Dier gains wire to wire win

After a record-setting day on Thursday, Tobias Dier of Germany never looked back.

Dier became the third German winner of the TNT Open in six years on Sunday, closing with a one-under-par 69 to win the European Tour event by once stroke over England's Jamie Spence.

Dier set a course record with a 10-under-par 60 in Thursday's opening round and turned heads on Saturday by closing with an eagle. He became the sixth wire-to-wire winner on the Tour this year, finishing with a 17-under 263.

"I really don't know what to say," said Dier, whose first European Tour win came last season at the North West of Ireland Open. "If somebody had said to me I was going to win before the start of last week, I would have told them to dream on because I wasn't playing well."

Dier had a five-stroke advantage at the end of the opening round, which helped him hold off a fast-finishing Spence, who shot a 65 on Sunday and finished with a 264.

Peter Lonard of Australia of shot a 67 and Padraig Harrington of Ireland a 68 on Saturday to finish tied for third at 265.

A former German amateur champion, Dier joined Sven Struver in 1997 and Bernhard Langer last season as recent winners of the TNT Open.

"I just tried to keep on playing solid golf, hit the greens and see how the putter worked," Dier said. "I led from the first moment I stepped on the golf course so in a way it felt normal for me to be up there."

Dier bogeyed the 11th on Sunday after driving into the trees. But he recovered with an eagle 3 on 12 and parred the remaining holes.

Spence closed with an eagle 3 on 18, giving him his best finish of the season.

Jarrod Mosely of Australia shot a 67 and finished alone in fifth at 267.

Langer shot a 69 for the third straight day and was 2-under for the tournament.

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