Retief Goosen holds on to claim narrow win

South Africa's Retief Goosen put himself in line for a third European Tour order of merit with a one-shot victory at the German Masters on Sunday.

Goosen's first European success of the season, which took him to the top of Europe's money list at the expense of New Zealander Michael Campbell, came after he fired a five-under-par 67 to finish at 20-under-par 268.

It was hard-earned, though, as the twice U.S. Open champion had to come back from a double-bogey six at the second hole and a visit to a water hazard at the last.

Britain's Nick Dougherty (68) and Swede Henrik Stenson (68) both needed to birdie the last to force a playoff with Goosen but fell short to share second place with Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal (66) and another Briton, David Lynn (67).

Goosen started the final round in a four-way tie for the lead but fell back when he double-bogeyed the second, having taken a penalty shot after hitting into trees and then three-putting.

Although his playing partner Anthony Wall of Britain then took charge, Goosen rallied with birdies at the third, fifth, sixth and seventh before forging ahead on his own after picking up further shots on 10 and 12.

Two strokes clear playing the last, Goosen almost cost himself victory when he drove well left into bullrushes.

However, the 36-year-old South African conjured up the shot of the week to set up his 12th European Tour success and back-to-back titles after winning last week's China Masters.

Forced to take his second penalty drop of the round, Goosen struck a nine-iron approach to just four feet at the last.

Although his par-saving putt was struck too hard and rimmed out of the cup, he had done enough to secure the first prize of $627,000 and dislodge Campbell from the top of the European money list.

U.S. Open champion Campbell tied for 36th at eight-under 280 after returning a final-round 67.

"It's good to be on top of the order of merit again, but next week's World Match Play Championship and the (WGC) Amex (American Express Championship) in San Francisco are vital events on that score," said Goosen.

"Win one of those and basically it's all over."

"The double-bogey was not the way I wanted to start," added the South African, who was European number one in 2001 and 2002.

"I've had a few bad final rounds this year but luckily this came early in the round. I still had 16 holes left to get back and I got on a roll."

Goosen conceded his wayward driving was still a concern and that his third win in six weeks, following his victory in last month's International on the PGA Tour, owed a great deal to "a hot putter".

The world number five added: "I wouldn't say I was hitting the ball great, as you can see by the second and the 18th, but I'm recovering well and my putter is saving me."

Dougherty's second place sealed the Englishman's place in the Britain and Ireland team for this month's Seve Trophy.

Compatriot Kenneth Ferrie had been bidding to go past Dougherty for the final place in Colin Montgomerie's 10-man line-up but finished four strokes behind Dougherty in Germany after a closing 67.

268 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 67 68 66 67 (£340,650)

269 Jose Maria Olazabal (Swe) 68 65 70 66, David Lynn 68 67 67 67, Nick Dougherty 71 64 66 68, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 71 66 64 68 (£140,975 each)

270 David Howell 72 66 66 66 (£71,536)

271 Paul Casey 67 67 71 66, Anthony Wall 71 62 68 70 (£56,207 each)

272 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 68 67 67

273 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 71 71 64, Kenneth Ferrie 68 72 66 67

275 Marc Cayeux (Zim) 66 69 72 68, Bernhard Langer (Ger) 67 69 71 68, Pierre Fulke (Swe) 68 69 69 69, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 69 71 65 70, Scott Drummond 68 68 68 71

276 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 71 70 69 66, Stephen Dodd 69 70 70 67, Simon Khan 69 69 69 69, Simon Dyson 72 68 67 69, Philip Golding 71 66 68 71, Thomas Levet (Fra) 71 66 67 72

277 Andrew Coltart 73 68 67 69, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 70 66 72, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 71 69 65 72

278 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 71 71 70 66, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 72 72 67, Lee Slattery 72 66 71 69, Graeme Storm 69 69 70 70, Richard Green (Aus) 70 70 66 72

279 Marten Olander (Swe) 71 68 72 68, Paul Broadhurst 69 68 73 69, Jonathan Lomas 73 65 71 70, Bradley Dredge 66 75 68 70, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 67 74 66 72

280 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 71 69 73 67, Soren Hansen (Den) 71 71 70 68, Peter Senior (Aus) 66 72 72 70, Barry Lane (Nzl) 66 72 70 72

281 Graeme McDowell 71 70 70 70, Ian Woosnam 75 67 68 71

282 John Bickerton 72 70 71 69, Andrew Marshall 66 71 74 71, Damien McGrane 71 70 70 71, Mark Hensby (Aus) 71 71 68 72, Steve Webster 69 72 68 73

283 Miles Tunnicliff 74 68 73 68, Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 71 71 72 69, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 72 67 74 70, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 68 73 71 71, Peter Hanson (Swe) 69 73 70 71, Raymond Russell 72 70 70 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 71 67 73 72, Stuart Little 69 71 70 73

284 Niki Zitny (Aut) 67 72 76 69, Alastair Forsyth 69 71 74 70, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 70 74 70, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 75 65 72 72, Markus Brier (Aut) 66 73 72 73, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 73 67 71 73

285 Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 70 71 71 73, Sven Struver (Ger) 70 68 73 74, Brett Rumford (Aus) 70 72 69 74, Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 71 66 72 76

286 Ian Poulter 72 70 74 70

287 Andrew Oldcorn 68 73 74 72, Andre Bossert (Swi) 72 69 73 73, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 71 71 72 73

288 David Carter 71 71 74 72

290 Marcel Siem (Ger) 71 70 75 74, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 74 68 71 77

291 Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 71 74 75

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