Golf: Brooky despatches demons with Tour win

New Zealand's Lynnette Brooky won her first European Tour title since 1998 when she sewed up the French Open by five shots at Arras in northern France yesterday.

The Wellington golfer, 34, hit four birdies and an eagle on her way to a six-under 66, continuing a run where she has not once three-putted in her last five tournaments.

Her four rounds were all under 70 and she finished on 16-under par 272.

Her only other tour victory was at the Austrian Open four years ago and she attributed her failure to win since to a fear of public speaking.

"Last time, I was so nervous at the prizegiving, I announced I wanted to spank the sponsors," she said.

"I think that affected me deeply."

Brooky's form was too good for Spain's Paula Marti, whose 68 took her to 11-under par and second place.

Brooky won €41,250 ($80,100) and fellow New Zealander Gina Scott finished 15th equal on 288.

Frenchwomen Marine Monnet and Karine Icher and Denmark's Iben Tinning all returned rounds of 70 to tie for third a further two strokes behind Marti.

Brooky began the day three shots clear of the field and moved relentlessly to victory after sinking a 3m eagle putt at the par-five fourth.

Her previous best finish this season was a share of third at the Spanish Open, but yesterday she closed in style with a birdie at the last for the lowest score of the day.

"I wasn't really nervous out there. I just thought to myself, 'Do what you have to do'," said Brooky, who has sought inspiration from a psychic and psychiatrist in the last two years.

"I went to a psychic and she said to me, 'I can't see you winning again', and I also went to a psychiatrist who reckoned the problem stemmed from my last win in Austria.

"What I actually said then was I would like to 'spank' the sponsors at the presentation and I scared myself because Trish [Johnson] and Laura [Davies] were in the ceremony and they were falling over themselves laughing, and I automatically thought to myself, 'I don't want to do that again'."

Brooky turned to tour physio Tracy Guy, who volunteered to caddie for the final round.

"Tracy was brilliant today," Brooky said. "She was out there telling me jokes and keeping me from being nervous and the only time I thought I was going to three putt, at the 12th, she lined me up, I hit the putt and rolled it in."

* World No 2 Phil Mickelson retained his Greater Hartford Open title in Cromwell, Connecticut, yesterday, firing a closing six-under par 64 to win by a stroke from Davis Love III and Jonathan Kaye.

The left-handed Mickelson, who finished second to Tiger Woods in the US Open this month, returned a 72-hole aggregate of 266 at the par-70 course at River Highlands.

It was Mickelson's second victory of the season after his triumph at the Bob Hope Classic in January, and his 21st on the PGA Tour.

Frank Nobilo was the highest finisher of the two New Zealanders in the field, shooting 275 to end with a share of 20th.

Grant Waite had a disappointing day, shooting 73 to finish three strokes further back on 278.

* Rank outsider Miles Tunnicliff clinched an emotional four-shot win in the Great North Open at Hexham yesterday to fulfil the last wish of his dying mother.

Englishman Tunnicliff, whose previous best was a tie for sixth, fired a closing three-under par 69 for a 72-hole total of nine-under 279.

"Two days before my mother died from cancer two weeks ago, she told me to go out and win a tournament," said the 33-year-old who plays most of his golf on the European Challenge Tour.

"Now I've done it. It's hardly believable. She gave me the strength and inspiration to do what I did today."

Tunnicliff's maiden title on the European Tour earns him a playing exemption for the rest of this season and the next two years.

He played in this week's event at Slaley Hall only because of a weakened field and his first prize of NZ$300,000 is more than he has made in the last three years.

* New Zealand's Bob Charles shared fifth place at the Senior PGA's Greater Baltimore Classic in Hunt Valley, Maryland, yesterday.

American J. C. Snead won by one stroke for his first victory since 1995. Snead shot a two-under 70 for a 13-under total of 203, one clear of Americans Doug Tewell, John Mahaffey and Bobby Wadkins.

Charles, who had rounds of 70, 68 and 67, was two shots behind Snead, along with four other golfers, including Australian Rodger Davis.

- AGENCIES