Niclas Fasth of Sweden won the BMW International by two strokes on Sunday when he held his nerve to fight off a late challenge from German veteran Bernhard Langer.
Fasth shot a 2-under 70 to finish with an overall 13-under 275.
Langer, who turns 50 in August, shot a final-round 67 to tie for second with Jose-Filipe Lima (72) of Portugal.
PHOTO: EPA
Langer set the early clubhouse lead with 11-under when Fasth had five holes to play. Despite the thousands of German fans wanting him to make mistakes, Fasth hit three straight pars and then made a seven-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to secure his sixth European Tour victory and thew winner's prize money of 333,000 euros (US$447,600).
"I always felt the tournament was mine to lose," Fasth said. "I played some fantastic golf this week -- probably the best golf of my life, amazing golf. I decided I wouldn't look at the leaderboards and didn't know anything about Bernhard Langer's charge until I reached the 15th hole, but then I had a strong finish which really pleased me."
Langer, who shot a 76 on the first round when he needed treatment on the course for a neck muscle injury, said he proved he can still contend against much younger players.
"That's why I still go out there," said Langer, who went 15-under on the last three rounds. "Yes I was close to pulling out on Thursday, very close, but I haven't felt the injury since I had the treatment and I have come from seven behind to win a tournament before. And it is nice to still be in contention once in a while at my age."
Lima entered the final day shared for the lead but landed in water on the sixth, and bogeyed again on the seventh after hitting a bunker. However, his birdie on the 18th green saved the tie for second place.
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