One-stroke victory completes Teske's recovery

The Australian Rachel Teske won her first LPGA event since 1999 by firing a four-under-par 68 to edge past Maria Hjorth by one stroke to win the Evian Masters.

The victory sealed a fine comeback for Teske, who had been plagued by a torn rib muscle in the weeks leading up to the event. The 29-year-old from New South Wales was forced to pull out of last week's Rochester International because of the injury and had arrived in France with low expectations. But after only minimal discomfort in the practice rounds she decided to play.

"I was just happy to play without pain," Teske said. "I just really tried to do my best on every shot. I didn't try to force my shots ­ just keep my rhythm and relax."

Teske completed the 72 holes at 15-under-par 273, to take the £224,439 first prize.

Saturday's best round was turned in by Laura Davies, who ignored protesters to fire a 64 to finish at seven-under. She ended as the joint leading Briton with Catriona Matthew, who had a final-round 71, tied in 11th on 281.

While the group of around 50 people blew whistles and set off firecrackers beside the 18th green as part of an on-going industrial dispute involving Evian's parent company, Danone, Davies equalled the course record with a round which included seven birdies and an eagle.

Davies dropped her only shot at the last, but it was a tee shot that hit the tree rather than the protesters that caused the day's only blemish.

"They did upset me in that I was expecting them to make a noise when I putted, but they didn't," said Davies.

Matthew, who finished her round when the demonstrators had long parted, ended birdie, birdie to join Davies in collecting £27,591.

In Jersey, Japan's Seiji Ebihara notched his second European Seniors Tour victory of the season when he won a three-way play-off to clinch the Microlease Jersey Seniors Masters at La Moye.

The 52 year old, who won the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Powerscourt a month ago, had finished tied with England's Denis Durnian and Delroy Cambridge of Jamaica on three-under par 213.