Forest of Arden, June 09: Britain's Greg Owen laid the ghost of Portugal to rest on Sunday when he won the British Masters by three strokes. Owen allowed the Portuguese Open title to slip through his fingers seven weeks ago but held on this time as a closing one-under-par 71 for 14-under-par 274, earned him the $409,000 first prize from compatriot Ian Poulter and Frenchman Christian Cevaer. Poulter, winner of last week's Wales Open, failed to make it back-to-back successes as he carded a 71 after beginning the final round four strokes behind Owen. Cevaer produced a birdie-birdie finish to come through the field with a 68. Victory rewarded the persistence of 31-year-old Owen, who led by two strokes on the Algarve in April with five holes to go and shared the lead at the 72nd but had to settle for fifth place. He had also finished third four times in three years. "A couple of mistakes by Ian calmed me down and I scrambled my way in," said a relieved Owen. "The way I played the 17th, though, showed I can hang in there.


"Portugal hurt but I'm glad I can learn from these experiences and hopefully I can go on from here."


Owen's win took him to eighth on the European money list while Poulter, with a first and second in successive weeks, has risen from 135th two weeks ago, to sixth.


Cevaer, who broke his elbow skiing last year, had his second European Tour runner-up best finish. His of nearly $200,000 was by far the biggest of his career.


Tournament favourite Darren Clarke, who won the English Open at Forest of Arden in the same week last year, was another to come surging through the field.


The Northern Irishman shot a 66 to share fourth place, six strokes behind Owen, before setting off for the U.S. Open. Two more Britons, Anthony Wall and Robert Rock, tied with Clarke.


Australian Richard Green, who began the final round in second place with Poulter, dropped three late shots to finish in a tie for 11th place, eight behind.


Argentine Jorge Berendt tied for seventh spot on seven-under and won a $52,000 Jaguar car for being nearest the flag on the par-three 18th, when he hit to 33 inches.


Leading scores after the final round of the British Masters golf tournament at the par-72 Forest of Arden course on Sunday (Britain unless stated):


274 Greg Owen 68 68 67 71 277 Christian Cevaer (France) 73 70 66 68, Ian Poulter 71 73 63 70 280 Darren Clarke 71 71 72 66, Robert Rock 73 69 70 68, Anthony Wall 72 70 67 71 281 Raphael Jacquelin (France) 70 72 72 67, Stephen Gallacher 69 71 71 70, Jorge Berendt (Argentina) 72 72 67 70, David Lynn 66 71 71 73 282 Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 70 73 70 69, Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 69 74 70 69, Fredrik Andersson (Sweden) 74 70 68 70, Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 73 71 66 72, Richard Green (Australia) 70 66 71 75 283 Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 75 69 69 70, Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 67 72 73 71, Nick O'Hern (Australia) 72 70 70 71, Marcel Siem (Germany) 66 71 74 72, Philip Golding 69 73 69 72, Mark Roe 71 70 69 73, Darren Fichardt (South Africa) 72 66 71 74, Mikael Lundberg (Sweden) 69 69 71 74 284 Justin Rose 69 75 73 67, Gary Orr 72 72 72 68, Jarrod Moseley (Australia) 70 73 70 71, Andrew Coltart 68 73 70 73, David Howell 72 71 67 74, Barry Lane 73 68 68 75


Bureau Report