BARCELONA, May 8 (Reuters) - Thomas Aiken won the Spanish Open golf on Sunday and dedicated his maiden European Tour victory to Seve Ballesteros.
The 27-year-old South African closed with a two-under-par 70 for a 10-under-par 278 four-round total at El Prat that left him two strokes better than experienced Dane Anders Hansen (70).
"Seve was an inspiration to us all and we were all out there trying to win it for him," Aiken told reporters, referring to the Spanish five-times major champion who died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 54.
"No matter who had won today I think they would have wanted to dedicate the win to Seve," added Aiken after breaking his tour duck in his fourth full year.
The leader for the second and third rounds, Aiken was never headed as his faultless two-under-par front nine kept the field at bay.
He then stayed cool when he made mistakes coming home, to finally prevail after third, fifth, sixth and seventh places this season and a runner-up finish last year.
His playing partner Hansen, twice a winner of the European Tour's flagship PGA event at Wentworth, had been expected to be Aiken's chief threat.
However, the Dane stalled over the first eight holes with pars.
The 27-year-old South African closed with a two-under-par 70 for a 10-under-par 278 four-round total at El Prat that left him two strokes better than experienced Dane Anders Hansen (70).
"Seve was an inspiration to us all and we were all out there trying to win it for him," Aiken told reporters, referring to the Spanish five-times major champion who died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 54.
"No matter who had won today I think they would have wanted to dedicate the win to Seve," added Aiken after breaking his tour duck in his fourth full year.
The leader for the second and third rounds, Aiken was never headed as his faultless two-under-par front nine kept the field at bay.
He then stayed cool when he made mistakes coming home, to finally prevail after third, fifth, sixth and seventh places this season and a runner-up finish last year.
His playing partner Hansen, twice a winner of the European Tour's flagship PGA event at Wentworth, had been expected to be Aiken's chief threat.
However, the Dane stalled over the first eight holes with pars.
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