Parsons wins by a shot

Two birdies in the closing seven holes proved enough to see Australia's Lucas Parsons clinch victory in the Finnish Masters in Helsinki.

A closing 66 gave the 29-year-old a total of 16-under-par 272 and a one-shot winning margin from playing partner and overnight leader Thomas Norret from Denmark.

Norret, 20, was two shots clear with seven to play but Parsons birdied the 353-yard 12th to cut the deficit then Norret missed the green at the short 15th and failed to get up-and-down which left them both on 15 under.

The crunch came at the long 16th when Parsons played a superb bunker shot from the back of the green to secure another birdie while Norret took three from the front fringe for his par.

At the 424-yard 18th both found the green in regulation and while Parsons took two putts for his par, Norret's long birdie attempt to draw level just missed.

It was Parsons second Challenge Tour victory of the year following his triumph in the Challenge de Sable in France at the end of May, while his first prize of just under £13,000 hoists him into second place in the rankings.

Germany's Erol Simsek was third, four shots behind Parsons while Leif Westerberg from Sweden and Finland's Mikael Piltz were joint fourth on 277.

The best placed British player was Simon Hurd from Leeds who was joint sixth on 279 after a closing 69.