No joy for Higgins or McGrane

Peter Uihlein with the Madeira Islands Open trophy. ©Getty ImagesDavid Higgins and Damien McGrane failed to make in-roads in the Race to Dubai standings as Peter Uihlein claimed his maiden professional title in superb style at the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI.

The American’s nerveless four under par round of 68 earned him a two-shot victory at Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra.

But it was a disappointing day for the Irish pair with Higgins (74) tied 35th on one under with McGrane (73) a shot further back in 42nd.

Both men needed decent Sunday’s to move positive moves up the money list but Higgins rose just four places to 160th as he earned € 4,080.

McGrane, who started the week ranked 106th in the money list, fell one spot as he was forced to settle for just €3,480.

Both will start in this week’s €4.75m BMW PGA at Wentworth, however, where the winner will earn a cheque for €791,660 and the even the player finishing 70th gets €8,670 - the equivalent of a top 15 place in Madeira.

As for Uihlein, he started the day one shot behind overnight leader Mark Tullo of Chile and got off to a bad start as he bogeyed the first.

The 2010 US Amateur champion atoned for that blemish with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth but could only watch as Tullo found the cup with an eight iron tee shot from 201 yards at the par three fourth.

After picking up another shot at the seventh, Uihlein was knocked back again with two consecutive bogeys just before the turn, but the Floridian came out fighting on the way back with four birdies, including three in a row from the 11th, which left him two shots clear on 15 under par.

The tournament may well have been decided by a play-off as Denmark’s Morten Ørum Madsen was 15 under on the 18th tee, after a stunning run which yielded eight birdies.

But the 25 year old suffered a double bogey at the 18th to give Uihlein his first win in just his 16th European Tour appearance.

“I’m just thrilled,” said the 23 year old, who threatened a 59 in the second day’s play before signing for a 64. “To do it playing well on the back nine, coming down the stretch, is sweet. I know Morten played a heck of a round and Mark played really well so it was nice to come out on top.

“I just knuckled down I guess. It was all putting that did it today, I was just trying to free up and they started to roll in so it was nice.

“I hit some good putts coming down the stretch. When I was at the 17th I saw Morten was on 15 under and I thought it might have been a little more difficult but when I got to the 18th green I obviously saw he had dropped back. I’m just delighted to have won.”

273 P Uihlein (USA) 72 64 69 68,

275 M Madsen (Den) 72 69 67 67, M Tullo (Chi) 67 69 68 71,

276 C Lee (Sco) 67 68 70 71,

279 S Benson (Eng) 74 69 69 67, R Bland (Eng) 66 75 70 68, R Kakko (Fin) 70 70 71 68, R Davies (Wal) 74 68 70 67,

280 J Elson (Eng) 72 71 70 67, C Brazillier (Fra) 70 68 74 68, J Lima (Por) 73 71 66 70,

281 D Im (USA) 72 71 67 71, J Sandelin (Swe) 69 69 70 73,

282 J Parry (Eng) 70 72 75 65,

283 J Howarth (Eng) 72 70 70 71, C Paisley (Eng) 71 72 68 72, D Kemmer (USA) 72 70 71 70, M Brier (Aut) 72 73 68 70,

284 T Sluiter (Ned) 71 72 72 69, R Santos (Por) 76 70 69 69, M Korhonen (Fin) 72 71 71 70, R Derksen (Ned) 72 69 72 71, C Doak (Sco) 73 70 70 71,

285 S Hansen (Den) 70 68 74 73, B Koepka (USA) 72 73 68 72, S Tiley (Eng) 71 73 69 72, J Dantorp (Swe) 70 72 71 72, S Dyson (Eng) 75 70 71 69, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 74 70 71,

286 H Bacher (Aut) 73 70 70 73, S Walker (Eng) 77 68 71 70, R Russell (Sco) 73 72 71 70, J Lagergren (Swe) 67 75 72 72, R Quiros (Esp) 73 71 70 72, D Dixon (Eng) 70 74 73 69,

287 T Hatton (Eng) 71 74 72 70, L Saltman (Sco) 64 75 74 74, N Fasth (Swe) 75 68 69 75, A Tadini (Ita) 71 72 70 74, O Floren (Swe) 72 72 73 70, D Higgins (Irl) 75 69 69 74,

288 M Delpodio (Ita) 72 74 75 67, D McGrane (Irl) 71 71 73 73, V Riu (Fra) 70 72 72 74, N Ravano (Ita) 73 73 74 68,

289 T Haylock (Eng) 71 73 69 76, R Karlberg (Swe) 72 68 71 78, J Ruth (Eng) 71 75 71 72, A Pavan (Ita) 73 70 72 74, N Quintarelli (Ita) 71 73 75 70, P Hedblom (Swe) 71 73 72 73,

290 K Eriksson (Swe) 73 69 75 73, S Arnold (Aus) 72 74 72 72, T Levet (Fra) 70 67 75 78, G Pinto (am) (Por) 73 70 75 72,

291 R Rock (Eng) 74 72 73 72, M Lundberg (Swe) 70 72 73 76, P Edberg (Swe) 70 76 72 73,

292 A Snobeck (Fra) 72 74 71 75, N Henriques (Por) 71 73 74 74, A Gee (Eng) 71 75 73 73,

293 A Perrino (Ita) 70 73 77 73, A Marshall (Eng) 75 71 73 74,

294 C Del Moral (Esp) 71 72 77 74,

295 R McGowan (Eng) 68 77 75 75, S Hutsby (Eng) 74 70 77 74,

296 J Carlota (am) (Por) 72 74 76 74,

300 A Rosado (Por) 73 73 80 74, G Storm (Eng) 73 73 80 74, A Velasco (Esp) 75 71 75 79