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Goosen title & Order
of Merit
Retief Goosen beat Steve
Webster of England in a playoff Sunday to win the $1.26 million Madrid Open and
become the top money winner in Europe.
The U.S. Open champion won
on the third playoff hole. He made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th and
Webster finished with a par from the greenside fringe.
Goosen closed with a 3-under-par
68 and Webster with a 66, leaving both at 20-under 264 after regulation.
This was Goosen's third
victory of the year. His $210,000 winner's check brought his season's earnings
in Europe to $2,521,218.
``It's been a dream year,''
Goosen said. ``U.S. Open, the European Order of Merit and two other victories.
It hasn't all sunk in yet.''
The South African led by
one shot on the last hole of regulation but caught a greenside trap. He sent the
ball 20 feet past the hole and two-putted for a bogey. Webster had a par.
``There was a stone between
the ball and the clubface and the ball released fast,'' Goosen said.
Webster earned $140,000,
the biggest check of his career. This was his third runner-up finish and he has
yet to win a tournament.
England's Brian Davis (62)
and Spain's Diego Borrego (67) tied for third at 265.
Darren Clarke of Northern
Ireland had an outside chance of catching Goosen for the No. 1 spot. He had a
67 to finish at 268.
``Retief's played very consistently
all year and won one of the most difficult majors,'' he said. ``That's what it
takes.''
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