Hanson eagles 18th to claim title in Netherlands

HILVERSUM, Netherlands: Peter Hanson of Sweden eagled the final hole to win the KLM Open, his first title in two years.
Hanson holed a 35-footer on the 18th green yesterday for a final-round 67 to win by two strokes with a 14-under 266 on the Hilversumsche course.
Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal (70) and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay (67) shared second place at 12 under.
Hanson’s victory is the fifth in succession for a member of the European Ryder Cup team on either the European Tour or PGA Tour since qualifying ended last month.
Australia’s Griffin
wins in South Korea
Australia’s Matthew Griffin scored the biggest win of his professional career with a single stroke victory at the Charity High1 Resort Open in South Korea yesterday.
The 29-year-old led by two overnight but held his nerve in a topsy-turvy final round for an even-par 72 to give him a nine-under total of 278 and the winner’s cheque of around $178,000.
Kang Kyung-nam, who shot 68, and Park Sang-Hyun, on 71, both from South Korea, pushed Griffin all the way, to finish joint second on 279.
Kim Bi-o, winner of two events on the OneAsia circuit already this year, was a shot further back. His hopes of an unprecedented third OneAsia title on home soil came unstuck with two wayward shots on the par five 13th, although he salvaged a bogey with a breathtaking 60-foot putt.
“I am really, really thrilled,” Griffin said after his victory. “This is what I have worked for all my life, so it is absolutely amazing to finally get there.
“This is immense. It gives me a lot of security and it also repays the faith that my supporters and sponsors have shown in me over the years.” Griffin, once ranked the third-best amateur in the world, was a relative latecomer to the professional ranks and only scored his first four-round victory at the South Pacific Open in New Caledonia last year.
He is a natural left-hander who plays the game right-handed. He dedicated his victory to Peter Beck, a friend and mentor who caddied for him occasionally in his amateur and professional days, who died in 2010.
Park was left ruing his missed opportunity, saying: “Very disappointed, that’s the only thing I feel right now. I sort of think that somehow I was meant to be second in this tournament.”
Final scores:
278 — Matthew Griffin (AUS) 67-70-69-72 279 — Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 74-70-67-68, Park Sang-hyun (KOR) 69-71-68-71 280 — Choi Ho-sung (KOR) 71-68-71-70, Kim Bi-o (KOR) 72-70-67-71 281 — Garrett Sapp (USA) 74-72-70-65, Park Jae-kyung (KOR) 72-71-71-67, Aaron Townsend (AUS) 70-69-70-72 283 — Gareth Paddison (NZL) 75-70-70-68 284 — Lucas Lee (BRA) 72-72-70-70, Son Joon-eob (KOR) 72-72-70-70, David McKenzie (AUS) 70-73-70-71, Lee Jun-seok (KOR) 70-67-73-74