Super Smyth on the up after 65

Gary Wolstenholme claimed his second European Senior Tour victory in the space of three weeks. ©Getty ImagesDes Smyth says he expecting to produce a big result in the coming weeks after a superb six under par 65 earned him a share of seventh in the Benahavis Senior Masters near Marbella, where Gary Wolstenholme claimed his second European Senior Tour victory in the space of three weeks, writes the European Senior Tour.

The Drogheda man started steadily with six pars but his round got the boost it needed when he chipped in from 50 yards for an eagle at the par four seventh hole.

He followed that up with back to back birdies and his only bogey of the day at the 11th hole pegged him back only briefly before three birdies in the space of four holes from the 13th hole left him nine under par for the tournament.

“It was a quiet start early on today even though I was hitting it well but I just didn’t make the putts,” said the two time Ryder Cup player. “I had a lovely break at the seventh, then I hit it to ten feet at the next and got a birdie at nine with a four foot putt.

“I was rocking and rolling then but I then made a bogey at 11 and deserved it. I played strong from there in. I had a birdie at the 13th - holed it from off the back edge of the green from about 30 feet.

“I birdied the 14th and had a great second shot at the 16th with a five iron to four feet and made it and then parred the last two. I’m happy with how the tournament went in the end.

“I’ll be expecting something to happen in the next while if I keep my progress up. I started at three under, my tournament was done after the second round so I was just concentrating on putting in a good round so I’m leaving here feeling great. I played a good game of golf and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Philip Walton finished five shots further back in tied 23rd place thanks to a second successive two under par round of 69 while Denis O’Sullivan finished tied 27th on three under par for the tournament after a level par final round of 71.

Wolstenholme, meanwhile, claimed his third Senior Tour win after a five under par final round of 66 was enough to see off the challenge of Mark James and Mark Mouland in a thrilling finale.

The 2011 Senior Tour Rookie of the Year emerged from the pack midway through a roller coaster day at La Quinta Golf and Country Club, thanks to five birdies in the space of six holes either side of the turn.

The lead was exchanged back and forth between five different players and Wolstenholme was at one point four shots behind his playing partner and former Ryder Cup Captain James.

He staged a stunning comeback, however, and finished on 13 under par to claim the title, coming just two weeks after emerging victorious at the season-opening Mallorca Open Senior.

200 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 67 67 66 €30,000

201 M James (Eng) 67 67 67, M Mouland (Wal) 64 69 68 €17,000 each

202 B Lane (Eng) 69 67 66, M Harwood (Aus) 70 64 68 €10,020 each

203 K Spurgeon (Eng) 67 68 68 €8,000

204 P Wesselingh (Eng) 73 67 64, A Takamatsu (Jpn) 68 71 65, DES SMYTH (Irl) 68 71 65 €6,400 each

205 S Van Vuuren (RSA) 68 69 68, A Forsbrand (Swe) 66 69 70,

206 J Quiros (Esp) 70 70 66, C Williams (RSA) 65 75 66, C Mason (Eng) 70 64 72,

207 A Sherborne (Eng) 70 71 66, T Johnstone (Zim) 67 74 66, M Farry (Fra) 76 63 68, D Cambridge (Jam) 66 71 70, T Elliott (Aus) 68 68 71,

208 B Cameron (Eng) 69 71 68, J Sallat (Fra) 69 70 69, R Chapman (Eng) 71 67 70,

209 G Banister (Aus) 71 70 68, R Gibson (Can) 67 74 68, PHILIP WALTON (Irl) 71 69 69, M Martin (Esp) 70 68 71 €2,050 each

210 B Longmuir (Sco) 71 70 69, T Thelen (USA) 70 71 69, DENIS O’SULLIVAN (Irl) 72 67 71, J Rhodes (Eng) 68 71 71 €1,700 each

211 A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 71 69, J Rivero (Esp) 74 66 71,

212 C Rocca (Ita) 71 71 70,

213 J Harrison (Eng) 75 69 69, R Drummond (Sco) 71 72 70, D Merriman (Aus) 71 70 72, M Cunning (USA) 69 72 72, H Carbonetti (Arg) 70 70 73, J Gould (Eng) 73 66 74,

214 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 72 70 72, G Manson (Aut) 67 72 75,

215 P Fowler (Aus) 76 68 71, S Cipa (Eng) 71 72 72, J Hall (Eng) 73 69 73, R Davis (Aus) 69 72 74, C Bolling  (USA) 68 73 74,

216 A Fernandez (Chi) 79 69 68, M Moreno (Esp) 70 75 71,

217 G Brand (Eng) 72 71 74, M Piñero (Esp) 74 67 76,

218 T Charnley (Eng) 74 74 70, J Davila (Esp) 75 72 71, B Smith (Eng) 67 79 72, G Cali (Ita) 68 72 78,

219 G Ralph (Eng) 73 71 75, D Durnian (Eng) 72 72 75,

220 S McAllister (Sco) 76 72 72,

221 J Bruner (USA) 76 73 72, G Ryall (Eng) 75 73 73, A Garrido (Esp) 75 73 73, P Mitchell (Eng) 74 74 73, J Cañizares (Esp) 76 71 74, G Norquist (USA) 73 74 74,

222 D Wettlaufer (Can) 78 71 73, N Job (Eng) 73 74 75, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 77 69 76,

225 V Garcia (Esp) 73 78 74, M Belsham (Eng) 80 69 76,

226 T Burgoyne (Sco) 80 73 73,

232 M Bembridge (Eng) 76 75 81,

236 H Brousson (Fra) 77 76 83,

240 B Queipo De Llano (am) (Esp) 84 74 82,

142 A Franco (Par) 72 70 RT,