Higgins leaps up Challenge rankings

CHALLENGE TOUR: A stunning final round of seven-under-par 65 that included a hole in one helped Waterville's David Higgins to…

CHALLENGE TOUR:A stunning final round of seven-under-par 65 that included a hole in one helped Waterville's David Higgins to a share of third place at the Scottish Challenge.

That saw him scale 18 places on the leaderboard and ensured a huge leap up the Challenge Tour rankings, from 126th to 44th.

Higgins, who won a cheque for €14,000 at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel G&CC, may now focus on the Challenge Tour as he bids to retain his status on the European Tour for 2008.

He finished the week on 15 under 273, but that was five shots behind leader Robert Dinwiddie of England, who won €32,000.

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SENIORS TOUR: Jimmy Heggarty shot a five-under-par 65 in the final round of the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in Switzerland, but England's Carl Mason's own 65 saw him win the 54-hole event by six shots.

Argentina's Horacio Carbonetti, England's David J Russell and Italy's Costantino Rocca all tied for second place on 10 under par.

WOMEN'S TOUR: Scotland's Catriona Matthew claimed her fifth worldwide title with a three-stroke victory at the Scandinavian TPC Hosted by Annika in Malmo.

The 37-year-old posted a four-under-par 68 to finish on nine-under 279, ahead of Sweden's Sophie Gustafson and American Laura Diaz.