Gaunt Takes Peugeot International Title - 21/12/2007

DANIEL GAUNT has won his maiden PGA EuroPro Tour title, producing a superb finish to win The Peugeot International at Marriott Hollins Hall.

The Australian was one shot behind playing partner Jeremy Kavanagh going into the final round, but a sensational finish saw him edge to victory.

While Kavanagh could only hit a round of 77 on the final day, to slip to -1 for the tournament, Gaunt's excellent finish saw him win by one shot at -8.

The Wildwood golfer, originally from Melbourne, shot a birdie at the 14th hole to put himself out to -6, alongside a number of other players as the event came to a climax.

Graeme Clark's 67 and a 68 from Mark Smith put them out to -7, and a third successive round of 69 from Leeds-based Iain Pyman put him at -6.

Gaunt, though, was determined to put behind him the disappointments of earlier in the year - when he twice allowed a four-shot lead to slip away on the final day - to finish in style.

He narrowly missed out on a birdie on the 15th before a brilliant putt saw him take a birdie at the 16th to join the clubhouse leaders at -7.

Another birdie, his third in four holes, saw him move clear before he calmly two-putted the final hole to take victory.

"I'm ecstatic," said Gaunt. "It's my first professional win and I couldn't be happier." target="_blank" "I'm ecstatic," said Gaunt. "It's my first professional win and I couldn't be happier." target="_blank">www.europrotour.com/Images/gaunt_leaderboard_200.jpg" width="200" align="left" vspace="1" border="0" /> "I'm ecstatic," said Gaunt. "It's my first professional win and I couldn't be happier.

"I didn't putt well all week to be honest, I was only holing from about eight feet, but I knew I had to pull something out today.

"I certainly did on the 16th - it was probably the hardest hole out there but it was crucial.

"My shoulders have risen about three inches, after what happened earlier in the year the weight is off me now. Hopefully I can win a lot more events and kick on from here."

Smith's 68 on Friday, which included eight birdies and five bogeys, saw him take second place for the second time in 2005, and an eighth top-ten finish.

He was joined in second by Doncaster-based Clark, who shot a faultless round of 67 while Pyman, who has experience on the European Tour, was rewarded for his consistency in fourth.

Rounds of 68 and 69 respectively from Yasin Ali and Eamonn Brady saw them join Phil Rowe at -6 to share fifth place, with Chris Sands and Michiel Bothma two shots back at -3.

The Peugeot International - Final Round Leaderboard

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