Slattery breaks duck with victory in Madrid Masters

Englishman Lee Slattery claimed the first European Tour victory of his career with a one-stroke success in the Madrid Masters on Sunday, despite finding water on a nervy final hole.

The 33-year-old Slattery went into the final round two shots clear of his rivals and increased that advantage to three with just three holes left to play at the El Encin Golf Hotel.

But after pars on 16 and 17, Slattery found sand and then water on the par five final hole, before producing a tournament-winning chip to leave two putts from 10 feet to clinch the title.

“I’ve never shaken so much in my life,” Slattery told the official European Tour website.

“I’ve been out here for seven years and now I believe I can win. That’s been the biggest problem over the last few years,” he added, after breaking his European Tour duck at the 183rd time of asking.

Slattery’s final round of 71 saw him finish on a 71-hole total of 273 (-15), with Italian Lorenzo Gagli claiming second place after a 70.

Spain’s Eduardo De La Riva and Argentine veteran Cesar Monasteri shared third place, a further two strokes behind, with world number one Luke Donald dropping back to joint 11th, seven shots off the pace, after a level par 70.

Slattery had previously twice finished second on the European Tour – the 2006 Madeira Open and 2008 Alfred Dunhill Championship – and the victory means he is now guaranteed a place on the tour until the end of 212.

Meanwhile, American Ryder Cup star Rickie Fowler carded a three-under-par final round 68 to complete a comprehensive win in the Korean Open on Sunday.

The 22-year-old world number 36 finished on 16-under-par at the Woo Jeong Hills Country , six shots clear of U.S. Open champion Rory McIlory, who blitzed the final round with an impressive seven-under-par 64.