In the process, the Royal Jersey professional wiped out a seven-shot overnight deficit to end on five-under-par 211 and snatch the £15,000 top prize from local favourite Ian Richardson.

Grantham-based Richardson arrived at the 18th requiring a birdie four to force a play-off but his third shot, pitch over the intervening lake, left him with a 30-foot putt which was to prove too much. He closed, with a 75 for second spot on 212, a shot better than Broome Manor professional Barry Sandry who completed a solid week’s work with 71.

Horton was not exactly singing in the rain, but he relished the soft going following a three-hour delay when an incessant downpour waterlogged parts of the course.

He peppered the flags all afternoon, with four of his seven birdies made from inside two feet. His impeccable three-birdie back nine was capped by a superb two iron to eight feet for a two at the 200-yeards 17th.

“I got that old feeling back about my iron play,” said Horton, who had slumped to a 76 in the second round to fall back to level par. “I like playing when the ball is holding so I can attack the flags,”

Horton, winner of the opening El Bosque Seniors Open last month, is back in his familiar spot at the top of the European Seniors Tour Money List, which he has dominated over the past two years.

Richardson got to the turn in level par to be seven under overall with a lead of three, but he squandered the advantage at the tricky tenth where he ran up a triple bogey seven after pitching into water fronting the green.

Northern Ireland’s David Jones, three under at the turn, made a birdie two at the 12th to tie the lead but was once more a “nearly man” after stumbling with back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th. He made fourth spot on 214.

Tony Jacklin, playing his first professional event in his native county for the first time, commanded a loyal crowd each day. He opened promisingly with a 70 but was less than happy in the bleak conditions and faded with a closing 74 for a share of 5th with Ireland’s Denis O’Sullivan (74) on 215.

Scottish-born American Doug Dalziel boosted his take home pay by claiming the £500 Lynx Super Seniors prize for over 60s with a 72 for three over par 219.

