Attacking policy pays off for Spence

Jamie Spence produced a course record-equalling 64 in the final round to win the Moroccan Open here yesterday by four shots. It was his second European Tour title.

The French duo, Sebastien Delagrange and Thomas Levet, shared second place on 18 under along with England's Ian Poulter, who finished birdie-eagle for his highest finish in his rookie season.

South Africa's Des Terblanche was a shot further back while the Australian amateur Adam Scott shared sixth after a closing 72.

Spence's only previous Tour win was in 1992 when he also produced a storming finish, coming from 10 shots behind in the Canon European Masters with a last-round 60 before winning a play-off with the Swede Anders Forsbrand.

"It's been a long wait," he admitted. "It feels like winning the Open to be honest, because I've had my chances in the past.

"Maybe I backed off before but today I decided to go for birdies and keep attacking right until the last hole because there were so many good players out here. I should have won here in 1992, so maybe Morocco owed me one.

"I had chances before to win again but maybe played conservatively when I needed to play positively but I've learned from the better players.

"I've been working very hard for the last three or four years on the mental side of the game with Fred Trexler from Sussex and I really have to thank him."

In hindsight it looked like being Spence's week all along after he had his second hole-in-one in consecutive tournaments on the eighth on Thursday after going 13 years without one as a professional.

Rounds of 66, 68 and 68 saw him begin the day three shots off the overnight lead held by Ignacio Garrido, but he was level with the Spaniard after just three holes thanks to birdies at the first and second and Garrido's bogey on the third.

Five straight pars seemed to have halted Spence's momentum, but he picked up further shots at the eighth and ninth.

A hat-trick of birdies from the 13th proved decisive and gave Spence the luxury of a three-shot lead coming down the last.

Poulter recovered from a terrible start, dropping shots at the first and fourth, but rallied with a back nine of 31. That was typical of his week - he was two over for the front nine and 20 under for the back nine.

A bogey on the 16th appeared to have blown his chances of second place, but he finished with a birdie two on the 17th and rolled in a 20-foot putt on the 18th for an eagle.

The £29,000 prize-money means Poulter has accumulated enough money this season to retain his card for next year after just eight events.