Golf: A sting in the tale as Allan hits back

STEPHEN ALLAN, despite being stung by a wasp early in his final round and then taking a triple-bogey six at the short 13th, was a shock winner of the German Open at the Sporting Club, Berlin, yesterday. The 24-year-old Australian looked out of contention following his triple bogey which left him five shots behind the Spanish leader, Ignacio Garrido.

But Allan fought back to birdie both the 15th and 16th while Garrido, playing two holes behind the Australian, then double bogeyed the 13th and bogeyed both the 14th and 17th to throw away his lead.

The Irishman Padraig Harrington, playing ahead of Allan, dropped a shot at the last to finish one shot off the pace and Mark Roe, needing two pars to force a play-off, bogeyed the 17th. Garrido, Harrington, Roe and Steve Webster all shared second place on 281.

Later Allan said: "I was stung out there on the third tee by a wasp. I put a wet towel on my arm after hitting my tee shot and that kept it [the swelling] down. My goal was to get into the top 15 in the Volvo rankings to get into the US Open next year, but this win has taken me up to 10th place."

Garrido said: "The turning point was the double bogey and then the bogey at the 14th where I three putted," he said. "I was in control and playing good golf and I missed on the left at the 13th and had an impossible lie. Then after my three putts at the 14th I hit a good shot at the 17th but the ball rolled into the bunker."

n England, Ireland and Scotland all finalised their teams for the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews in October following the completion of the German Open. Lee Westwood, David Carter and Peter Baker, none of whom played in Berlin, will form the England team. Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley will line up for Ireland with Darren Clarke at St Andrews, while Gary Orr will join Colin Montgomerie and Andrew Coltart in the Scottish team.