Irish Open boost for Lowry

Shane Lowry drives on the 18th in Munich on Sunday. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ieShane Lowry gave his confidence a boost ahead of the Irish Open when he closed with a seven under 65 in the BMW International Open in Munich.

The 2009 Irish Open winner and Carton House touring professional had seven birdies on an immaculate card to finish tied for 22nd behind Ernie Els, who completed a wire-to-wire victory with a one shot win over two-time champion Thomas Björn.

“It was good,” said Lowry, who had target a 65 on Saturday but ended up with a 74. “I birdied the first three. Really all I was looking for going into today was a bit of confidence for next week.

“I was really disappointed with yesterday because I feel like I went out and tried a bit too hard to try and shoot a score and put myself in contention today.”

After earning €21,700, Lowry added: “Seven under on a Sunday is always good, no matter where you are lying. So it’s a bit of confidence for next week, which is great.

“I was more myself today. I was trying a bit hard yesterday, a bit anxious and trying to be too perfect. It didn’t really work. So i learn from days like that and with a 65 I am happy enough.

“Carton House is a totally different golf course. it’s wide open, it’s longer, there are going to be fewer birdies but it should be a decent week if we can get some good weather.”

Els was in imperious form for much of the week at Golfclub München Eichenried, having opened with a round of 63 on Thursday en route to an impressive 18 under par total over the four days in Munich.

The victory was the 43-year old’s 28th on The European Tour and his first since the 141st Open Championship last July.

Els said: “Obviously my play this week has been great, as we talked about how much tougher the course is, but I just felt good this week.  I just felt my game was there and lucky enough it was one shot good enough.

“As always, when you get to my age, to get a win, it’s a wonderful feeling, and hopefully it gives me the confidence that I need as there are two more Majors left [this year], and I’ve played quite well the last two but I need a bit of a spark in the next two.”

Ernie Els with the BMW International Open trophy. Picture © Getty ImagesDenmark’s Björn had to settle for second place at the end of 72 holes having made much of the early running, as a trio of birdies from the third saw him take a narrow lead.

However, although he was able to bounce back from a bogey at the 11th, where he found a water hazard from the tee, the two-time champion at this event was unable to recover from a very costly double bogey on the hardest hole of the week, the 14th.

Having found the trees left of the fairway and been forced to take a penalty drop, Björn still found himself unable to advance his third to the green from the thick rough, before a chip and two putts saw him drop out of the lead. Despite birdies at the 16th and 18th coming home, he would end up finishing alone in second on 17 under par.

“I played well and got off to the start I needed today to get myself out in front,” said Björn. “The thing that’s been great this week is the driver, and that let me down on the back nine.

“The bogey on 11 didn’t come at a good time and obviously the one on 14, but I fought all the way to the end, and you know, Ernie hit two very classy shots on the last.  When you go up against Ernie, you’ve got to take it 18 holes to the end and I didn’t quite do it today.”

Peter Lawrie and David Higgins closed with 71s to finish tied 29th on nine under and earn €16,900 each.

Final scores

270 E Els (RSA) 63 69 69 69,

271 T Björn (Den) 68 69 65 69,

272 A Levy (Fra) 65 68 68 71,

273 M Kaymer (Ger) 64 71 69 69, A Noren  (Swe) 64 71 66 72, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 66 68 71 68,

274 S Garcia  (Esp) 71 69 65 69, D Fichardt (RSA) 70 66 69 69, H Wen-Yi (Chn) 71 69 69 65,

275 J Luiten (Ned) 69 68 67 71, J Parry (Eng) 67 72 67 69, R Derksen (Ned) 64 72 70 69, P Uihlein  (USA) 70 66 67 72, H Stenson (Swe) 68 69 71 67, B Stone (RSA) 66 71 67 71, M Siem  (Ger) 67 68 69 71, P Waring  (Eng) 66 73 67 69,

276 D Johnson (USA) 66 71 73 66, D Willett  (Eng) 69 65 70 72, R Fisher (Eng) 68 69 69 70, M Baldwin (Eng) 64 69 69 74,

277 M Manassero (Ita) 68 69 71 69, M Nixon (Eng) 65 71 70 71, B Ritthammer (Ger) 68 70 69 70, S Lowry  (Irl) 69 69 74 65,

278 M Jiménez (Esp) 68 67 72 71, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 66 69 72 71, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 67 70 71 70,

279 O Floren  (Swe) 68 70 70 71, J Walters (RSA) 67 73 74 65, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 68 69 72, D Higgins (Irl) 67 71 70 71, P Fowler (Aus) 67 71 70 71, P Lawrie (Irl) 67 69 72 71,

280 C Macaulay  (Sco) 69 68 74 69, O Fisher  (Eng) 69 69 72 70, J Van Zyl (RSA) 75 65 72 68, M Kieffer (Ger) 68 73 70 69, J Morrison  (Eng) 68 70 70 72, B Rumford (Aus) 70 68 74 68,

281 A Hartø  (Den) 68 73 69 71, T Jaidee (Tha) 66 74 69 72, R McEvoy  (Eng) 68 72 71 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 70 69 71 71, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 71 68 72,

282 G Stal  (Fra) 68 68 74 72, A Snobeck  (Fra) 70 71 72 69, A Kaleka  (Fra) 72 68 70 72, M Tullo (Chi) 68 69 73 72, S Benson (Eng) 71 67 76 68, R Jacquelin (Fra) 73 67 68 74, R Rock (Eng) 73 68 76 65,

283 V Dubuisson  (Fra) 68 69 73 73, S Kapur (Ind) 69 68 75 71, M Wiegele  (Aut) 69 69 74 71, R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 69 70 72, P Casey  (Eng) 71 70 72 70,

284 D Horsey (Eng) 68 73 73 70, G Bourdy (Fra) 68 73 70 73, S Jamieson  (Sco) 68 70 74 72, M Madsen  (Den) 74 65 75 70,

285 M Carlsson  (Swe) 69 71 72 73, D Drysdale (Sco) 68 72 72 73, L Gagli  (Ita) 69 71 74 71, M Lafeber (Ned) 70 71 73 71, C Doak (Sco) 72 69 72 72, J Campillo (Esp) 66 70 77 72,

286 M Korhonen (Fin) 71 69 74 72, S Kjeldsen (Den) 69 72 72 73, P Widegren  (Swe) 71 70 72 73, R Wattel  (Fra) 67 72 75 72,

287 G Orr (Sco) 73 68 73 73, M Crespi  (Ita) 69 72 72 74,

288 E Goya (Arg) 66 74 74 74, C Paisley  (Eng) 69 72 74 73, J Lagergren (Swe) 66 73 75 74,

291 K Broberg (Swe) 70 71 77 73, M Warren (Sco) 72 68 76 75