When the invitations to Georgia are handed out next year, the name Thomas Bjorn will be on the minds of the organisers at Augusta. The 27-year-old Dane proved once again he could be Major material when he kept a former US Masters champion, Jose Maria Olazabal, at bay to win the Spanish Open at El Prat yesterday.
Bjorn, Rookie of the Year in Europe when he won his first event in 1996, the Loch Lomand Invitational, ahead of a star-studded field, handled the closing stretch best in Barcelona to take the £91,660 first prize by a stroke. He never led until he chipped in on the 16th for his eighth birdie of the day. That finally broke the resolve of Olazabal, once again to be denied the Spanish Open title that has eluded him 14 times now, twice as an amateur.
A closing six-under-par 66 for 21-under-par, which is the best aggregate of the year, two better than Olazabal's total to win the Desert Classic, left Bjorn one better than the Spaniard and the player who had led for three rounds, the big-hearted young left-handed Australian 24-year-old Greg Chalmers.
Chalmers will come again. Had his birdie putt on the last from 15 feet not lipped out he would have forced a play-off.
The defending champion, Mark James, made a valiant attempt to retain the title, finishing fourth on 18-under-par with Argentinian Eduardo Romero, who also held the lead after eagling the 10th.
Bjorn's victory, which hauled him up to third on the European rankings, also left him with Georgia on his mind, now that he has beaten Ian Woosnam - in the earlier Heineken Classic - and Olazabal for two titles this year and produced the memorable half with Justin Leonard in last year's Ryder Cup.
"I know that I can beat the best so I'm confident that one day I can win a Major now if I get the chance and I hope I'll get that chance at Augusta next year. I didn't really expect this after taking five weeks' off but when your confidence has gone like mine did after winning in Perth, it just shows it's best to take a break and regroup.
"I could have been really nervous coming down the last holes but my experience playing Ryder Cup last year and being able to beat Ian Woosnam earlier in the year, enabled me to handle the pressure."
Eamonn Darcy once again finished Ireland's top man. The 45year-old based at Druids Glen is a man revitalised. On Saturday he revealed he was on a "Neutron" diet which had enabled him to slim down by over a stone. Yesterday he lost a few more ounces in sweat as he toiled over the opening holes but then surged into a spell of the sort of play which has reborn his winning hopes to help him card a 70 to finish on 14under-par for a share of 11th place.
Said Darcy: "Everything about my game is solid again except my confidence. That was the difference between me and winning. I guess 15 years ago I'd have been going into the last round fast and furious. The years have taken a bit of a toll. But then again, 15 years ago 14-under-par would have won me the title with ease.
"All I can say to myself is how many players would be pleased to finish 14-under-par at 45 years old?"
Darcy attained his total with a run of three birdies in five holes around the turn after going through a nervous early spell where his putter erred four times, costing him one bogey. Those three to four-footers still seem to be the his Achilles-heel but boosted his prize with a solid 10footer on the 16th after messing up his best drive of the week on the 14th to bogey.
