Laura Davies has to settle for second

Laura Davies had to settle for second best despite firing a superb final round of 65 in the German Open at Treudelberg near Hamburg.

The Briton closed with a 20-foot eagle putt but still finished one stroke behind playing partner Anne-Marie Knight, from Australia, who shot a course record eight-under-par 64 for 10-under 278.

In the same group, Sophie Gustafson matched Davies' 65 for a share of second place - but it all ended in tears for the Swede when she missed an 18-inch putt at the 18th that would have forced a play-off.

"It was unfortunate for Sophie, but I've finished second four times and today I took my chance," said 28-year-old Knight, who was the 1996 European Tour Rookie of the Year.

"It was the best round of my life and I was definitely in the zone. I felt I couldn't miss."

She opened by holing a 35-foot putt for birdie and by the time she had packed six more into the first 15 holes she led by two shots.

But Gustafson hit back with birdies at the 16th and 17th to send them up the 18th in a tie for the lead. Both hit the green in two at the 443-yard hole, but while Knight two-putted for a birdie, Gustafson fatally took three.

For Davies, who had been eight over after 24 holes, covering the final 48 holes in 17 under was a remarkable comeback.

But while she was always playing catch-up, she still felt she had thrown away a chance of adding the title to her victory in this season's Chrysler Open in Sweden.

"I missed an eight-foot birdie chance at the 17th today which killed me," she said. "But Anne-Marie played brilliantly and it was a great group. The three of us were 22 under par and that's world-class golf in anybody's book.

Jo Head, one of identical twins from Sussex, closed with a 69 to finish alone in sixth place on five-under-par 283, while her sister Sam fired a great closing 67 for two over 290.

"I can't keep letting Jo shoot all the good scores," she laughed.