Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg birdied two of his last three holes to clinch the Russian Open on Sunday for his second European Tour title.
The 34-year-old, who won his maiden tour title at the Moscow Country Club three years ago in a sudden-death playoff on the fourth extra hole, shot a four-under-par 68 in the final round to finish on 21-under 267, beating Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara by two strokes.
“This victory means so much to me. We are halfway through the season now and I felt like the most important thing for me was to keep my card for next season,” Lundberg, who spent last year on the Challenge Tour, told a news conference.
“The first one was great because it was my first victory but this one means even more because the money is a lot more and I get a two year exemption instead of one. It feels amazing,” he said after collecting 210,237 euros ($330,000) compared to the 67,599 euros ($106,100) he won in 2005.
Lundberg, who was tied with Lara on 19-under with three holes to play, made a 27-feet birdie putt on the par-three 16th to charge ahead, then birdied the par-five 17th to move two up on the Spaniard.
Britain’s Benn Barham finished third, another stroke back after carding a 68 on Sunday.
Lara, who trailed Lundberg by six strokes after three rounds, was on fire on Sunday, making eight birdies on his first 14 holes to catch up with the Swede.
But a bogey on the par-five 15th threw the Spaniard off and not even another birdie on 17 could make a difference.
Lundberd, who described the course in Nakhabino, about 15 km north-west of Moscow, as “just for me,” said he was lucky to make a par on the 15th after hitting his tee shot into the trees.
“I was in real trouble on the 15th when I hit a very bad drive to the left,” he said.
“I couldn’t even get the ball out of the trees with the first shot and on the second try I had to take a big risk to hit it out. Luckily it was a good week for me and I made a par, I just don’t know how,” he added.
Norway’s Jan-Are Larsen was fourth on 271, a stroke ahead of 2006 runner-up David Drysdale of Scotland, who along with Lara had the best score for the final round, a 64.
Britain’s Jamie Moul, who started the final round in second place, one stroke behind Lundberg, could not sustain his momentum on Sunday. The 23-year-old former amateur world number one made three bogeys on the back nine to finish tied for sixth, six strokes back.
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