Golf: Six-year drought over for Big John

American John Daly landed his first individual tournament win in six years when he edged out Ireland's Padraig Harrington on the last hole of the BMW International Open in Munich yesterday.

Daly carded a final round of six-under 66 to total 27-under 261. His one-shot victory was his first tournament win since triumphing at the British Open in 1995.

Harrington, who put his second shot on the 18th into a pond, shot a 68 to finish second for the sixth time this year, and the 15th time in his six-year career.

Frenchman Thomas Levet made a valiant effort to capture an unlikely Ryder Cup place by winning the tournament, but he had to settle for third place with a final round of 68 for 268.

It was a total that would have earned him victory in all but six of 35 previous European Tour events this season.

Harrington's 262 total would have won him every European event but one - Canadian Jerry Anderson's Swiss Open success in 1984 on 27-under - since the tour first went on the road, in 1972.

But in the end he cracked under the pressure of Daly's revitalised form as the American recovered from an early bogey.

The pair were tied approaching the last, but Daly's mammoth drive left him ample chance of reaching the par-five green, whereas Harrington still had 284 yards left.

Harrington lost his victory bid in the unequal struggle, sending his ball into the hazard and doing well to save par, while his opponent chipped from greenside to within inches for the birdie that separated them. It was an emotional moment.

* In Surrey, British Columbia, Joel Edwards did not just win his first PGA golf tournament, he ran away with it.

Edwards shot a six-under 65 in the final round to win the Air Canada championship by seven strokes and match the tournament record at 19-under.

New Zealander Grant Waite started the day alone in second place, three shots behind Edwards, but a one-over 72 left him in a group of eight players at nine-under.

Edwards is the fifth first-time winner in the six-year history of the tournament. He took home $US612,000 ($1.4 million).

In 11 years on the PGA Tour, the 39-year-old Texan had never led after 54 holes, let alone win. That all changed with four straight birdies on the back nine.

Fellow American Steve Lowery finished with a 66 that left him alone in second at 12-under.

- AGENCIES