Dier holds on for victory

Germany's Tobias Dier posted a round of one- under 71 to capture North West of Ireland Open Sunday. Dier finished one shot ahead of Stephen Dodd to become the eighth player to obtain his first career victory on the European Tour in 2001.

Dier made the course at Slieve Russell his own. Having already matched the tournament record of 65 last season to tie for fourth, the 24-year-old's four- day score of 17-under-par 271 this year marked the best 72-hole total for this event.

"This means a lot to me," said Dier. "This is my first win on the European Tour and it gives me an exemption to next year as a tournament winner, which means I can really plan the year and play every tournament I want. That is what I wanted."

Dier began the round with a three-stroke advantage over Dodd, but the margin quickly narrowed. The German bogeyed the par-three fourth while Dodd made birdie to close the gap to one. Dier responded with birdies on the following two holes and added another on the ninth to move four shots ahead of Dodd.

He kept a three-stroke advantage after bogeying the 15th, but a bogey on 17 coupled with a another birdie from Dodd reduced the margin to one stroke for a second time.

The players moved to the par-five 18th, where Dier hit his two-iron approach to within 30 feet. Dodd used the same club to land 15 feet from the hole to set up an eagle attempt.

Dodd's eagle putt missed and Dier two-putted for a birdie four to secure the title.

"I knew coming down the last I was still one ahead. It was still my job to do it," said Dier. "I didn't have to rely on anyone else making a mistake. Stephen had to hope I made a mistake.

"It was a par-five and I was playing the par-fives well. I thought a long iron suits my game and thought make a birdie or even an eagle and it was mine. But I was very relieved when he didn't make his putt.

"The next thing is to win a big event on the European Tour, maybe one in Germany. That is the next step for me. I want to compete with the great players."

Dodd, the 1989 Amateur champion, is still in search of his first career win in the European circuit.

"I played nicely for the week," he said. "I had a chance on the last. Hit a good putt and slightly misread it. I made a birdie to a bogey on the 17th and all of the sudden there was only one stroke in it and I had a chance. But the putt on the last didn't move as much as I thought and just slipped past."

Mark Pilkington finished two strokes behind fellow Welshman Dodd in third place at 14-under 274 for his second consecutive top-five finish.

Mattias Eliasson of Sweden and England's James Hepworth tied for fourth at 11- under 277.

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