WINNER OF LYNX SUPER SENIORS PRIZE - Doug Dalziel

1 Tommy HORTON (Eng) 68 76 67 211 15000.00

2 Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 70 67 75 212 10000.00

3 Barry SANDRY (Eng) 68 74 71 213 5690.00

4 David JONES (N.Ire) 68 71 75 214 4450.00

5 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 70 71 74 215 3850.00

Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 72 69 74 215 3850.00

7 Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 71 72 73 216 3400.00

8 John FOURIE (SA) 72 74 71 217 2950.00

Steve WILD (Eng) 70 72 75 217 2950.00

10 Michael SLATER (Eng) 73 74 71 218 2104.00

Jos‚ CABO (Sp) 69 75 74 218 2104.00

Jim RHODES (Eng) 73 74 71 218 2104.00

Joe MCDERMOTT (Ire) 71 74 73 218 2104.00

John GARNER (Eng) 69 75 74 218 2104.00

15 Doug DALZIEL (USA) 71 76 72 219 1486.67

Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 72 74 73 219 1486.67

David CREAMER (Eng) 73 74 72 219 1486.67

18 Bill BRASK (USA) 74 71 75 220 1056.67

Brian WAITES (Eng) 68 75 77 220 1056.67

Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 72 72 76 220 1056.67

Bob SHEARER (Aus) 72 75 73 220 1056.67

Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 72 72 76 220 1056.67

Norman WOOD (Scot) 67 74 79 220 1056.67

24 Iain CLARK (Scot) 72 74 75 221 800.00

Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 72 78 71 221 800.00

Joe CARR (USA) 73 75 73 221 800.00

27 Francisco ABREU (Sp) 79 71 72 222 730.00

Hugh INGGS (SA) 76 72 74 222 730.00

29 TR JONES (USA) 72 79 72 223 672.50

Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 74 72 77 223 672.50

Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 73 75 75 223 672.50

Renato CAMPAGNOLI (It) 77 75 71 223 672.50

33 Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 74 78 72 224 610.00

Roger STERN (USA) 75 74 75 224 610.00

Terry KENDALL (NZ) 74 74 76 224 610.00

Hiro TAHARA (Jap) 73 76 75 224 610.00

Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 76 73 75 224 610.00

Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) 76 75 73 224 610.00

Bryan CARTER (Eng) 72 77 75 224 610.00

40 Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 71 81 73 225 555.00

Jay DOLAN III (USA) 73 79 73 225 555.00

David OAKLEY (USA) 69 80 76 225 555.00

Bob LENDZION (USA) 72 74 79 225 555.00

44 Lloyd MONROE (USA) 73 78 75 226 525.00

Randall VINES (Aus) 77 70 79 226 525.00

46 Guy HUNT (Eng) 77 74 76 227 510.00

47 Neil COLES (Eng) 72 77 79 228 490.00

Bernard HUNT (Eng) 74 76 78 228 490.00

David SNELL (Eng) 74 76 78 228 490.00

50 Roger FIDLER (Eng) 74 77 79 230 470.00

51 Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 73 79 79 231 300.00

52 Matt MCCRORIE (Scot) 73 76 83 232 298.00

53 Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 75 78 153

Bill HARDWICK (Can) 73 80 153

Paul LEONARD (N. 74 79 153

Ire)

Graham BURROUGHS (Eng) 74 79 153

Sooky MAHARAJ (T&T) 74 79 153

Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 80 73 153

59 Bob MENNE (USA) 76 78 154

J.R. DELICH (USA) 76 78 154

Terry SQUIRES (Eng) 73 81 154

John HUDSON (Eng) 77 77 154

Craig DEFOY (Wal) 75 79 154

Fred WHITFIELD (Eng) 76 78 154

65 Peter BUTLER (Eng) 77 78 155

John SPENCER (Eng) 75 80 155

Bill LOCKIE (Scot) 73 82 155

Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 74 81 155

Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 78 77 155

Kenneth MAGNUSSON (Swe) 80 75 155

71 Gordon GRAY (Scot) 76 80 156

Michael HOOPER (Eng) 72 84 156

Mike HOYLE (Eng) 75 81 156

Michael MURPHY (Ire) 78 78 156

Tienie BRITZ (SA) 77 79 156

76 DeRay SIMON (USA) 75 82 157

Jan BJ™RNSSON (Swe) 73 84 157

Wally ARMSTRONG (USA) 79 78 157

79 Sidney DENHAM (Eng) 79 79 158

80 Stewart ADWICK (Eng) 83 76 159

Geoffrey KING (Eng) 75 84 159

82 Skip PRATT (USA) 78 82 160

Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 79 81 160

84 Derek CRAIK (Scot) 74 87 161

Walt SAUER (USA) 78 83 161

86 Don MCCART (Scot) 78 85 163

87 Snell LANCASTER (USA) 82 82 164

88 Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 78 RETD

Hedley MUSCROFT (Eng) 82 RETD

Chick EVANS (USA) 75 RETD

PGA EUROPEAN SENIORS ORDER OF MERIT

1 Tommy HORTON (Eng) 45622.66 (6)

• 2 Bob LENDZION (USA) 33991.33 (6)

3 David JONES (N.Ire) 25103.65 (6)

4 Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 24937.33 (6)

• 5 Joe MCDERMOTT (Ire) 24348.50 (6)

6 Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 20026.33 (6)

7 Neil COLES (Eng) 17125.00 (3)

8 Bobby VERWEY (SA) 15408.18 (5)

9 Brian WAITES (Eng) 14898.49 (6)

10 John GARNER (Eng) 13954.15 (6)

11 Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 13697.94 (6)

12 Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 13005.63 (6)

• 13 Michael SLATER (Eng) 12950.04 (6)

14 Jim RHODES (Eng) 12883.15 (6)

• 15 Barry SANDRY (Eng) 12596.11 (6)

16 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 11752.78 (3)

17 Terry GALE (Aus) 11747.06 (3)

18 Bob SHEARER (Aus) 11641.67 (3)

19 Craig DEFOY (Wal) 11484.07 (6)

20 John FOURIE (SA) 11389.55 (6)

21 David CREAMER (Eng) 10507.35 (6)

22 David OAKLEY (USA) 9118.18 (6)

23 Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 9085.28 (6)

