GOLF DIGEST/CHALLENGE TOUR: Sweden's Joakim Haeggman took his first step on the road to regaining his place among the golfing elite with victory at the AGF-Allianz Open Côtes d'Armor Bretagne on the European Challenge Tour.

Haeggman, who made a miraculous up and down on the final hole at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André to save par, carded a final round 68 to finish on five-under-par 275 and take the title by one shot from England's Marcus Higley.

Higley shot a 67 - the lowest round of the day - to finish on four under par, with Sweden's Andreas Högberg, Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin and Italy's Allesandro Tadini in a tie for third two shots further back.

AMATEUR:Irish international Shane Lowry was able to celebrate last night after being a member of the European team which retained the Michael Bonallack Trophy with a convincing win over Asia Pacific at Valderrama.

The Esker Hills man featured in all five sessions of the three-day biennial contest and was involved in some very tight duals as Europe romped to a 20-12 success.

In the singles yesterday Lowry, however, had to play second fiddle to Korea's Bi-O-Kim and went down by 4 and 2.

ILGU:The French Golf Federation sent a record number of 22 players to the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon at the weekend.

And their flood-the-market gambit paid off in style when Barbara Genuini, a 24-year-old, from Nice, won the title by two strokes with a total of 11-under-par 214 for the 54-hole event.

Genuini swept to victory from an overnight position of joint sixth, thanks to a brilliant final round of five-under-par 70 over the testing Royal Troon Links.

Jacqueline Hedwall of Sweden had the best round of the day, a bogey-free, eight-birdie 67 over Royal Troon for a total of 216 to finish in second place.

Niamh Kitching from Claremorris was best of the Irish on two-under-par 223 after a final round of 77. Ireland finished third behind Sweden in the team event.