MIKE HARWOOD has captured his maiden European Senior Tour title in the OKI Castellon Senior Tour Championship in Spain, securing the tour’s Rookie of the Year title and marking a magnificent return to top golf.

Harwood carded a superb final round six under par 66 in windy conditions at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo on Sunday to finish three strokes clear of overnight leader Angel Franco and add the season ending Championship to the Volvo Masters he won on The European Tour in 1990 – becoming the first player to win both titles.

It capped a memorable fortnight for the 50 year old, who won the Australian Senior Open two weeks ago and rounded off a seamless return to competitive golf in 2009 after more than a decade out of the game.

“It was an amazing day, emotional too,” said Harwood. “When the wind was as bad as it was this morning I just didn’t want to make an idiot of myself.

“It’s been a great week. I had a few lucky breaks and I’ve made a lot of putts this week. I came in thinking this could be my week but I played well and putted so well.

“I hoped I would win this year but thought it might be unrealistic after so long out of the game. There must be something about Spain and the wind because my Volvo Masters win came in exactly the same conditions.”

Harwood had started the day two strokes behind Franco at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo but five birdies on his front nine saw him move into a share of the lead.

“My short game today was unbelievable on the front nine,” said Harwood. “I played pretty well on the back nine – I didn’t hit the ball that great but my short game was electric.”

Harwood won about $103,000 in Spain which took his year’s tally to about $210,000 allowing him to slip past the Rookie title leader and fellow Aussie Peter Senior, who won about $150,000 for the year, but did not play in Spain.

VICTORIAN Michael Harwood has capped off his return this year to tour golf with a thrilling win in the $300,000 Handa Australian Senior Open at Royal Perth Golf Club.

Harwood beat overnight leader and tournament favourite Peter Senior and fellow Victorian Michael Clayton in a sudden death play-off to take a title that is the richest in Australian senior golf.

“It’s fantastic to be here and win such an exciting title,” Harwood said.
“After 10 years of selling chocolates and candy in the Pro Shop I didn’t think I’d be back here.”

Harwood was referring to his decade long absence from top professional golf before turning 50 earlier this year and joining the European Seniors Tour.

“This is the best year of my life going back playing and practicing hard again. It’s been difficult sleeping in different beds week in and week out and it’s been tough on my wife Donna to be spending so much time apart again but we’ll get there in the end,” he said.

Harwood was Runner-up in the 1991 British Open, two shots behind Ian Baker-Finch at Royal Birkdale. His best year on the European Tour came in 1990 when won both the Volvo Masters and the PGA Championship. He also ended Greg Norman’s sequence of six victories in the Australian PGA when he won in 1986.

Harwood expressed condolences to fellow Senior Tour rookie Peter Senior, who came unstuck on the back nine.

Senior was making his playing debut in Australia as a “Legend” and Harwood said beating him made the victory sweeter.

“It’s great to win an Aussie Senior Open title, but even better to beat Peter Senior cause he is an unbelievable player. I’m so pleased to beat a champion like you Pete!”

Heading in to the final round, Senior ( 69, 68, 73) led by four shots and quickly extended that to five over playing partners Clayton (71, 70, 69) and Harwood (71, 70, 69) heading into the back nine.

An unfortunate bogey at 11 saw Senior’s round begin to falter and a double bogey at 14 followed by another dropped shot on 15 had the trio all tied on five-under with three holes to play.

After a terrific approach into 16, Senior made birdie to again take the outright lead.

After an errant drive on the last hole, Senior could only manage par and watch as both Harwood and Clayton rolled in birdies to force the championship into a sudden death play-off.

Having found the green safely in regulation on the first play-off hole, both Senior and Clayton narrowly missed their birdie chances.

Harwood calmly drained a six foot birdie putt for the championship and secured the National Senior Open title.

Harwood said he was excited about the growing Australian Legends Tour and looked forward to playing as many Pro-Ams and events as possible next year.

Defending champion Wayne Grady closed with a 72 for a three-round total of one-under (72, 71, 72) but it was New Zealander Garth Domigan who produced the shot of the day with an ace on the par 3 tenth hole.