GOLF – Former Ryder Cup star Chris Wood secured his first Mena Golf Tour title last night with a nerveless final round five-under-par 67 to claim a one-shot victory at the Rolear Algarve Classic, capping a dominant week at Amendoeira Golf Resort’s O’Connor Course in Portugal with just a single dropped shot across 54 holes.
The 38-year-old Englishman, who began the final day with a one-shot lead, finished at 16-under-par to hold off Scotland’s Aidan O’Hagan, whose matching 67 saw him finish alone in second place at 15-under.
Germany’s Max Schmitt produced the round of the day with a course-record, bogey-free nine-under 63 to surge into third place at 13-under-par.
Wood’s remarkable week saw him play 52 holes without a blemish before finally dropping his first and only shot at the 17th hole yesterday – a statistic that underlined his control and consistency throughout the tournament.
“It was a great start – I hit a lovely pitch into the first to a foot, another good pitch for about eight feet on the second, held a nice putt from 20 feet on the third,” said Wood, who opened with three consecutive birdies. “I felt very in control today, so yeah, I’m really pleased.”
Wood’s victory earned him $18,000 from the $100,000 prize fund and valuable Official World Golf Ranking points as the Mena Golf Tour’s relaunched season continues to gain momentum.
The Tour now heads to Egypt for four events in January and February before moving to Morocco.
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