Third for Dinwiddie as Clarke wins

Apr 28 2008 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

ROBERT Dinwiddie landed the highest finish of his rookie European Tour season yesterday – and his biggest pay cheque – with a three-way tie for third place in the BMW Asian Open.

The 25-year-old from Barnard Castle had been in with an excellent chance of victory at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong club following a third round 66 on Saturday, six under par.

That was the lowest score of the tournament and contained eight birdies, five of them coming in six holes over the back nine. But yesterday the former Walker Cup man lost his direction off the tee and with it his momentum as he started the last round nervously with four bogeys in the first seven holes.

Although Dinwiddie recovered his composure, he only hit seven greens in regulation all told as he finished with a 74 for a five-under total of 283. That was three shots behind winner Darren Clarke, the Northern Irishman who claimed an emotional victory by draining a 40-foot putt at the last to beat Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands by one shot

It was the first win in five years for Clarke, who has endured a difficult few years following the death of his wife Heather through cancer in 2006 and a subsequent slump in form.

Dinwiddie’ near £60,000 pay day yesterday puts him on winnings of £112,284, only around £85,000 short of the total he is likely to need to keep his Tour card with over six months of the season still to play.

Dinwiddie lies 74th on the European Tour Order of Merit, with his fellow County Durham Tour player, Graeme Storm, in 41st position.

Clarke carded a final round of 73 in tough conditions for an eight-under 280 total to secure his first victory since the 2003 WGC – NEC Invitational.

“This one is very special,” said Clarke. “It’s nice to get back up to where I feel my golf should be. It’s nice to win again and it’s a really, really good feeling. Sometimes things are meant to happen, sometimes not. I guess today was my day.

“On the 18th I was thinking of getting the putt to the hole and I wasn’t going to lag it up. I wanted to give myself a chance on the last and I hit a solid putt. Sometimes it’s meant to go in.”