Forsyth wins Madeira title in playoff

MADEIRA, Portugal -- Scot Alastair Forsyth made up a five-stroke deficit to win the Madeira Islands Open in a play-off with South African Hennie Otto.

The 32-year-old Forsyth from Glasgow, who missed the cut in his first five events of the year, shot a closing 67 while Otto slumped to his worst round of the week, a par 72.

Forsyth, whose one previous title also came in a playoff, against Stephen Leaney in Malaysia six years ago, shot seven birdies and two bogeys in his first 14 holes as he moved into the lead.

But then he bogeyed the par-three 17th and he and Otto both birdied the 386-yard closing hole, to finish level on 15-under 273.

Forsyth had birdied 18 four times during the tournament and he did it again in the playoff to claim the title.

Despite the disappointment of seeing his lead whittled away it was a good week for Otto, who did not even hold a full Tour card entering the tournament. He turned up in Madeira minus his luggage, which was lost en route, but shot three successive rounds of 67.

Englishman Gary Clark, who also played in the final group, birdied the last to finish in third place, four strokes behind his two partners. It was his highest finish on the Tour.

Welshman Bradley Dredge, needing a win to return to the world's top 50 a week before the cut-off for the Masters, was only joint 15th.

He probably needs victory at the Andalucian Open at Aloha in Spain next Sunday to earn a return trip to Augusta, where he was only three off the lead with a round to play last year.

Forsyth, pipped by Ian Poulter for the Tour's Rookie of the Year award in 2000, had had 23 top-10 finishes since his first win, but had started 2008 dismally.

Trips to Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai, India and Malaysia failed to produce a penny in prize money but his triumph in Madeira has boosted his bank balance by almost $178,000. E-mail to a friend