Swiss bliss as Smyth equals career low 62

Des Smyth equalled his career low round on tour when he closed with an eight under 62 to finish seventh in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in Switzerland.

The 58-year old Bettystown legend - who shot a final round 10 under 62 to finish third in the 1990 Austrian Open - had an eagle, seven birdies and one bogey to scorch up the leaderboard and earn €9,000.

His 62 was the low round of the day by three shots but not enough to give him his second European Seniors Tour win of the season as he finished four shots behind Australian Peter Fowler on 10 under par.

Fowler overturned a seven-shot deficit to pip Chile’s Angel Fernandez with a sparkling five under par 65 and claim his second Senior Tour title of the season.

The 52-year old looked to be too far off the pace at the start of the last day, but he capitalised as Fernandez shot a five over par 75.

The Chilean opened with stunning rounds of 61 and 63 but could not replicate that sort of form for a third round and had to settle for third place. His lead was slashed from five shots to none by the turn after he double bogeyed the eighth and dropped another shot at the ninth, and there was no way back.

Scot Andrew Oldcorn took the runner-up spot, two shots back, after a final round 68, while Fernandez finished on 11 under alongside South African Chris Williams, Englishman Gary Wolstenholme and Claude Grenier of Austria.

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” said Fowler, whose comeback is the largest on the Senior Tour since the 2006 London Senior Masters. “I didn’t know I was leading until the last couple of holes, so that was the only time I got a bit nervous.

“Angel was playing so well I thought there was no way he’d let a lead like that slip. I thought I would have to shoot 63 today to have any chance of winning, but it turns out 65 was enough and I’m glad I played so well.”

Denis O’Sullivan shot a closing 65 to finish 16th.