Tinning storms to Wales win

Tinning finally caught the winning bug

Wales Open

Denmark's Steen Tinning claimed his first ever European Tour title by winning the Wales Open.

Tinning's final round of 69 for a 15-under par total of 273 handed the Dane a one shot victory over Swindon's David Howell, and in turn a cheque for £125,000.

The expression of relief was apparent on the face of the 37-year-old, after he ended his 14-year barren run without a victory.

"The only thing that can better this is the birth of my two children," said Tinning.

Local favourite Ian Woosnam, having led after the third round, suffered from three bogeys in five holes on the back nine leaving any hopes of a win on home soil, in tatters.

Level terms

The former Masters champion finished in a tie for third place with Swede Fredrik Jacobson, after carding a final round of 73.

The final outcome at the Celtic Manor was not clear cut as both Howell and Tinning went into the penultimate 17th on level terms.

But the Englishman missed from just three feet to record a bogey, leaving Tinning with the relatively easy task of holing a par five on the final hole.

"I couldn't enjoy it until the very last putt and I was still shaking so much that if it had been half a foot longer I would have missed it," added Tinning.

Collated fourth-round scores and final totals in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor Resort: (Gbr and Irl unless stated, par 72):

273 S Tinning (Den) 70 68 66 69 (£125,000)

274 D Howell 72 67 67 68 (£83,330)

276 F Jacobson (Swe) 71 68 70 67, I Woosnam 68 69 66 73 (£42,225 each)

278 P Price 71 70 72 65, M McNulty (Zim) 70 67 72 69, N O'Hern (Aus) 71 68 69 70 (£26,850 each)

279 G Brand Jnr 72 70 68 69, R Coles 64 79 67 69, M James 67 72 69 71, I Garbutt 68 71 67 73

281 D Lynn 71 73 69 68, H Nystrom (Swe) 71 71 64 75

282 J Senden (Aus) 69 75 70 68, B Rumford (Aus) 70 71 71 70, A Coltart 72 74 65 71

283 R Green (Aus) 74 71 69 69, M Lafeber (Ned) 73 69 71 70, A Oldcorn 70 74 68 71, J Spence 71 70 70 72

284 S Kjeldsen (Den) 72 71 72 69, R Wessels (Rsa) 70 76 69 69, J Robinson 70 73 71 70, D Park 69 71 73 71, RJ Derksen (Ned) 72 70 68 74, C Suneson (Spa) 70 71 67 76

285 R Chapman 69 73 73 70, S Allan (Aus) 74 69 72 70

286 M Farry (Fra) 73 72 72 69, G Evans 72 74 71 69, G Orr 71 74 71 70, D Carter 76 68 71 71, P Fulke (Swe) 71 75 69 71, P Baker 70 76 68 72, T Levet (Fra) 69 73 71 73, F Lindgren (Swe) 74 72 67 73, A Hansen (Den) 68 73 70 75, B Lane 69 73 67 77

287 M Mouland 74 71 73 69, I Pyman 67 75 74 71, R Winchester 70 71 74 72, P Affleck 74 70 71 72, M Cain (Aus) 73 71 70 73, J Moseley (Aus) 72 72 70 73, A Forsyth 73 72 69 73

288 V Phillips 74 69 75 70, T Gogele (Ger) 73 71 74 70, N Vanhootegem (Bel) 70 71 76 71, P Nyman (Swe) 72 69 75 72, D Lee 74 70 72 72, I Giner (Spa) 67 77 70 74, D Hospital (Spa) 73 72 69 74, D Robertson 71 75 67 75, S Leaney (Aus) 72 74 65 77

289 A Wall 70 72 76 71, J Haeggman (Swe) 71 71 74 73, P Eales 72 71 71 75, S Dyson 72 72 70 75

290 P Golding 70 76 74 70, W Yeh (Tai) 72 72 73 73, S Richardson 73 69 74 74, S Torrance 73 71 71 75

291 E Boult (Nzl) 71 75 75 70, M Anglert (Swe) 72 68 78 73, R McFarlane 70 68 78 75, R Drummond 70 74 70 77

292 P O'Malley (Aus) 75 71 76 70, M Plummer 72 74 72 74 293 S Wakefield 70 75 74 74, A Beal 74 69 74 76, P McGinley 77 67 68 81

294 S Hansen (Den) 72 73 75 74, R Russell 70 69 80 75, L Parsons (Aus) 72 74 73 75

295 P Walton 72 70 80 73, M Litton 70 76 73 76, R Dinsdale 73 70 73 79

297 M Jonzon (Swe) 74 70 79 74