Bjorn blows chances again to let in Campbell

Seven days after the worst moment of his professional career when he had one hand on the claret jug in the Open Championship and let it slip through his fingers, Thomas Bjorn again found retribution rather than rehabilitation.

There was handsome financial compensation for the Dane. He received £345,000 for finishing joint second at Royal St George's and yesterday won £110,240 for being joint-second in the Nissan Irish Open, this time in a three-man play-off with Michael Campbell, of New Zealand, and Peter Hedblom, of Sweden. They were tied at 11 under par, Hedblom recording a 68 while Campbell and Bjorn had 71s.

There was a nerve-racking delay before the sudden-death play-off which was put back by 45 minutes because of a storm. When they returned to the 18th Campbell clinched it with a magnificent nine-iron approach shot to within a foot of the flag, securing a three to his opponents' par-fours.

It was his first victory since taking the European Open at the K Club near Dublin 13 months ago. "It's nice to blow away the cobwebs," said Campbell, who had had a frustrating spell on the US Tour, but has now returned to Europe. "I knew that better things were just around the corner," he added. This is his sixth European Tour victory, his 14th worldwide.

Campbell and Bjorn had resumed at 10 under par for the championship, along with the Englishman David Lynn. As Lynn lost ground with bogeys at the first and the fifth, the leaderboard became very claustrophobic indeed. At one point there were five players sharing the lead at nine under, but it was Campbell who made the first significant move.

After he and his playing partner Bjorn made birdies at the long six, the New Zealander hit the front when he picked up a stroke at the ninth, holing from off the green to go to the turn in 35 to Bjorn's 36. Campbell opened a two-shot lead with another birdie at the 10th, but it was short-lived.

Regarded as one of the finest links in Europe, Portmarnock at 7,363 yards, is the longest course on the European Tour. Yesterday, when the weather varied wildly from glorious sunshine to heavy showered, the course stubbornly defended its reputation and there was no chance of Bjorn getting close to his course record of 64, established in the first round.

On Thursday he managed to produce nine birdies; yesterday he delivered two. The second came at the par-five 16th where he holed from three feet for his four. With Campbell making par, Bjorn rejoined the Kiwi at 11 under.

Bjorn's nickname on the European tour is "Semtex", on account of his occasionally explosive temper on the course, although it should be pointed out that off it he is considered good company.

The Dane, who blew a three-shot lead with four holes to play at Royal St George's - his failure to get out of the bunker at the 16th leading to his downfall - took a grim sort of satisfaction here when Campbell dropped a stroke at the 11th. He drove into a fairway bunker and his attempted recovery hit the lip, the ball advancing only a couple of feet.

Meanwhile, up ahead Hedblom joined Campbell at the top of the leader board on 11 under when he reeled off three birdies in a row from the 14th.

Hedblom, an exponent of the broom-handled putter, was using it to great effect and he had another chance for a birdie on the 17th where he hit his approach to within 15ft of the flag. However, the putt that would have given him the outright lead slipped by the left lip.

When the Swede missed the fairway with his drive at the 18th and found a pothole bunker he angrily hurled his club into his bag. Although his errant drive prevented him from reaching the green in two, he hit a good third shot which gave him a chance of salvaging par which he duly accomplished, rolling in a 25ft putt.

At 11 under for the championship Hedblom was the leader in the clubhouse and he had a nervous wait. Campbell and Bjorn had birdie chances at the 17th and both narrowly missed so it all rested on the 18th.

Campbell again had the opportunity to win the championship outright after hitting his approach 13ft to the right of the flag but his putt trickled by on the left.

IRISH OPEN (Portmarnock) Leading final scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 277 M Campbell (NZ) 66 69 71 71, T Bjorn (Den) 64 74 68 71, P Hedblom (Swe) 70 71 68 68 (Campbell won on first hole of play-off). 279 G Owen 68 71 68 72; D Lynn 69 65 72 73. 280 S Struver (Ger) 71 71 69 69. 283 R Russell 71 73 68 71; G Turner (NZ) 71 71 69 72. 284 J Bickerton 71 72 72 69; M A Jimenez (Sp) 73 68 71 72; P Broadhurst 67 74 71 72; G Murphy 74 68 70 72; P O'Malley (Aus) 70 69 72 73; L Westwood 70 72 69 73. 285 B Rumford (Aus) 72 71 70 72; C Schwartzel (SA) 71 71 70 73; M Pilkington 76 67 69 73; G Emerson 68 71 72 74; S Khan 68 73 70 74; S Webster 72 71 67 75. 286 J M Olazabal (Sp) 70 73 72 71; J Moseley (Aus) 70 72 71 73; A Salto (Sp) 70 72 71 73, J Kingston (SA) 73 69 71 73, P Fowler (Aus) 70 73 70 73; C Cevaer (Fr) 72 71 70 73, L Donald 68 74 69 75, I Poulter 70 71 69 76, B Mason 69 71 70 76, Peter Lawrie 70 68 71 77.