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Garcia Beaten in Playoff

Sergio Garcia rued his 2 stroke penalty in the third round when Aaron Baddeley won the Greg Norman Holden International on the first hole of a playoff today.

Garcia, without a win since the 1999 German Masters, lost an apparent two-stroke lead following play on Saturday when he was penalised for taking an incorrect drop on the first hole of the third round. "A couple of shots would have helped, but that's the way it is. Somebody didn't want me to win this week and he did it,'' the 21-year-old Spaniard said "You never know what would have happened, but it's always different to be on the first tee on a Sunday leading by two instead of tied for the lead. It's a big difference because you can play some shots a little less aggressively, stay a little calmer.''

Baddeley, the 19-year-old Australian who won the Australian Open as an amateur in 1999 and as a professional in 2000, made a 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after Garcia missed a 40-footer. "It was nerve-racking stuff coming down the stretch. To hole that putt at the end was just awesome,'' Baddeley said. "I don't think I can play a lot better than I did today. "Sergio played great. We played in a great spirit. He's a true sportsman.''

These rising superstars with a combined age of only 40, six years less than their tournament host 4th placed Greg Norman, carded 5-under-par 68s to finish at 21-under 271, a stroke ahead of England's Ian Poulter, and two in front Norman.

On a benign day when scoring was low, Garcia missed an 18-foot eagle putt on the 17th and lipped out a 10-footer for a birdie on the closing hole. The two returned to the tee on the 195-yard 18th, with Baddeley hitting 20 feet past the flag after Garcia's shot landed short and right of the hole. "I can't play much better,'' Garcia said. "I shot 5 under after starting bogey-birdie-bogey and I putted four times for eagle. I was playing great, but I made one putt too many.''

Baddeley, who has won twice in only six pro starts, earned $193,460 and a two-year exemption on the European Tour. However, he will attempt to play in the United States. "It's great to have this as a backup in case things don't go as planned in America,'' said Baddeley, who joined Garcia as one of five players to win a European Tour event as a teen-ager. "My goal is to get a U.S. tour card and hopefully win. That's the plan and I think I can do that.''

Poulter, the European Tour rookie of the year last season, had a share of the lead after holing a 30-yard bunker shot for eagle on the 17th. But Baddeley and Garcia pulled ahead minutes later with birdies on the long par-5 hole.

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