Larrazabal books ticket to Augusta

Alejandro Larrazabal won the Amateur Championship here on Saturday with a dramatic last-green victory in the 36-hole final over Martin Sell.

Larrazabal follows in the footsteps of Jose Maria Olazabal (1984) and Sergio Garcia (1998) as the only other Spaniards to have won the title. Victory gives the 22-year-old from Barcelona automatic entry into the Open at Muirfield and next April's US Masters at Augusta, which will delay his move into the paid ranks. "I intended going for my tour card in the autumn, but now will definitely take the opportunity to play at Augusta," he said.

It looked at one time as though the final might become a rather one-sided affair as Larrazabal won three of the first four holes in the morning round and was still three up at lunch. But Sell, who has not even won his Wiltshire county title, gritted his teeth and battled bravely to make sure the contest was a close one.

The Spaniard, however, had chances to extend his advantage but missed short putts on both the 25th and 27th holes, which meant with nine to play, he was still only three ahead.

Then came the transformation as Sell won the 29th, the short 11th, with a birdie two to narrow the gap and took the 33rd and 34th as well thanks in the main to putting errors by his rival. At the 35th Larrazabal hit a superb drive down the right and made the putting surface with his second shot, giving him a birdie four to restore the lead.

And when the Spaniard struck a majestic seven iron on to the undulating final green and it finished just six feet from the flag while Sell was in the rough to the right, it was effectively all over. "I am absolutely shattered at the final result," Sell said, "but if you had mentioned at the beginning of the week that I would be in the final, I'd have been delighted."