Cabrera triumphs as McGinley fades
LONDON, England -- Argentina's Angel Cabrera held off a strong challenge from Irishman Paul McGinley to win the European golf tour's flagship event - the BMW Championship at Wentworth - by two shots on Sunday.
Cabrera, joint leader overnight with Swede Peter Hedblom, fired a five-under-par 67 to secure his first European Tour title in three years with an aggregate of 15-under 273.
McGinley faltered with bogeys on the 16th and 17th after briefly holding the lead.
By contrast, Cabrera effectively sealed his third Tour title with three birdies in the last eight holes.
The 35-year-old from Cordoba had last won at the 2002 Benson and Hedges International Open.
McGinley picked up five shots in the first eight holes on the way to a 67, only spoilt by sloppy play as the pressure mounted in his head to head with Cabrera.
Australia's Nick O'Hern was a further two shots back in third after firing a best-of-the-day 64.
Hedblom fell back into a share of fifth after returning a 74.
McGinley, who sank the winning putt for Europe at the 2002 Ryder Cup, made the first significant move of the day among those in contention with four consecutive birdies from the par-four third.
He holed a monster putt from 30 feet to start his run and drew level with Cabrera in a tie for the lead at 13 under by sinking a curling 20-footer for birdie at the par-four sixth.
McGinley, playing one group in front of Cabrera and Hedblom, then forged ahead when he picked up his fifth shot of the day at the par-four eighth before reaching the turn in five-under 30.
The big-hitting Cabrera, whose front nine of 33 included an eagle-three at the fourth, hit back with his second birdie of the round at the par-four 11th.
Both he and McGinley birdied the par-five 12th to remain deadlocked at 14 under.
The Irishman's challenge effectively ended, however, at the par-four 16th where he found bunkers both off the tee and with his second shot before running up a bogey-five.
Soon afterwards, Cabrera sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the same hole to get to 15 under and, when McGinley also bogeyed the par-five 17th after pushing his drive right into trees, the Argentine's lead had stretched to three.
Three-times champion Colin Montgomerie raised his faint hopes of automatically qualifying for next month's U.S. Open as a closing 66 lifted him into a seven-way tie for 11th at five under.
Difficult circumstances
"I'm only glad that I was able to score 66 today in very difficult circumstances," said the 41-year-old Scot, who was criticized on Saturday by fellow Tour player Gary Evans over his actions at the Indonesia Open in March.
The long-running controversy began when Montgomerie misplaced his ball after returning to the course in Jakarta the day after a thunderstorm had forced a suspension in play, and it has rumbled on ever since.
"I'm very hurt and very surprised (by Evans's comments) but I'm very glad I was able to go out and prove to myself and everyone else that I can still do this, and do what I do best," said the Scot.
Montgomerie, who needed to finish no worse than 16th to have a chance of gaining exemption for the second major of the year by returning to the world's top 50, birdied five of the first eight holes to reach the turn in five-under 30.
Although he collected his only bogey of the day at the par-four 15th, he picked up further shots at 13 and the last.
Tournament favorite and Wentworth resident Ernie Els failed to make much of an impact in the more favourable scoring conditions, a 71 leaving the world number three well down the field at level-par 288.
Reuters contributed to this report.
