T33 finish for Jeev Milkha Singh

Report by Anand Datla

May 17, 2015: Jeev Milkha Singh signed off from the Open de Espana with a battling even par 72 to finish the tournament placed in T33. The Indian has been up and down this week, but he will leave Spain knowing that he has played some of the best golf from his bag in recent months. The 43 year old made only the second cut of his season in Barcelona and a reasonably good finish should give him renewed hope and energy as he works his way back from injury. James Morrison produced a brilliant final round display to claim a comprehensive four shot victory at the Real Club de Golf El Prat.

Jeev started on the wrong foot when he made a bogey at the first hole, but corrected immediately by gaining a shot at the next hole. Action came in pairs for the Indian through the rest of the round.

A bogey at the 6th was followed by another birdie at the next hole. He made birdie at the 12th to go under par for the round, but surrendered a bogey at the 13th to slip back to even par. Jeev signed off with five pars from there to finish at 2-over 290 to finish T33 and earn himself € 10,819 for his efforts this week.

The 30 year old Englishman, whose previous European Tour title came in Madeira five years ago, had shared the lead with compatriot David Howell at the start of the day after a third round 68 in fast and windy conditions at Real Club de Golf El Prat. With the breeze up again in the final round, Morrison’s flawless closing 69 blew the field away as he led throughout.

After trading four consecutive pars with Howell at the start of the day, Morrison chipped in from behind the green for birdie at the fifth.

Another gain from 12 feet at the ninth extended his advantage, and although the likes of Howell, Francesco Molinari and defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez all threatened to put him under pressure, a run of eight straight pars on the back nine saw Morrison reach the 18th with a three shot lead.

He finished in style with a birdie from ten feet to earn the biggest prize of his career and €250,000, with victory taking him from 296th in the Official World Golf Ranking to just outside the top 160 and completing a return to form after he had to regain his card at Qualifying School in 2013.

“It feels amazing,” said Morrison. “It’s been five years and I’ve had a lot of chances between then and now to win and haven’t done it but I drew on all my experience and got over the line.

“The game plan was to stick to my process – I know it’s a cliché but it’s true. In years past when I haven’t done it it’s been too much looking at leaderboards and outside influences, and today even down to that last putt I wanted to hole that putt badly and stuck to my process all day long and executed which feels amazing.”

“You try and enjoy it now; I’ve been off the booze this week for the first time in ages, so I’m very thirsty!”

Morrison now turns his attention to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, an event he led at the halfway stage in 2012.

“Having a home week next week – I live 20 minutes away – so I’ll try and ride the crest of a wave and get back to it Monday,” he added. “My wife and my little boy mean everything to me. I couldn’t have done it without them and my dad and my mum.”

While Morrison was a worthy winner, Jiménez – who aced the eighth on Friday – again provided the day’s highlights. The 51 year old holed his approach for eagle at the fifth – prompting an increasingly familiar celebratory jig – and was a foot away from a second hole-in-one at the eighth.

A round of 67 gave him a share of second alongside Howell, Molinari, and halfway leader Edouard Espana of France.

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Source: European Tour Website