Davis wins as Flanagan shows his class - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Davis wins as Flanagan shows his class

By Morgan Beck 15/02/2004 10:10:34 PM Comments (0)

England's Brian Davis finished with the cash as local amateur Nick Flanagan showed his mettle at the $1.5 million ANZ Championship.

Davis birdied the last to finish with a 65 and move to 44 points in the modified stableford tournament, and watched on as the only man who could catch him - overnight leader and good mate Steve Webster - self destructed on the 18th.

Webster, heading into the final round at Horizons Resort in the lead and chasing his first pro victory, needed an eagle on the par 4 last to claim five points and victory and tried to drive the green.

But the Englishman smashed his drive out of bounds then his second tee ball fell in the lake beside the green and he slumped to tied sixth.

Last year's winner Paul Casey of England finished second on 43 points, with Newcastle teenager Flanagan finishing a wonderful week in a share of third place with France's Thomas Levet and Australian Scott Gardiner.

Flanagan, the 2003 US Amateur champion, carded a final round 68 to move to 39 points, while West Australian Nick O'Hern finished alongside Webster in sixth, and 2002 US Amateur winner Ricky Barnes of the US tied for eighth.

Davis started poorly, bogeying the first, but then his putter caught fire as he carded four straight birdies to move up the leaderboard on his way to the $315,000 first prize cheque.

"I can't putt any better than that - that was unbelievable," said Davis, who credited his putting form to a lesson from roommate and fellow pro Gary Evans on Saturday night.

"Today I rolled the ball beautiful. Yesterday I could have shot the lights out and today I caught fire and gave myself a great chance."

Davis finished with 10 birdies and three bogeys in this event co-sanctioned by the Australasian and European tours to add this win to his victory at the 2000 Spanish Open.

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