Australia’s Stewart Ginn surged through the field to capture his maiden European Seniors Tour title with a two shot win from England’s Nick Job at the first Azores Senior Open.
 
Ginn, who hails from Melbourne but is based in Kuala Lumpur, started the day at Batalha Golf Club five shots off the lead held by Scotland’s Martin Gray, but steadily set about reducing the deficit with five birdies en route to a round of 68.
 
As Gray’s challenge faltered with a glut of bogeys and Job came unstuck with a three putt on the final green when needing a birdie to take the tournament to extra holes, Ginn finally tasted victory after nine years of near misses.       
 
The 59 year old said: “It’s about time too. I’ve finished second more times than I can remember, so it was just a case of getting over the line today. Sadly I won’t be able to celebrate properly tonight, because I’ve got to catch an early flight tomorrow. But I’m sure I’ll have a few drinks when I get home.”
 
Job’s round of 71 saw him finish the tournament on three under par, two shots clear of Argentina’s Luis Carbonetti, Seniors Tour debutant Domingo Hospital of Spain, and Italy’s Costantino Rocca.

Eamonn Darcy finished tied for 21st on six-over par after closing with a one-over par 73 with Denis O'Sullivan (73) two strokes back on eight over.

Ulsterman Jimmy Heggarty shot 76 to tied for 49th on 14 over.

Final Scores:
 
211 S Ginn (Aus) 72 71 68
213 N Job (Eng) 73 69 71
215 C Rocca (Ita) 73 73 69; D Hospital (Esp) 72 72 71; L Carbonetti (Arg) 71 72 72
216 M Gray (Sco) 69 69 78; D Merriman (Aus) 73 73 70
217 B Boyd (USA) 72 71 74
218 M Miller (Sco) 75 73 70; J Rivero (Esp) 72 74 72; J Quiros (Esp) 71 74 73
219 B Larratt (Eng) 77 76 66; D Good (Aus) 74 73;
220 J Benda (USA) 75 75 70; P Oakley (USA) 74 75 71; B Cameron (Eng) 76 72 72; G Banister (Aus) 76 73 71
221 K Spurgeon (Eng) 73 74 74; A Fernandez (Chi) 71 74 76; C Milne (USA) 70 75 76
222 E Rodriguez (Esp) 77 73 72; G Encina (Chi) 74 75 73; E Darcy (Ire) 74 75 73; S Stull (USA) 72 74 76; D Cambridge (Jam) 74 72 76
223 Gordon J Brand (Eng) 74 75 74; J Bruner (USA) 73 73 77
224 J Chillas (Sco) 75 75 74; C Mason (Eng) 78 74 72; D O’Sullivan (Ire) 74 77 73; R Stelten (USA) 75 78 71; G Watine (Fra) 75 75 74
225 T Giedeon (Ger) 72 78 75
226 J Mashego (RSA) 77 78 71; L Indio (Por) 78 73 75; A Barrera (Arg) 78 75 73; B Lincoln (RSA) 72 77 77; D J Russell (Eng) 78 72 76
227 B Smit (RSA) 75 79 73; M Pinero (Esp) 72 79 76; J Hall (Eng) 74 77 76; G Cali (Ita) 78 75 74
228 I Mosey (Eng) 76 77 76; D Johnson (USA) 82 74 73; S Martin (Sco) 75 78 75; B Longmuir (Sco) 76 75 77; R Drummond (Sco) 76 76 76; M Kierstenson (Eng) 76 77 75   
230 T Rastall (Eng) 78 78 74; J Heggarty (NIR) 78 76 76; A Garrido (Esp) 74 80 76; H Carbonetti (Arg) 75 78 77
231 M Poxon (Eng) 79 79 73; T Allen (Eng) 79 78 74
232 J Van Wagenen (USA) 75 79 78; J P Sallat (Fra) 79 78 75; T Jones (USA) 81 76 75
233 T Charnley (Eng) 78 79 76
234 H Woodrome (USA) 80 76 78; M Galway (Eng) 78 80 76
235 G Townhill (Eng) 79 80 76
236 B McColl (Sco) 79 79 78; N Clarke (RSA) 78 81 77
238 M Bembridge (Eng) 80 79 79
239 R Mann (Eng) 84 78 77
240 M Thomas (USA) 83 84 73; P Dugeny (Fra) 80 81 79
241 T Price (Wal) 80 79 82; B Hardwick (Can) 82 86 73; V Garcia (Esp) 86 80 75
244 G Wintz (USA) 83 80 81
249 A Bownes (Eng) 83 80 86
259 V Espirito Santo (Por) 85 93 81