Golf: Last-tap win career highpoint for Hoch

LEMONT - Scott Hoch all but secured a place in the American Ryder Cup team for September's match against Europe at The Belfry after winning the $US3.6 million ($9 million) Western Open in Illinois by one stroke yesterday.

Hoch timed his run perfectly, taking the lead with a tap-in par at the final hole to edge out Davis Love after a compelling final round duel.

It was the only time Hoch, 45, had led, much to the chagrin of overnight leader Love, who came up short despite shooting a six-under-par 66. Hoch fired a 64 for a tournament record total of 21-under-par 267.

Love was second on 268, and Brandel Chamblee (69) and Canadian Mike Weir (67) tied for third on 275.

Hoch jumped to seventh in the Ryder Cup standings and collected $648,000 for his 10th US PGA Tour victory. He became the first in more than a decade to win twice in the same year on tour after turning 45.

It is Hoch's most significant win, because most of his others came in second-tier tournaments. This week, he dusted off a field that included the world's two top-ranked players, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

New Zealand's Frank Nobilo dropped off the pace in the final round with a 71 yesterday, to finish 13 shots behind Hoch.

* Darren Clarke wiped out the memory of two years ago - when he lost the European Open from a seemingly unassailable position - by taking the title yesterday by three strokes at Straffan, Ireland.

New Zealand's Michael Campbell finished nine strokes behind on 282 with a final round of 74.

Greg Turner was well back in the field in 58th place, with rounds of 71, 74, 73 and 73, and Stephen Scahill, who made the cut for the first time in seven straight events, ended in last place after carding a final-round 83 for an eventual 15-over par total.

Scahill's £2964 ($10,480) cheque has him in 109th spot on the European Order of Merit with earnings of £57,718

He still needs about a further £40,000 to retain his playing card for next year.

Ulsterman Clarke closed with an incident-packed six-under-par 66 for a 15-under-par 273 at the K Club course, finishing three shots better than fellow Irishman Padraig Harrington, Ian Woosnam of Wales and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

* Aucklander Marnie McGuire had an excellent finish yesterday in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

She shot a final-round 65 to share third place at 273 - and pick up a cheque for $US60,384 - behind Korean Se Ri Pak, who pulled away from Maria Hjorth with birdies on the last two holes to win the tournament for the third time in four years.

Pak finished at 15-under 269, closing with a three-under 69 for a purse of $US150,000.

- AGENCIES