Sergio Garcia gains narrow victory

Sergio Garcia clinched his first European Tour title of the season with a one-shot victory at the European Masters on Sunday after chipping in for birdie at the par-three 16th.

The world number six, one stroke clear overnight, had surrendered a four-shot advantage with a mid-round stumble before recovering on his way to a three-under-par 68 and a 72-hole total of 14-under 270.

Sweden's Peter Gustafsson secured second place with an equal best-of-the-week 64 with British Ryder Cup player Paul Casey a further shot back in third after a 66.

Defending champion Luke Donald, also of Britain, returned a 69 to tie for fourth at 11 under with compatriot Garry Houston, who carded a 70.

Garcia had looked unassailable after reeling off four birdies in five holes from the fourth, overpowering Cran-sur-Sierre's shorter par-fours and forging well ahead of the chasing pack with a 200-foot birdie putt on eight.

However, he lost grounds with bogeys on 10 and 14 before effectively sealing the sixth European Tour victory of his career with his chip-in on 16.

Garcia dedicated the win to his young friend and former amateur playing partner Maria Garcia-Estrada, who died on Saturday after battling lung cancer.

"It was Maria all the way from the sky helping me with that chip," said Garcia. "I wanted to do well for her and her family but I almost tried too hard on the back nine.

"The chip-in was very sweet because I knew I was only tied for the lead at that stage."

Garcia's triumph could be tarnished, however, after tournament officials said the Spaniard faced a fine for unruly behaviour the previous day after being reported for kicking an advertising board after he three-putted the 17th.

Tournament director David Probyn said: "Any breach of normal golf etiquette is frowned upon and not acceptable.

"When incidents are reported to us, we look into them and deal with them. I will be speaking to Sergio."

Garcia, formerly known as 'El Nino', has been in trouble before for his on-course behaviour.

He was fined for berating tour official John Paramor at the 2001 Greg Norman Holden International and reprimanded for throwing a shoe on the course in a fit of pique at the 1999 World Match Play Championship.

Defending champion Luke Donald had been expected to be Garcia's chief rival on the last day and the Briton trailed his good friend and host this week by only a stroke with three holes to go.

A bogey on 16 caused a two-shot swing, however, and cost Donald a share of third place.

Donald had to settle for a share of fourth place with the week's surprise package, Houston.

Rank outsider Houston, 433rd in the world rankings, began the final round a stroke behind Garcia and stuck doggedly to his task.

He was one of the players to take advantage of Garcia's bogeys on the 10th and 14th to share the lead with four holes to go before his title bid was ended with a bogey on 15.

Gustafsson, winner of the European Tour qualifying school and loser in a playoff for the Spanish Open earlier this year, said: "I played very conservatively and it was some putting round.

"I was in more or less the same position in Spain this year when I also finished second after going into the final round five strokes behind.

Donald conceded his finish was disappointing but blamed his management of the par-fives.

"I parred all the par fives today when you expect to be two or three under and that killed me," he said.

Garcia's win put him on top of Europe's Ryder Cup table in the first counting event but the Spaniard said: "It doesn't mean anything. There's a long way to go and I have to play well for a year, not just one tournament."

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