Swede Henrik Stenson, who holed the winning putt for Europe at last year's Ryder Cup, celebrated the biggest victory of his career on Sunday.
The 30-year-old from Gothenburg reeled off successive birdies to complete a 2&1 triumph over defending champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final.
Despite struggling with his swing for much of a topsy-turvy day at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club, Stenson became the first Swede, and only the second European, to win a World Golf Championships (WGC) event.
"This one is definitely the biggest one of my career," Stenson told reporters after clinching his maiden PGA Tour title and his sixth on the European Tour.
"Winning a WGC event is as close to winning a major without doing it, I guess. Obviously this gives me confidence and a push in the right direction."
The big-hitting Stenson, who broke through on the European Tour by winning the 2001 Benson and Hedges International Open, has triumphed in his last two starts.
Three weeks ago, the Dubai-based Swede held off world number one Tiger Woods and Ernie Els to win the Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke with a birdie at the last.
"Winning back-to-back is something I haven't done before, and those are two great tournaments as well," he said.
"Dubai is one of the most prestigious ones on the European Tour."
Although fatigued after playing six opponents over 120 holes this week, Stenson is delighted he will climb to a career-high fifth in the world rankings on Monday.
"It's a big week for me," he said. "I am the first Swede to win a World Golf Championships title and also I think the highest ranked Swede ever in the world rankings.
"A lot of great things have happened for me here but I'm just exhausted and it probably hasn't even sunk in 100 percent yet."
Game's elite
Asked whether he felt he belonged among the game's elite, Stenson replied: "I think I've established myself within the top 20, and I recently moved into top 10.
"I can't go straight out and say I should be number five or number six in the world, although that's where I am at the moment. But I feel like I've established myself as a top-20 player."
Stenson has set his sights on winning his first major.
"The two childhood dreams that I had were to play in the Ryder Cup and win the British Open," said the Swede, who made his Ryder Cup debut at the K Club in Ireland last September.
"I wouldn't mind being the first Swede to win a major championship. Ideally the British Open, but if I win any of the other majors I won't return them," he added.
Britain's Darren Clarke is the only other European to win a WGC title, doing so at the 2000 Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2003 NEC-Invitational.
(China Daily via Agencies February 27, 2007)
