Australian Terry Gale birdied the final two holes to win the inaugural Bosch Italian Seniors Open at Circolo Golf Venezia by a stroke from England’s David J Russell.
Gale fired a final round four under par 68 to claim his sixth title on the European Seniors Tour, while Russell’s 71 saw him end runner up for the second week in a row.
South African Gavan Levenson and Scotland’s John Chillas tied for third two behind Gale.
“It’s a funny game isn’t it. I finished bogey bogey yesterday, and birdie birdie today,” said 57 year old Gale, who had a three round total of five under par 211.
The Australian trailed Russell by one stroke with four to play but then stormed through with birdies on the 15th, 17th, and 18th. Gale, playing in the group ahead of Russell, also made a great par save on the 16th, where he nearly holed a chip shot, before sinking putts for five and eight feet on the last two holes.
“The pleasing thing today was that I was able to hit the shots when it mattered. Whether you win or lose it’s really important to know you can hit big shots under pressure like that,” added Gale.
Gale won three times on the Seniors Tour last year, highlighted by back to back titles in the Caribbean, and finished third on the Order of Merit.
Russell led for most of the final day and after a brilliant debut in the senior game in last week’s Open de France Seniors he had a great chance to finish one place higher this week.
“I should have really nailed it. I kept getting under and then throwing it away again. I didn’t play particularly well so I was pleased to hang on in the end,” said Russell.
He was five under for the tournament after 11 but dropped shots on the 12th and 14th. On the 18th Russell missed a lengthy birdie putt from 35 feet to force a play-off.
“Terry had a great finish there to get me by one. That’s how to win a tournament,” said Russell, who won twice during a 20 year career on The European Tour.
Levenson, the first round leader, started the second round sharing the lead with Russell and American Hank Woodrome and was in the hunt for much of the day but was set back by bogies on nine and 15. He closed with a 72 while Chillas finished well with birdies on the 11th and 13th en route to carding a 70. Woodrome finished with well down the field after returning an 80.
Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy, who was competing in his first Seniors Tour of the season in Europe and lay just three shots off the pace at the start of the day, fired a 76 to finish nine adrift of the winner.
England’s John Morgan claimed the Hardys Super Senior Prize for the leading player aged over 60. His final round 72 saw him finish the tournament on three over par.
The Seniors Tour heads to the Digicel Jamaica Classic in association with Sony Ericsson next week at the Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay.
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