ATZENBRUGG, AUSTRIA | This time of year the
European Tour – and on any Tour for that mat-
ter – creates stories of triumph over trauma.
Last week was a prime example.
Jose Manuel Lara of Spain had missed nine
consecutive cuts coming into the KLM Open
two weeks ago. Last week, he made par on the
first playoff hole to win the Austrian Golf Open,
not only to secure his playing privileges for
2011, but also gained a two-year exemption on
the European Tour.
It was Lara’s second victory on the European
Tour. He won the USB Hong Kong Open in 2007.
But he was in danger of losing his Tour card as
he was 130th on the money list coming into the
Austrian Golf Open.
Lara and David Lynn of England finished
72 holes at 17-under 271 at Diamond Coun-
try Club. Lara came from farther back in the
pack, with a 10-birdie, 8-under 64, while Lynn
shot a Sunday 68.
Both players took different paths to the final
holes. Lynn made critical par putts on the 16th
and 17th and two-putted from about 80 feet on
the 18th green for par to force the playoff. Lara
made a twisting, 40-foot birdie putt on the 72nd
hole to get to 17 under.
Lynn played himself out of the playoff with a
poor tee shot that wound up in the grassy face
of a fairway bunker on the 18th. All he could do
was pitch out and his third shot wound up about
15 feet from the hole. Lara two-putted for par
from about 40 feet and Lynn missed his par putt.
At the KLM Open, Lara shot a final-round 65
to vault up the leaderboard into fourth place. It
Jose Manuel Lara won in a playoff to
secure his card for next season.
“I played well last week, so I expected good
things this week,” Lara said afterward. “But not
in my best dreams did I ever imagine this.”
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, the
U.S. Open champion, led a trio at 14 under
that finished tied for third. McDowell shot 69
on Sunday, while Alexander Noren of Sweden
shot 68 to finish at 14 under. Danny Willett of
England finished with three straight bogeys
for a 1-under 71 to fall out of the lead into the
third-place tie. RESULTS
Staff and Wire Reports
2008 U.S. Ryder Cup Team Captain:
“This is the best golf glove ever made.”
