Dougherty triumphs after nail-biter in Munich
Nick Dougherty sealed his third Tour victory
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Sunday, 28, Jun 2009 09:11
Nick Dougherty claimed the biggest victory of his career after winning the BMW International Open.
The Englishman carded a final round of 64 to finish on 22-under par, one stroke ahead of Rafa Echenique.
Argentine Echenique (62) had threatened an upset after completing the first nine holes in a joint European Tour record of 27.
But Dougherty held his nerve to par the final three holes to triumph.
Bernhard Langer, hoping to become the oldest winner in Tour history at 51, fell back to ninth, while overnight leader Retief Goosen was third.
Graeme Storm and Jose Manuel Jimenez finished on 17 under, while Rory McIlroy was a further three strokes adrift.
But it was Dougherty's day after an impressive final round which started with four successive birdies.
Goosen and Dougherty were level on the turn but the Liverpool-born player moved ahead with four birdies.
He was forced to sweat though as Echenique's second shot on the 18th pitched at the front of the green before rolling into the cup for the albatross that sealed a 10-under-par round.
Dougherty dedicated the victory to his late mother.
"The strength that my mum had lives on in me," he said.
"I want to say thank you to all the people who have helped me through some tough times. I have a great team around me and it's great to be back where I feel I belong."
"The 18th has been an absolute brute for me this week and I'm delighted to get the job done."
The win earned him nearly £283,000 and he qualifies for the British Open at Turnberry via a mini-Order of Merit.
Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie completed a full year without a single top-10 finish with a 76 that dropped him to joint 66th.