Bland snatches Cannes Open from Ballesteros

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 23

Bland snatches Cannes Open from Ballesteros

NZPA-AP Cannes, France The South African, John Bland, fired an unwavering final-round 67 over the 6 172-metre Mougins course yesterday to topple the overnight leader, Severiano Ballesteros of Spain, and win the SUSISO,OOO Cannes Open golf tournament. Bland, aged 41 next Tuesday, finished at 12 under par overall with a 276 for only his second victory in Europe and collected a winner’s cheque of $U525,000 ($NZ45,500). Ballesteros, who was on the bad end of a sixstroke swing after going into the final round with a two-shot lead, carded a 73 for a 280 total, eight under par. His secondplace cheque was SUSI7,OOO ($NZ30,940). Neil Hansen, a Briton, aged 24, held on for third place, two shots behind Ballesteros after a par 72 round. His SUSIO,OOO (SNZIB,2OO) cheque was the biggest of his career. Hansen’s tie for ninth place at Cannes last year was his best previous finish. The Irishman, Des Smyth, who also scored a

72, was one shot back of Hansen in fourth slot. Smyth pocketed SUS7BOO ($NZ14,196>. lan Woosnam of Britain, with a 72 round, took a share of fifth place a further shot adrift. He was joined by Manuel Pinero, whose 66 was the best round of the day. Each player picked up a 5U55650 ($NZ10,283) prize. Bland strolled to a win in a tournament he was not due to be playing. “I was only planning to come over in July,” Bland said. “I hadn’t been playing well in South Africa, then things started to click three weeks ago when I was third in the Tournament of Champions at the Kensington Club, Jo’burg. I decided to make the move earlier and flew into the cold a week ago.” Bland has 12 tournament victories to his credit in South Africa but the Benson and Hedges International last year in York, England was the only European trophy he had won in a long career. He finished thirty-seventh on the European money list last year. He accumulated six bir-

dies and only slipped over par once in his 67 at Mougins. He pulled level at the eighth hole, then thrust ahead. He holed birdie putts from seven metres on the eighth and ninth holes. At the tenth, he got a lucky break when his ball, going through the green, rebounded from the crowd to 10 metres from the pin. Bland grasped the chance and rammed home the birdie putt. Over the same three-

hole stretch, Ballesteros dropped a shot to par. Bland suddenly had a three-stroke lead and extended it to four at the 16th. Ballesteros tangled on several occasions during the final round with undisciplined photographers. On the seventh hole, a steward harangued the press and demanded discipline. On the following hole, Ballesteros, preparing to play a difficult chip out of a muddy lie, was again distracted by a photographer. Lionel Prouvost, admin-, istrative director of the French Golf Federation, stripped the photographer of his credentials and ordered him from the course. Final scores:276: John Bland (South Africa) 68, 71, 70, 67. 280: Severiano Ballesteros (Spain) 70, 69, 68, 73. 282: Neil Hansen (Britain) 73, 68, 69, 72 283: Des Smyth (Ireland) 70, 71, 70, 72. 284: lan Woosnam (Britain) 70, 72, 69, 73; Manuel Pinero (Spain) 74, 71, 73, 66. 285: Gordon Brand Junior (Britain) .74, 70, 70, 71; Mark Mouland (Britain) 75, 73, 67, 70.