
The 50-year-old from Wilmington, North Carolina, was behind both his nearest rivals as he left the 15th green, but a birdie on the 160-yard par three 16th and an eagle on the 526-yard par five 17th enabled him to make up that deficit, and a par on the last gave him a one-stroke victory on 11-under-par 205.
Rivero and Rhodes matched Boyd's closing round of one-under-par 71, while France's Gery Watine stormed through the field with a closing 67 to claim fourth place, a shot further behind.
Best of the Irish was Eamonn Darcy, who double-bogeyed his opening hole before signing for a level par 72 to be on two-under overall in a tie for 20th.
Eddie Polland was two shots further back after three consecutive 72s, while Denis O'Sullivan slipped to a closing 76 that included a run of bogey, double-bogey, double-bogey from the 14th.
John Curtis finished on eight over par.
CHALLENGE TOUR: Brad Sutterfield of the US secured his second European Challenge Tour victory of the season at the Open de Toulouse yesterday after an outstanding final round of six-under-par 66 saw him take the title and the €18,400 top prize by two strokes from a group of four tied on 15 under par.
Sutterfield (36), who began the final round four shots off the pace in a tie for sixth place, put on a flawless last-day display, carding six birdies and 12 pars to finish ahead of overnight leader David Dixon of England, Sweden's Steven Jeppesen, Norway's Jan Are Larsen and the Argentinian Andres Romero.
PGA TOUR: KJ Choi wasted little time in taking the lead and adding to it during yesterday's final round of the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Korean, who is seeking his first PGA Tour title since the 2002 Tampa Bay Classic, opened his round with four consecutive birdies to get to 20-under-par and grab a two-stroke lead.
Choi's closest competitor was Shigeki Maruyama, who was three under through seven holes.
Brandt Jobe was a shot back after picking up five birdies.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Hale Irwin scorched through the field with a six-under-par 66 yesterday to capture the SAS Championship on the Champions Tour at Prestonwood Country Club in North Carolina.
Irwin, who started the day five shots behind overnight leader RW Eaks, started the day slowly, but he came home with four birdies and an eagle to finish on 13-under-par 203.
That left him two shots clear of Bob Gilder, who shot a 71, and Tom Jenkins, with a 70.
Craig Stadler closed with a three-under 69 to grab fourth place on his own.
Eaks crashed to a five-over 77 to finish seven strokes behind Irwin.
