Montgomerie claims second win of 2001

Colin Montgomerie posted a round of 70 Sunday to finish at 14-under 274 and capture the Scandinavian Masters at Barseback. The all-time European Tour money-leader added to his 1991 and 1999 victories to become the first player in history to win this event three times.

"I believe I am the only person to have played in every Scandinavian Masters since 1991 and I do enjoy playing here very much," said Montgomerie. "It is always a tournament that is on my schedule and so to win it three times is a delight."

Montgomerie trailed third-round leaders Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter heading into the final round but the two Englishmen played at even-par, giving the Scot just enough to pull out the win.

"It's great to be back in the winners' circle, " said Montgomerie. "I played well all week but I think the reason I won is that I holed out very well. Every time I missed a green I seemed to chip up and hole good putts."

Montgomerie shared the lead with Poulter, Dennis Edlund, and Peter Hedblom as he teed of on the 10th. On the 11th, he used a superb approach shot to birdie the first of two consecutive holes.

He holed a 10-foot putt for birdie on the 14th to move to 16-under and open a four-shot lead.

The Scot bogeyed the final two holes to drop to 14-under and allow Westwood the chance to force a playoff with a birdie.

Westwood's six-iron approach on 18 missed the green to the left. He pitched to the putting surface and settled for a par.

Westwood, who seems to have broken out of a stretch of bad golf that saw him miss four of his last six cuts, had a share of the lead heading into the final round but failed to defend another title this year. The 28-year- old has relinquished four title defenses on the European circuit in 2001 and his last chance to defend this year will come in October at the World Match Play Championship

Poulter, last year's rookie of the year, had 13 consecutive pars until he found trouble with a bogey on the par-four 14th. He made his only birdie of the round on the final hole to finish at 13-under 275.

Five players finished two strokes off the lead including Dennis Edlund, who lost his card after finishing 150th in the Order of Merit. As a result of his score at the Scandinavian Masters, the Swede may have a chance of regaining it.

He joined Jarmo Sandelin (66), Joakim Haeggman (68), Adam Scott (68) and Warren Bennett (70) at 12-under 276.

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