Golf: Langer comes in from the cold

Bernhard Langer survived a double bogey at his jinx hole yesterday to win the Alfred Dunhill Masters in Hong Kong and end a 13-month barren spell.

The double US Masters champion shot a final-round 65 for a 17-under-par 267. The 39-year-old won by two strokes from South Korea's Kang Wook- soon, who had a last round 66, with overnight leader Scott Laycock of Australia a further stroke adrift after a 71.

Langer started the day two shots behind Laycock, but four consecutive birdies from the third hole put him in the driving seat. The German, winner of the 1991 Hong Kong Open on the same course, added birdies at the eighth and ninth to reach the turn in 30.

But at the par-three 15th, where he shot a triple bogey six on Saturday, he dropped two shots to put himself level with Kang. A birdie at the next, with the Korean bogeying, restored Langer's lead.

Colin Montgomerie slumped to a five-over-par 76 including a quadruple bogey at the fourth where he incurred three penalty strokes. He drove into a ditch and after taking a penalty drop moved the ball. Ernie Els closed with a 68 for a 10-under-par total of 274, while Seve Ballesteros was six shots further behind after a 73.

n England's Laura Davies was edged out in the third extra play-off hole by Japan's Mayumi Hirase in the Toray Queens Cup in Inashki yesterday.

Scores, Digest, page 19