Golf: Lane is streets ahead

BARRY LANE put himself in the right frame of mind for his US Masters debut next month by winning the Balearic Open in Majorca yesterday. A final round of 69 gave him a two- shot victory over the defending champion, Jim Payne.

It was his fourth European tour success, but the first since his traumatic Ryder Cup baptism last September when he was beaten by Chip Beck at The Belfry after being three up with five holes to play.

Lane, third in the Hong Kong Open a fortnight ago, was never headed at Son Vida from the moment he shot a course record 64 on Thursday.

Six shots clear with six holes to play, he watched Payne, in the match ahead, trim the lead to two with a 35-foot eagle putt on the long 13th, and a

25-footer for a birdie on the 15th while Lane bogeyed it.

But Payne fell away after that, and Lane cruised to victory with a 19 under par score of 269. 'I felt as much pressure as I've ever felt - it was a nightmare for a while,' he admitted. 'I should have just kept playing the course.'

BALEARIC OPEN (Majorca) Final-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 269 B Lane 64 70 66 69. 271 J Payne 67 68 70 66. 273 W Westner (SA) 68 70 67 68. 275 P Lawrie 74 65 69 67; L Westwood 69 67 71 68. 277 S Struver (Ger) 71 67 72 67; A Coltart 73 69 67 68; J Rivero (Sp) 72 67 66 72. 278 P Hedblom (Swe) 72 71 68 67; T Price (Aus) 71 71 68 68; P Linhart (Sp) 71 71 64 72. 279 A Cejka (Ger) 74 70 70 65; R Karlsson (Swe) 68 71 71 69. 280 M A Jimenez (Sp) 75 69 69 67; R McFarlane 73 70 69 68. 281 A Hunter 73 71 69 68. 282 J Van de Velde (Fr) 70 72 71 69; J Hawkes (SA) 69 74 73 66; A Collison 69 71 72 70; J Robinson 73 68 71 70; I Spencer 74 68 70 70; S Luna (Sp) 68 72 71 71; F Lindgren (Swe) 72 69 76 65; J Rozadilla (Sp) 71 71 69 71; M Clayton (Aus) 67 73 70 72; G Hjerstedt (Swe) 70 69 70 73. 283 G Ralph 73 69 74 67; R Goosen (SA) 69 73 74 67; M Davis 73 67 77 66. 284 J Lomas 71 73 69 71; E Giraud (Fr) 69 71 71 73; D W Basson (SA) 71 74 74 65. 285 D Cooper 73 72 70 70; G J Brand 70 74 70 71; K Waters 69 74 71 71; M Roe 74 69 71 71; A Sorensen (Den) 72 68 73 72; P Teravainen (US) 71 69 72 73; I Garrido (Sp) 74 71 67 73; A Mednick (Swe) 70 71 70 74; M Besanceney (Fr) 68 74 67 76. 286 P Eales 76 69 70 71; A Lebouc (Fr) 72 69 74 71; C Stromberg (Swe) 70 71 72 73; P McGinley 75 70 68 73; R Allenby (Aus) 70 74 69 73; I Garbutt 69 72 75 70; M Poxon 71 72 74 69; M Miller 70 75 74 67.

VOLVO EUROPEAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT: 1 J-M Olazabal (Sp) 88,225.37; 2 E Els (SA) 83,100; 3 P Hedblom (Swe) 68,487.57; 4 A Forsbrand (Swe) 66,760; 5 H Clark 61,291.43; 6 C Mason 59,949.89; 7 P Eales 53,299.39; 8 B Lane 53,241.31; 9 J Payne 52,482.27; 10 M Lanner (Swe) 50,258.54; 11 W Westner (SA) 48,118.17; 12 P McGinley 47,529.11; 13 D Gilford 46,308.50; 14 B Langer (Ger) 41,812.50; 15 M A Jimenez (Sp) 39,782.89; 16 R Karlsson (Swe) 38,199.13; 17 A Coltart 35,910.36; 18 F Nobilo (NZ) 32,986.36; 19 K Eriksson (Swe) 32,498.79; 20 J Quiros (Sp) 32,021.25.