Golf: Ryder Cup jump for beaten Woosnam: Purple patch gives Fowler first European Tour win in Munich event

PETER FOWLER, of Australia, playing five holes from the ninth in six under par, shot a superb 63 in the final round to win the BMW International Open at Munich yesterday, his first victory on the European Tour.

Fowler, who is based in Surrey, came from three strokes behind to beat Ian Woosnam, the overnight leader, by three shots after finishing with a 21-under- par aggregate of 267.

Woosnam was round in a three-under 69 for 270 despite missing three four-foot putts and though disappointed with second place jumped from 17th to 10th in the Ryder Cup table.

Anders Forsbrand, who finished joint third with Bernhard Langer, Gary Orr and Peter Mitchell, one shot behind Woosnam, also advanced in the table, from 15th to 12th. With Joakim Haeggman, seventh today on 272, also moving to 12th spot, Sweden might be represented in the Ryder Cup for the first time next month.

Fowler, who has finished second six times on the European Tour, birdied the first hole and bogeyed the second before two birdies at the fifth and sixth 'kicked him along a bit'. But it was his run from the ninth that clinched his first victory on the Tour.

First he hit the stick at the long ninth with a three-wood approach and holed from three feet for an eagle three. Then he had four birdies on the trot to go into a two-shot lead.

Woosnam, who is off to the US PGA championship, the last major of the season, tomorrow, felt that his putting cost him victory but was pleased with his Ryder Cup advance. 'It should make Bernard Gallacher a little happier,' he said.

Orr, the Scot, looked a possible winner when he reached the turn in 32, at which point he was two shots clear of both Fowler and Woosnam. But he bogeyed the 10th and 16th to fall away before recovering to share third place with a birdie two at the 17th.

BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN (Munich) Leading final scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 267 P Fowler (Aus) 67 69 68 63 (83,330). 270 I Woosnam 65 68 68 69 (55,550.). 271 B Langer (Ger) 66 69 70 66; A Forsbrand (Swe) 71 67 68 65; P Mitchell 69 66 69 67; G Orr 67 69 66 69 (23,750 each). 272 J Haeggman (Swe) 68 66 69 69 (15,000). 273 M McNulty (Zim) 66 70 69 68 (12,500). 274 D W Basson (SA) 66 68 70 70 (11,150). 275 J Parnevik (Swe) 68 72 67 68; J Quiros (Sp) 67 70 69 69 (9,595). 276 M-A Jimenez (Sp) 70 69 71 66; S Grappasonni (It) 68 69 73 66; D A Russell 66 72 69 69; D Ray 64 72 69 71; M James 64 72 68 72. Selected: 278 R Rafferty 68 71 71 68; M Roe 71 70 69 68; 279 P Broadhurst 68 72 69 70; 281 D Feherty 69 69 73 70; 283 D Gilford 68 70 69 76.

VOLVO EUROPEAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT (GB or Irl unless stated): 1 N Faldo pounds 379,820.00; 2 C Montgomerie pounds 301,124.37; 3 S Torrance pounds 295,721.52; 4 P Baker pounds 282,609.17; 5 M James pounds 266,382.67; 6 C Rocca (It) pounds 260,365.98; 7 B Langer (Ger) pounds 257,164.64; 8 J Haeggman (Swe) pounds 232,484.17; 9 J-M Olazabal (Sp) pounds 215,988.14; 10 F Nobilo (NZ) pounds 212,590.76; 11 P Broadhurst pounds 209,888.17; 12 J Parnevik (Swe) pounds 198,882.56.

EUROPEAN RYDER CUP POINTS TABLE (GB or Irl unless stated): 1 N Faldo 513,022.50; 2 C Montgomerie 451,988.08; 3 B Langer (Ger) 412,108.98; 4 B Lane 365,722.75; 5 M James 339,805.08; 6 S Torrance 325,929.20; 7 C Rocca (It) 304,597.25; 8 P Baker 299,279.17; 9 J-M Olazabal (Sp) 282,488.14; 10 I Woosnam 274,938.12; 11 A Forsbrand (Swe) 261,223.26; 12 J Haeggman (Swe) 256,576.76.