Schwartzel wins marathon Spanish Open
South African Charl Schwartzel won the Spanish Open after a marathon last day effort in Madrid today.
A 15-foot eagle putt on the long 16th proved decisive as the 22-year-old Schwartzel captured his second European Tour title by one shot from Indian Jyoti Randhawa.
They both had the bulk of their third rounds to play as well as the closing 18 holes because of earlier rain delays, but Schwartzel shot rounds of 68 and 67 to take the £226,150 first prize with a 16-under-par total of 272.
It was a nervy finish to both rounds for him, though. He double-bogeyed the 18th on his first visit of the day and when returning there with a two-shot lead was twice in rough, but escaped with a bogey that proved good enough when Spaniard Carlos Rodiles, needing a birdie to tie, found heavy rough left of the green and bogeyed.
For Randhawa it was a fourth runners-up finish - but he has tasted victory seven times in Asia.
Rodiles dropped to third, with English pair Mark Foster and Simon Dyson joint fourth.
Paul McGinley was the best of the Irish competitors, finishing on nine under par. Peter Lawrie finished on eight under, with Graeme McDowell was a further shot back.
Gary Murphy had a six-under-par score to show for the championship, whilst Damien McGrane had to settle for two under.
