Jeev ends disappointing 30th, Donaldson champion

Portrush (Northern Ireland): Jeev continued to slide over the weekend and ended tied 30th even as Welshman Jamie Donaldson clinched his maiden European Tour title at the Irish Open.

Donaldson shot a four-day total of 18-under to clinch the title by four shots over challengers Anthony Wall, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Fabrizio Zanotti and Mikael Lundberg in front of 30,000 spectators in Northern Ireland. Jeev started the final day with a double bogey, but quickly made up with birdies on the second and fourth. An eagle on the ninth saw him turn in two-under, but bogeys on 10th and 14th set him back again. He ended with a birdie on the 18th and signed a card of 71 to be six-under and tied 30th overall. Considering he started the week with a seven-under 65, and was eight-under through 36 holes, it was a disappointing weekend over which he shot 75 and 71. The 36-year-old Donaldson held the overnight lead, but found himself looking up at the leaderboard before he had even teed off due to Mikael Lundberg?s thrilling start. The Swede turned in 29 only to see Donaldson rally with successive birdies at the second, third and fourth. Donaldson had shot under 70 in each of his first three rounds and his consistency was again evident as he putted smartly, showing no signs of nerves despite the 333,330 euros on offer. He dropped shots at the 11th and 16th, but squeezed four birdies into the back nine to remain at the leaderboard`s summit. Padraig Harrington (70) was tied seventh at 12-under, while Rory McIlroy (67) was tied tenth after a bogey free final round at 11-under. Graeme McDowell (66) climbed to tied 16th at 10-under. PTI