SWEDEN's golf development programme is today celebrating another triumph after Peter Hedblom's victory in the Moroccan Open at Royal Dar es Salam. The 26 year old son of a club professional who is also his coach, became the 10th Swede to win on the PGA European Tour when he held off the challenges of Eduardo Romero and Wayne Westner with a closing 72 for a seven under par total of 281.
John McHenry and Francis Howley were the leading Irishmen sharing 14th place on 290 with Padraig Harrington 23rd on 292. Hedblom's capacity for hard work and perseverance has enabled him to follow Yarmo Sandelin, Robert Karlsson and Mathias Gronberg, first time winners last year, to champion status. And he was understandably elated after finding that his golf, in particular his putting, was able to withstand the pressure of leading from start to finish.
For that Irish Walker Cup golfer Eoghan O'Connell can take some credit. At the Czech Open last year Hedblom decided to follow the Killarney golfer's example and clasp a stretched putter to the inside of his left arm to cure his uncertainty on the greens.
"The method has made me much more solid especially on the long pulls," he said, "and for that I have to thank Eoghan for the help he gave me. Hedblom began the last day with a four stroke lead but that was down to two after Westner set a 283 target and Romero birdied the 12th.
Hedblom, who had got out in 35, dropped a shot at the 14th to revert to seven under and then drove into sand and trees at the next two holes. But his 39 inch putter came to the rescue as he salvaged his pars, and he knew victory was secure when he nursed a 60 foot approach putt at the short 17th to within inches.
Although Romero birdied the last the Swede had no difficulty in gaining the par five he required to win the top prize of £58,330. "I feel so elated because I feel now that my goal of a Ryder Cup place in 1997 is a reasonable target," he said.
Milltown's Howley was the happiest of the five Irish players who completed 72 holes. He scored a fine closing 70 to claim his first prize money of his debut season, taking home £4,742. He outscored his redoubtable partner Sam Torrance by six strokes on the last lap, by playing the last 12 holes in four under par.
However he failed by one shot to gain a place in the top ten which would have earned him a start in Dubai this week and his next appearance will be in the Portuguese Open at Lisbon.
McHenry had such a disastrous start to his final round that he did extremely well to end at two over par. He hooked his opening drive into trees for an immediate double bogey six, then ran up a seven at the third after finding two bunkers.
After dropping further shots at the sixth and seventh the Cork golfer started his recovery with a birdie four at the eighth, then played the inward half in 34.
Harrington took home £3,465 while Darren Clarke won £2,800 for his closing 75 for 32nd place on 293.
