Golf: Ballesteros saves best for play-off: Mercedes German Masters

IN AN exhibition of grace under great pressure, Seve Ballesteros yesterday won the German Masters - his 70th professional victory. Ballesteros held the trophy aloft at Motzener See, near Berlin, after beating the US Open champion, Ernie Els, and the US Masters champion, Jose- Maria Olazabal, with a brilliant play-off birdie.

The trio had tied on 270, 18 under par, with Els missing a six-foot putt for victory on the final green. When they returned to the 449-yard 18th, Ballesteros hit a six-iron across the lake to within three feet of the flag.

Olazabal, his Ryder Cup partner, had already played his second to 18 feet and Els then found a bunker. Par fours were the best they could do and Ballesteros, who after two rounds had been 11 shots adrift of the leader, Els, sank his putt for one of the most satisfying wins of his career.

'The way I won was great, and who I beat made it even better. They are the top two young players in the world,' said the 37-year-old Spaniard, whose closing 67 included a 35-foot birdie putt on the 16th.

There were those who were starting to write off the former Open and US Masters champion at the start of this season. However, he won the Benson and Hedges International at St Mellion in May and finished second and third in the two tournaments preceeding the German Masters. Yesterday winning pounds 104,125 cheque puts Ballesteros second in the European Order of Merit and almost 100,000 points clear in the Ryder Cup points table.

He is nearly pounds 150,000 behind Colin Montgomerie in the money list, but he could still overtake him in the two counting events which remain. 'I'm going to try. I'm not going to let Monty win that easily,' he said.

First, though, comes next week's World Match Play championship at Wentworth - an event which Ballesteros was originally left out of, but later decided to compete in following an invitation to replace the American John Daly.

Els, who was seven clear of the field after his opening rounds of 63 and 64, was still four in front with seven to play, but he went into the lake at the 170-yard 12th for a double-bogey five.

'It's funny how this game goes,' the 24-year-old Els said. 'I was never out of the lead, yet I've lost. I feel very disappointed.'

Olazabal, who had gone into water for a double bogey on the ninth, said: 'When a player like Seve plays a shot like that what can you do? I wanted to win myself, but if I couldn't then I'm glad it's a Spanish winner.'

The only other time the two had met in a play-off was for the 1985 Spanish national title - and Ballesteros birdied the first hole then.

MERCEDES GERMAN MASTERS (Motzener See, Berlin) GB or Ire unless stated: 270 S Ballesteros (Sp), J-M Olazabal (Sp), E Els (SA) (Ballesteros won at 1st play-off hole); 273 S Struver (Ger), V Singh (Fiji), E Darcy, N Faldo; 274 E O'Connell, P Mitchell; 275 P Fulke (Swe), G Turner (NZ), P-U Johansson (Swe); 277 M A Martin (Sp), A Hunter, R Claydon; 278 J Van de Velde (Fra), R Davis (Aus), S McAllister, J Rivero(Sp); 279 D J Russell, A Sherborne, S Torrance, C Cassells, P Baker; 280 C Mason, S Luna (Sp), T Gogele (Ger); 281 M James, J M Canizares (Sp), C Rocca (It), D Smyth, S Ames (Tri), P O'Malley (Aus). 282 A Forsbrand (Swe), I Woosnam, S Lyle, B Langer (Ger); 286 M Lanner; 292 G Brand.

European Ryder Cup and

Order of Merit tables,

Sporting Digest, page 35