Argentina’s Miguel Rodriguez held off the challenge from European Tour champion Andres Romero to win the 73° Abierto del Litoral Personal, the opening event of the 2008 European Challenge Tour season.

Rodriguez carded a final round of 69 for a nine under par total of 271, one better than Romero, also of Argentina, whose bid to successfully defend the title came up just short when he bogeyed the final hole at Rosario Golf Club.

It was Rodriguez’s second Challenge Tour victory this year having won for the first time when he captured the Kai Fieberg Costa Rica Open in February.

The 73° Abierto del Litoral Personal promoted by Golfstar and co-sanctioned by the Tour de las Americas, the European Challenge Tour and the TPG of Argentina, reached a dramatic climax over the closing holes as Rodriguez and Romero battled for the title.

The pair traded blows throughout the final round as Rodriguez, starting with a one stroke lead, immediately doubled it at the first hole only to be pegged back and find himself a shot behind through seven holes. By the 12th he was two in front again, only to drop a shot on the 13th and then the scores were levelled when Romero birdied the par three 14th. Rodriguez responded with a birdie of his own on the 15th but then promptly double bogeyed the very next hole, when he three putted, to find himself one behind with two to play.

A birdie at the 17th, where he holed a huge 30 foot putt, put him back on level terms and ultimately it was a mistake by Romero on the final hole which settled the contest.

Victory earned Rodriguez the €18,347 first prize and elevated him straight to the top of a new Challenge Tour Ranking. With only one event left of the Tour de las Americas season, the victory also vaulted the 34 year old into the leading position on the 2007 Order of Merit.

“I’m extremely happy! This win in Rosario comes as a surprise for me. I’ve been playing badly during the second half of the year, and besides that I was going against Andres, who had a huge season,” said Rodríguez.

“I can’t deny I felt the pressure, but the putt on 17 was crucial. At the final hole I was lucky enough to have him hit first, so I knew what I needed to do in order to win,” added Rodríguez, who improved his total of wins to three this season.

The mistake – a risky eight iron second shot from a bad lie on the last hole – proved costly for Romero. “If I had to do it again, I would do it. It’s been a while since I hit a shot as bad as that one, but that’s the way golf is. Today I played a little better, but missed at the end.”

With Romero claiming second it was Fabian Gomez and Rafael Gomez who shared third place on six under par 274 after rounds of 71 and 67 respectively.

Sweden’s Oscar Floren finished the week as the leading European on 279, one under par, sharing seventh place with, among others, Eduardo Romero who closed with a 73.

After this successful event presented by Terminal Puerto Rosario, Visa y Nuevo Banco de Santa Fe and promoted by Golfstar, the three co-sanctioning Tours move on to Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires, for the Abierto Visa de la República presentado por Peugeot (Argentina’s National Open Championship). The AAG US $200,000 event will be the final stop of the 2007 Tour de las Americas and second event of the 2008 Challenge Tour season.

Roddy Williams
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