Golf: Long's form swings wildly

Michael Long's rollercoaster $A250,000 ($314,426) Victorian Open ended in a tie for fourth place while Scott Laycock held off the challenge of two fellow Victorians to claim victory at the Cranbourne Golf Club in Melbourne yesterday.

Perth-based New Zealander Long charged into contention early in the fourth round, endured a mid-round lull and came home steadily to card a four-under-par 68 to finish on 11-under, seven shots behind Laycock.

It was 29-year-old Laycock's first win on the Australasian PGA Tour in his eighth season. His previous best was third place at last year's Canon Challenge.

One shot off the pace overnight, he hit the lead early yesterday and kept his composure in the face of challenges from Richard Green and James McLean.

Green shot 65 and McLean 64 to charge into contention but Laycock managed crucial birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to card 65 himself and make it a comfortable result.

For Long, yesterday followed a similar pattern to the other three rounds he played this week when periods of sublime play were mixed with some average golf, leaving him just out of reach of the leaders.

Four birdies in the first seven holes left Long two shots from the lead but a bogey on the ninth followed by pars on some relatively easy holes saw him slip from the pace. His only other birdie came at the short par-five 16th.

The tournament was still a pleasing return to form for Long ahead of this week's New Zealand Open at The Grange.

Yesterday's play also provided confidence for the other two New Zealanders left in the field.

Richard Lee also shot a 68 to advance to a tie for 13th on nine-under while Marcus Wheelhouse carded an excellent 66 to finish six-under in a tie for 27th.

- NZPA