Golf: Birdies fly Campbell to fourth place

LONDON - Michael Campbell wound up his final event brilliantly before next month's US Open by capturing a share of fourth place in the Volvo PGA Championship in London yesterday.

Campbell birdied the closing two holes on a rain softened Wentworth course to card a final round 67 for a 12-under-par.

Persistent rain failed to dampen Dane Anders Hansen's celebration after he captured the title with an impressive five shots and a 19-under-par, a new championship record.

Colin Montgomerie was forced to settle for second place for a second consecutive week after finishing tied with Argentina's Eduardo Romero at 14-under-par.

It was Campbell's third top-four finish in six appearances in the flagship European Tour event.

Campbell will compete next in the Buick Classic at Westchester, about 40 minutes from New York City.

Fellow New Zealander Greg Turner evened the closing six holes to finish with a one-over 73 and a seven-under-par tally. Campbell jumped from 18th to 12th on the European Tour Order of Merit with earnings this year in Europe of $NZ863,700.

* Marnie McGuire finished equal third with Italian Silvia Cavalleri in the LPGA $US1 million Corning Classic in New York yesterday.

Laura Diaz won her second LPGA title, firing a final-round two-under par 70 to finish at 14-under 274, winning by two shots from fellow American Rosie Jones. McGuire saved her best until the final round, shooting a five-under 67, to follow rounds of 70, 72 and 68.

* Jim Furyk fired six birdies and an eagle in a final round of seven-under par 65 to win the PGA Memorial by two strokes in Dublin, Ohio.

Furyk captured the $US4.5 million ($9.67 million) event with a 72-hole total of 14-under par 274. Americans John Cook and David Peoples shared second at 276.

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* Lynnette Brooky finished third equal and Catherine Knight in a share of fifth place in the Costa Azul Open tournament, near Lisbon, yesterday. The event was reduced to two rounds after the withdrawal of a major sponsor.

Brooky carded rounds of 71 and 70 to finish two strokes behind the winner, Kanna Takanashi, of Japan, and one behind Julies Forbes, of Scotland. Knight shot 71 and 71.

Fellow New Zealander Gina Scott managed two 74s to finish 26th equal.

* Rookie New Zealand professional Gareth Paddison made an immediate impact in his maiden appearance on the secondary Challenge Tour in Europe yesterday.

Paddison was third in the Izki Challenge de Espana at Urturi in northern Spain with a 13-under 279, three strokes behind winner Fredrik Widmark, of Sweden.

- AGENCIES