Leaney gains victory with closing 67

Australian Stephen Leaney earned his fourth European Tour title when he won the German Masters by a stroke from Germany's Alex Cejka Sunday.

Leaney closed with a five-under-par 67 to total 22-under-par 266, take the 500,000-dollar top prize and earn himself a place in next week's WGC American Express Championship in Ireland.

The 33-year-old Leaney had intended to go home next week but, after his victory, will now head for Mount Juliet in Ireland where the world's top players, including most of the American and European Ryder Cup players for the following week's Belfry clash, will be on show.

As far as Europe's Ryder Cup team were concerned, Leaney's win was lesser news than doubts raised by their top player Colin Montgomerie.

After finishing ninth, six shots behind Leaney, Montgomerie said he was still a doubt for the Ryder Cup because of back pain.

Leaney came from two strokes behind overnight leader Paul Casey of England with an accomplished front nine Sunday in which he picked up four strokes.

His birdie on the 10th proved to be the difference between victory and a playoff with the determined Cejka, who collected six birdies but added two bogeys for a 68.

That was enough to give the German a further one-stroke advantage over the three third-placed men, all Britons -- Casey, second-round leader Ian Woosnam and the 20-year-old Nick Dougherty.

Leaney's win earned him a five-year exemption and a massive 50 world ranking points.

"Obviously I am off to Ireland now and it's good to change my plans," he said. "I guess I'll have some parties to catch up on when I get home.

"This is my biggest win and I just hope now it will lead to bigger things.

"I was 200th in the world rankings at the start of the year and still only 130th this week but now, with my points this week, I have the chance to break into the top 50 or 64 and play the world championships and more majors."

Leaney, who will use his five-year exemption to give him more flexibility to play on the U.S. Tour, for which he hopes to qualify this season, added: "It's nice to be able to win for Australia. We don't have a big population but we do seem to be able to produce good sports people."

Apart from Montgomerie's unexpected Ryder Cup warning, the rest of European captain Sam Torrance's contingent gave the Scot heart for the coming Belfry match.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer shot a 69 to finish in 10th place, just a stroke behind Montgomerie.

Padraig Harrington, saying he was 95 percent recovered from his latest neck strain, and Pierre Fulke, both carded 68s to finish on 14 under.

Niclas Fasth's fine 65 hauled him through the field to finish seven under with Lee Westwood. Westwood, after a 71 and a rather unsatisfying weekend, was still optimistic he had found the key to his game.

Briton Nick Faldo faced disappointment. He had hoped to get into Europe's top 20 to make it to the American Express Championship but, despite shooting a 67, his 23rd-place prize was good enough for only 21st place in the European rankings, 25,000 dollars short of a spot at Mount Juliet.

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