Angel Cabrera wins by two strokes

Argentina's Angel Cabrera held off a strong challenge from Irishman Paul McGinley to win the BMW Championship by two shots on Sunday.

Cabrera, joint leader overnight with Swede Peter Hedblom, fired a five-under-par 67 to secure his first European Tour title in three years with a 72-hole total of 15-under 273.

The 35-year-old from Cordoba, whose last win in Europe came at the 2002 Benson and Hedges International Open, sealed the third Tour title of his career with three birdies in the last eight holes at an overcast but relatively calm Wentworth Club.

"This is the best moment of my life, winning the second best tournament in Europe after the British Open," the big-hitting Argentine told reporters after climbing into third place in the European order of merit.

"I played great golf for the last two rounds and today I was very solid and was able to manage the pressure," he added, after securing the biggest winner's cheque of his career -- for 666,660 euros ($837,800).

Cabrera, who finished second in the event in 2001 and again last year, was delighted to make it third time lucky.

"I played very well both those years but fortunately this time, when I had the chance, I was able to take it," he said.

McGinley, who briefly held the lead after picking up five shots in the first eight holes, fell away with bogeys on 16 and 17. His 67 left him in second place with Australia's Nick O'Hern a further two shots back in third at 11 under after firing a best-of-the-day 64.

Hedblom slipped back into a share of fifth after returning a 74.

A disappointed McGinley had the consolation, though, of sealing his place in next month's U.S. Open at Pinehurst by returning to the world's top 50.

"Yes, there are a lot of positives from this week but everything is in context," said the Irishman, who sank the winning putt for Europe at the 2002 Ryder Cup. "It's been a pretty emotional weekend to say the least.

"I was just not good enough at the end of the day. I thought I played fantastic but I was beaten by somebody who played better with a two-shot advantage starting out."

McGinley made the first significant move among those in contention for the European Tour's flagship event with four consecutive birdies from the par-four third.

He holed a monster putt from 30 feet to start his run and drew level with leader Cabrera at 13 under by sinking a curling 20-footer for birdie at the par-four sixth.

Playing one group in front of Cabrera and Hedblom, McGinley then forged ahead when he picked up his fifth shot of the day at the par-four eighth before reaching the turn in five-under 30.

Cabrera, whose front nine of 33 included an eagle-three at the fourth, hit back with his second birdie of the round at the par-four 11th.

Both he and McGinley birdied the par-five 12th to remain deadlocked at 14 under.

The Irishman's challenge effectively ended, however, at the par-four 16th where he found bunkers off the tee and with his second shot before running up a bogey-five.

Soon afterwards, Cabrera sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the same hole to get to 15 under. When McGinley also bogeyed the par-five 17th after pushing his drive right into trees, the Argentine's lead had stretched to three.

Three-times champion Colin Montgomerie raised his faint hopes of automatically qualifying for the U.S. Open as a closing 66 lifted him into a seven-way tie for 11th at five under.

"I'm only glad that I was able to score 66 today in very difficult circumstances," said the 41-year-old Scot, who was criticised on Saturday by fellow Tour player Gary Evans over his actions at the Indonesia Open in March.

The long-running controversy began when Montgomerie misplaced his ball after returning to the course in Jakarta the day after a thunderstorm had forced a suspension in play, and it has rumbled on ever since.

"I'm very hurt and very surprised (by Evans's comments) but I'm very glad I was able to go out and prove to myself and everyone else that I can still do this, and do what I do best," Montgomerie said.

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