Gary Emerson has given himself a great chance of regaining his Tour card by winning the Netcom Norwegian Open in Borre.
A closing round of 70 for a 17-under-par tally of 275 saw him finish a shot ahead of the fast-finishing Swede, Max Anglert, who carded a 67, and two in front of another flying Swede, Per Nyman, with 65, and Soren Hansen of Denmark.
It was Salisbury-based Emerson’s first European Challenge Tour triumph in only his fifth event after losing his Tour card last year. But the 34-year-old was always in the hunt after carding a 10-birdie course record 63 in the second round.
He began the final day a shot behind Tony Edlund but was soon in front and even a couple of late bogeys couldn’t halt his progress. "After an opening 74, my second round 63 put me back in the tournament," he said. "The key moment of the last round was when I went three shots ahead after 11 holes.
"I then birdied the 12th and 13th and despite three-putting the 15th and taking another bogey at the 16th I still felt I was in control."
He arrived at the 72nd knowing that a bogey would be sufficient to see him home and despite hitting what he felt was a good tee shot, the ball finished at the base of a tree. "The only thing I could do was hack it back on the fairway, leaving me 70 yards to a two-tiered green." He added: "Thankfully I managed to hit it to 15 feet and two-putted for victory.
"My main aim is to get back on to the main Tour and this will give me a good opportunity to do that."
It certainly will as Emerson’s £12,994 first prize catapulted him from 166th place to 23rd in the Rankings, eight places and just over £3,000 outside the top 15 who gain automatic promotion to the main Tour at the end of the season. Anglert also made a significant move from 13th to sixth.
The unfortunate Edlund struggled in the middle of his round and closed with a 75 for 279 and joint ninth spot alongside Paul Curry, who also bettered the previous course record in round two with a 65, and expectant father Daren Lee, the first round leader with 66.
And it was a week when five-title Warren Bennett ‘took a breather’, much to the relief of his rivals, finishing joint 15th on 281 yet still extending his lead at the top of the Rankings to almost £36,000.
1 Gary EMERSON (Eng) 74 63 68 70 275 12994.80
2 Max ANGLERT (Swe) 71 70 68 67 276 8658.00
3 Per NYMAN (Swe) 71 72 69 65 277 4391.40
Soren HANSEN (Den) 69 69 69 70 277 4391.40
5 Fredrik LINDGREN (Swe) 69 70 70 69 278 2926.95
Francis HOWLEY (Ire) 72 71 65 70 278 2926.95
Roger WINCHESTER (Eng) 72 68 69 69 278 2926.95
Leif WESTERBERG (Swe) 72 71 68 67 278 2926.95
9 Daren LEE (Eng) 66 73 71 69 279 1934.40
Scott WATSON (Eng) 72 68 72 67 279 1934.40
Raimo SJÖBERG (Swe) 69 67 72 71 279 1934.40
Paul CURRY (Eng) 72 65 73 69 279 1934.40
Christopher HANELL (Swe) 72 71 67 69 279 1934.40
Tony EDLUND (Swe) 67 71 66 75 279 1934.40
15 Warren BENNETT (Eng) 72 69 68 72 281 1095.90
Elliot BOULT (NZ) 73 69 70 69 281 1095.90
Stephen MCALLISTER (Scot) 71 71 68 71 281 1095.90
Johan RYSTRÖM (Swe) 73 69 68 71 281 1095.90
Frederik ANDERSSON (Swe) 71 69 70 71 281 1095.90
John MELLOR (Eng) 69 74 69 69 281 1095.90
21 Marcus WHEELHOUSE (NZ) 72 69 72 69 282 794.49
Birgir HAFTHORSSON (Ice) 73 71 70 68 282 794.49
José CARRILES (Sp) 74 69 72 67 282 794.49
John SENDEN (Aus) 70 73 70 69 282 794.49
Henrik NYSTROM (Swe) 74 70 69 69 282 794.49
Jose Manuel LARA (Sp) 70 70 72 70 282 794.49
Simon WAKEFIELD (Eng) 75 68 71 68 282 794.49
28 Fredrik HENGE (Swe) 70 71 71 71 283 670.80
Adam MEDNICK (Swe) 69 71 71 72 283 670.80
Steven BOTTOMLEY (Eng) 71 72 71 69 283 670.80
31 Paul NILBRINK (Swe) 70 71 70 73 284 616.20
Markus BRIER (Aut) 71 71 72 70 284 616.20
Robert JONSSON (Swe) 73 70 74 67 284 616.20
34 Ricardo GONZALEZ (Arg) 74 71 68 72 285 569.40
Andrew COLLISON (Eng) 73 72 72 68 285 569.40
Dominique NOUAILHAC (Fr) 73 71 73 68 285 569.40
37 Marcello SANTI (It) 74 70 71 71 286 538.20
Petter KAENSCHE (AM) (Nor) 67 74 70 75 286
38 Eric GIRAUD (Fr) 74 69 72 72 287 522.60
39 Antoine LEBOUC (Fr) 74 71 72 71 288 507.00
40 Morten ORVELAND (Nor) 75 69 75 70 289 479.70
Mårten OLANDER (Swe) 73 72 72 72 289 479.70
Pauli HUGHES (Fin) 72 73 70 74 289 479.70
Eric CARLBERG (Swe) 74 71 74 70 289 479.70
44 Hans KARLSSON (Swe) 74 71 74 71 290 444.60
Gordon SHERRY (Scot) 72 73 69 76 290 444.60
Magnus PERSSON (Swe) 67 74 78 71 290 444.60
David R JONES (Eng) 77 68 73 72 290 444.60
Morten BACKHAUSEN (Den) 71 71 77 71 290 444.60
49 Martin ERLANDSSON (Swe) 72 73 72 74 291 409.50
Gary MARKS (Eng) 77 66 73 75 291 409.50
Morten HAERAAS (Nor) 71 71 76 73 291 409.50
Jeremy ROBINSON (Eng) 73 72 69 77 291 409.50
53 Lars TINGVALL (Swe) 76 69 73 74 292 390.00
54 Stephen SCAHILL (NZ) 74 71 73 75 293 382.20
55 Christian CEVAER (Fr) 73 71 76 74 294 374.40
56 Martin WIKSTROM (Nor) 73 71 77 78 299 366.60
