Niclas Fasth led from start to finish to become the fourth Swedish winner of the Madeira Island Open in the past eight years. A final round of 73, one over par, at Santo da Serra was enough to earn the 27-year-old his maiden European Tour victory by two shots.
Fasth, runner-up to Alastair Forsyth at the European Tour Qualifying School Finals at San Roque last November, held off the strong challenges from fellow Swede Richard Johnson, England’s Mark Davis and Scotland’s Ross Drummond with a nine under par total of 279 to claim the 91,630 euro first prize.
“It really does feel good,” he said. “I played steady all day, made three bogeys, two birdies and played really well. I couldn’t believe I was one over par. I felt I had a good round. But it was the first time for me in this position and it was more difficult than I thought. I was trying to make a good score out there but it was tougher than I thought. It was a case of being patient.
“I played solid golf all week. I was really happy with everything. Of course it was difficult but I made it in the end.
"For ten years now I’ve been working with my coach. Now we’ve got the game together and we’ve got a few projects on the go which should bring more results this summer. I’ve got big plans but right now it feels great.”
Fasth has twice before finished second, but it has taken two European Tour Number Ones to deny him victory. First 1995 Colin Montgomerie won the 1995 Volvo German Open by a shot and then two year’s later Bernhard Langer finished with a string of birdies to win the Chemapol Trophy Czech Open. But this time he was not to be denied.
Starting the final day with a two shot lead over England’s Jim Payne, Fasth made seven solid pars before dropping a shot at the short eight hole when he came up short. Payne had earlier narrowed the gap to one with a wonderful chip and putt for birdie on the third but his hopes faded when his tee shot on the fourth, one of the most spectacular holes on the European circuit, bounced over the green and down the side of the mountain. It cost him a double bogey and when he made another double on the next hole he was out of the running.
Fasth pulled clear with two birdies from the tenth to allow himself the luxury of two bogeys in the last seven holes.
Johnson, a Challenge Tour winner last year, made a charge with an eagle three on the 11th and then a birdie on the next hole two bogeys over the closing stretch proved costly. Nevertheless joint second is his best finish in this, his rookie season after graduating from the Qualifying School Finals.
“If someone had given me a second at the start of the week I would have taken it,” he said. “But I went out there to win and had a good chance but just didn’t take it. Maybe next time.”
There was a welcome return to the leaderboard both Davis and Drummond. Davis, twice a European Tour winner, didn’t play at all for ten months last year having been struck down with a knee injury. Indeed he wasn’t even sure if he would ever play again. But after visiting a specialist Volker Smasal, who works with the Olympic skiers and skaters in Munich, Davis underwent extensive surgery and physiotherapy to repair the damage. This year he is playing on a medical exemption and today fired six birdies on his way to an 67.
“I played the first five events and came here feeling I was playing well,” he said. “I didn’t think I would be playing again so I’m delighted to be out here. It’s nice to be back.”
For Drummond it was his first start of the year after putting his clubs away after the Tour School in November having lost his card and ending more than 20 years on Tour. Since then he has only played a handful of rounds but gained some confidence from a mini tour event in Scotland last week. The 43-year-old picked up six birdies on the back nine for a round of 67 to equal his best finish on the European Tour.
