Poulter claims second title of 2003

Ian Poulter claimed his second European Tour title of the year when he pipped fellow-Briton Colin Montgomerie by one stroke to win the inaugural Nordic Open on Sunday.

Poulter shot a final round six-under-par 66 for a 22-under-par total of 266, while Montgomerie, who had started the day tied for the lead, carded a 68 for a final total of 267.

Montgomerie began the final round with a one-stroke lead over the 27-year-old but was unable to match Poulter's tenacity and when the seven-times European number one missed a 15ft birdie putt on 18, his chance of a first win of the year ended.

Poulter overtook Montgomerie and home favourite Soren Hansen, the other overnight leader, with a three-birdie front nine and moved two strokes ahead of the field at the 15th after his sixth birdie of the round.

Poulter, who parred the last three holes, earned $300,000 for the win -- his fifth on the European Tour and second this year after he won the Wales Open in June.

"It was nice I could pip him (Montgomerie) and this is a massive win for me the week before the major (U.S. PGA) because I'm going into it very, very confident," said Poulter.

"The U.S, PGA course will be set up much tougher but if I can keep finding the middle of the fairway and rolling in the putts then I'm looking forward to it being a big couple of weeks for me."

Montgomerie, who was disappointed at not getting his first win of the season after coming through the field following a 70 in the first round, said two dropped shots on the front nine on Sunday and a lacklustre finish had cost him victory.

"Two bogeys is not really good enough and then I was given a chance by Ian who parred the last three holes when they are definite birdie opportunities, but fell one short.

"I said at the start of the week 22-under would do it and it did."

Hansen's chances diminished when he three-putted the 12th for a bogey and the Dane had to settle for a share of third with Gregory Havret of France and Britain's Stephen Gallacher, who had the day's best round of 63, two strokes behind Poulter.

One of the pre-tournament favourites Thomas Bjorn birdied five of the last seven holes to shoot a 67 and finish nine strokes adrift of Poulter.

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