24 Brian HUGGETT (Wal) 8557.95 (4)

• 25 Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 7827.82 (5)

26 Renato CAMPAGNOLI (It) 7769.01 (6)

• 27 Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 7380.89 (6)

28 Norman WOOD (Scot) 7105.70 (6)

29 Doug DALZIEL (USA) 6623.54 (6)

30 Bob MENNE (USA) 6302.50 (6)

• 31 Jay DOLAN III (USA) 5992.26 (6)

32 Bernard HUNT (Eng) 5787.50 (3)

33 Paul LEONARD (N. Ire) 5775.50 (6)

34 J.R. DELICH (USA) 5676.69 (6)

35 Alberto CROCE (It) 5328.06 (5)

• 36 Jos‚ CABO (Sp) 4960.51 (4)

37 Bill BRASK (USA) 4628.10 (2)

38 Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 4613.81 (5)

39 Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 4521.07 (6)

40 Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 4499.23 (6)

41 Joe CARR (USA) 4275.00 (6)

42 David HUISH (Scot) 4060.68 (4)

43 Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 4010.50 (6)

44 Hugh INGGS (SA) 3916.87 (6)

45 Roger FIDLER (Eng) 3855.00 (5)

46 Steve WILD (Eng) 3685.00 (6)

47 Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 3579.62 (6)

• 48 Bill LOCKIE (Scot) 3571.43 (3)

49 Guy HUNT (Eng) 3287.50 (6)

50 Roger STERN (USA) 3183.18 (4)

51 Randall VINES (Aus) 3080.00 (6)

52 Chick EVANS (USA) 2957.20 (6)

53 David SNELL (Eng) 2782.50 (4)

• 54 Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 2695.00 (5)

55 Tienie BRITZ (SA) 2568.18 (5)

56 Stewart ADWICK (Eng) 2538.07 (4)

57 Lloyd MONROE (USA) 2460.00 (6)

58 Brian BARNES (Scot) 2441.69 (1)

59 Bill HARDWICK (Can) 2435.81 (6)

60 TR JONES (USA) 2389.06 (6)

61 DeRay SIMON (USA) 2247.50 (6)

62 Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 2180.62 (6)

63 Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) 2170.00 (5)

64 Jan BJ™RNSSON (Swe) 2115.25 (6)

65 Peter BUTLER (Eng) 2015.14 (3)

66 Don MCCART (Scot) 1974.07 (5)

67 Jose Maria ROCA (Sp) 1895.25 (2)

• Ossie GARTENMAIER (Aut) 1895.25 (3)

69 John MORGAN (Eng) 1850.00 (1)

70 Graham BURROUGHS (Eng) 1812.50 (4)

71 Snell LANCASTER (USA) 1805.00 (6)

• 72 Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 1703.33 (4)

73 Bryan CARTER (Eng) 1590.00 (5)

74 Matt MCCRORIE (Scot) 1512.62 (4)

• 75 Francisco ABREU (Sp) 1410.00 (3)

• 76 John HUDSON (Eng) 1173.33 (6)

77 Michael MURPHY (Ire) 1146.00 (6)

• 78 Jan DORRESTEIN (Hol) 1120.00 (5)

79 Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 1111.65 (5)

80 Skip PRATT (USA) 970.00 (3)

• Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 970.00 (4)

82 Iain CLARK (Scot) 800.00 (1)

83 Jose Luis MANGAS (Sp) 780.00 (1)

84 Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 765.00 (6)

85 Hiro TAHARA (Jap) 610.00 (4)

86 Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 550.00 (4)

• 87 Alan HALL (Eng) 545.00 (3)

88 Christy O'CONNOR (Ire) 498.57 (1)

89 Sherwood STEWART (USA) 460.00 (1)

90 David TALBOT (Eng) 445.00 (1)

91 George WILL (Scot) 300.00 (2)

92 Hedley MUSCROFT (Eng) 283.33 (4)

93 Ross WHITEHEAD (Eng) 275.00 (2)

• Mike HOYLE (Eng) 275.00 (5)

• Gordon GRAY (Scot) 275.00 (3)

96 Sidney DENHAM (Eng) 262.50 (4)

* Total *

596188.77