US TOUR: Peter Jacobsen held a two-shot lead with three holes to play over a trio in second place as the Greater Hartford Open reached its climax in Cromwell, Connecticut, yesterday.

The 49-year-old veteran remained on track to earn his first PGA Tour win in eight years when he went to the turn in one-under-par 34 after birdies at the third and fourth holes, before dropping his only shot at the next.

Todd Fischer had set the clubhouse target with a final round of 65 for a total of 11-under-par 269, and he was joined in second place by Kenny Perry - 11 under with two to pay and Chris Riley also 11 under with three to play.

Jacobsen birdied the 15th to maintain his two-shot lead as he aimed to become the sixth player aged 40 or older to win this season, the most recent being Craig Stadler, who won last week's BC Open at age 50.

WOMEN'S TOUR: American Juli Inkster cruised to the biggest prize in European women's golf of €312,541 with a brilliant final round of seven-under-par 65 at the Evian Masters in France yesterday.

The 43-year-old posted a record winning score of 21-under-par 267 and claimed the trophy by a runaway six shots from South Korean Hee Won Han, who closed with a 69.

Mexican rookie Lorena Ochoa and American Rosie Jones tied for third on 13 under.

Inkster, after a course-record third-round 64, started the final day tied with Jones.

But a birdie at the first, three in a row from the seventh and more at the 14th, 17th and 18th sealed the easy win.

"I played great all week and this is a fantastic victory," said the first American to win the title. "It's also the perfect result going into next week's British Open."