Greg Owen claimed his maiden victory on The European Tour International Schedule in his 158th start when a controlled final round 71 gave the Englishman a 14 under par total of 274 and a three shot victory in The Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters at the Marriott Forest of Arden.
Having started the final round four shots clear, the 31 year old knew he would face a challenge from the chasing pack but held them admirably at arms length in the tough, blustery conditions prevalent at the Warwickshire course.
In the end the closest anyone got were joint runners-up Christian Cévaër and Ian Poulter, whose closing rounds of 68 and 70 saw them end their respective tournaments on 11 under par 277.
Owen became the eighth first time winner on The 2003 European Tour International Schedule and the third Englishman, following Mark Foster and Kenneth Ferrie, his winning cheque of €348,312 (£250,000) elevating him to eighth on the Volvo Order of Merit with €534,993 (£383,989).
Having come close to victory on a number of occasions, most recently in April’s Algarve Open de Portugal at Vale do Lobo where he led by three shots at the halfway stage only to finish fifth, it was understandable that Owen could barely conceal his delight at finally having reached the winners’ podium.
"In Portugal I tried too hard to win it and you're always struggling," he said. "I didn't play badly there but it just wasn't meant to be. Obviously I've waited for another chance and to win in England, so close to home, is fantastic.
"Days like these are meant to be and hopefully there are more like these around the corner."
Playing in the final group with Poulter, Owen had every right to believe the man from Milton Keynes would try to mount an early assault on his overnight lead.
Having won last week’s Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open so impressively and having matched the course record 63 in the third round, Poulter was bang in form and the 2000 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year proved it by birdieing three holes in a row from the fifth.
But Owen refused to buckle and bravely responded with consecutive birdies of his own at the sixth, seventh and eighth. It kept daylight between the pair and when Poulter bogeyed the 12th and 13th, he knew his chance had gone.
In the end, Poulter had to hole out bravely for par at the 18th to preserve his share of second place with the fast finishing Cévaër, who birdied both the 17th and 18th to tie for second, matching his best ever finish on The European Tour International Schedule, a second place in the 1995 Madeira Island Open.
“I am delighted,” said Poulter. “Everyone says it is difficult to play the week after you win and even as late as Tuesday morning I was still contemplating whether I would play or not. Right now, I’d have to say I’m happy that I did!”
Another delighted man was Cévaër who is playing on The 2003 European Tour International Schedule on a full medical extension after badly injuring his right elbow in January 2002.
“As I said to my caddie, it was similar to last week where I made the cut and had a good Saturday,” said the Frenchman who went on to finish 18th in Wales. “But I am happier that I did better this Sunday than last. It was great to be in with a chance again this week and capitalise on it.”
Fourth place was shared between Darren Clarke, Robert Rock and Anthony Wall, Midland Region professional Rock, an affiliate Member of The European Tour, continuing an impressive run of form which has seen him make the cut in each of his four starts to date in the Benson and Hedges International Open, the Volvo PGA Championship, the Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open and at the Marriott Forest of Arden.
His share of fourth place gave him €88,750 (£63,700) and moved him to 62nd on the Volvo Order of Merit with €153, 865 (£110,436), within touching distance of the $21,627 which would guarantee him his playing privileges for next year. The finish also guaranteed him a place in The Diageo Championship at Gleneagles in two weeks time.
Another happy man at the end of the day was Argentine Jorge Berendt. The winner of the 2001 Cannes Open finished in a share of seventh place but left for home with the keys to a £35,000 S-Type Jaguar courtesy of being closest to the pin on the 18th, his four iron tee shot landing a mere two feet nine inches from the cup.
