Golf: Campbell second to Els in Masters

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE - New Zealander Michael Campbell carded a final-round five-under-par 66 to finish second to world No 2 Ernie Els in the European Masters golf tournament in Switzerland yesterday.

Overnight leader Eduardo Romero of Argentina finished a further stroke back in third.

Els clinched his sixth title of the season with a six-under-par 65 to finish on 17-under-par 267.

Campbell carded 11-under 273, earning 177,770 euro ($346,400) that moved him from 36th to 22nd on the European Order of Merit with earnings of $1,191,348 this year.

His success followed David Smail's second in the Japan PGA Matchplay championship in Tomakomai, where he earned $221,670 at the weekend.

Campbell, who played the first two rounds with Els, slipped in the third round with a two-over 73.

However, he reignited his chances on the final day with three birdies in the first four holes.

He played a brilliant eight iron shot at the par-3 8th for another tap-in birdie. A bogey on the 11th was followed by birdies on the 12th and 14th for an 11-under overall total.

"If I can't win a tournament, the next best thing you can do is finish second and I'm really pleased to finish second to Ernie," Campbell said.

"I wanted to birdie the last four holes and put some pressure on Ernie but he is showing his class.

"But overall it was a good, solid week for me."

Campbell intends to sit out this week's Lancome Trophy in Paris and will return to competition in next week's German Masters in Cologne, an event he won in 2000.

The 33-year-old Els imposed his authority with four early birdies to pass Romero and he then rode his luck before playing steadily over the closing holes.

Romero's dream of becoming the European Tour's oldest winner at the age of 49 ended with a closing 74.

* Bob Tway won the Canadian Open by defeating Brad Faxon on the third play-off hole yesterday.

New Zealand's Steven Alker finished 11 shots off the pace after carding an even-par final round 70.

The victory earned Tway US$756,000 ($1,340,663).

Tom Pernice bogeyed the 18th hole to miss the playoff by one stroke as he finished third at seven-under 273.



* Australian Karrie Webb shot a four-under-par 66 to win the John Q Hammons Hotel Classic in Oklahoma by nine strokes.



New Zealand's Marnie McGuire, tied for 19th after 36 holes, shot a disappointing final round 77 to finish 19 shots behind Webb on 219 in a tie for 67th.

- AGENCIES