Of our local interest, Anders Hansen’s caddie for this week was a certain Gareth Lord. Gareth must have been very pleased after Hansen’s opening 66 and the 2003 PGA Champion had held on to the leaders for most of the previous two days. When the Dane took 8 at the par five 4th (through playing Jacobsen’s ball), he had lost over 10 places on the field and even that second ‘race’.

John (Bickerton) was out in 35, not good enough to keep up with Brian Davis who was two shots better with four birdies in a row from the 5th to counteract a poor start. Stephen Leaney entered this second ‘race’ when he added two more birdies to his opening 34 whilst Greg Owen dropped back after going out in +1 to be –3 for the day.

Battling for the first prize and the title of Volvo Masters Champion 2003 was just as tense an affair and as good in terms of scoring. Jacobsen and Rodiles swopped the lead as each made birdies when the other could only par that particular hole. The result of this jousting as they entered the final nine holes –

Jacobsen -13

Rodiles -12

A pull from the 10th tee gave Freddie a bogey and the lead was now shared. Up ahead John Bickerton was trying to hang on the Brian Davis as the Londoner made two early birdies to go to –8.

Both Rodiles and Jacobsen birdied the 11th then parred the next two so that entering the final five holes, played mostly into the wind, the huge galleries were now anticipating every shot. With a significant Swedish contingent wintering in Andalicia, Freddie was not without support but it was the roars for Rodiles, the local man, that rang around the course. Each time Rodiles responded to the double 2003 winner, he was very warmly greeted with ‘Viva’, ‘Vamos’, ‘Animo’ as he walked to the green.

Away from the lead and the contest for third place, Paul Casey finished strongly with a 69 for +1 overall, probably ruing his very poor start. Michael Campbell went one better with a 68 (for –2), again a player not able to contend because of one poor round. Monty was matching the (-2) of the New Zealander but no-one managed to string together enough good holes (the wonderful course always punishing the slightest mistake) so that they could post something really low to put pressure on the leaders. Stephen Leaney also finished with a 68 for the early clubhouse lead. When John Bickerton dropped a shot at the 16th, the Worcestershire man was then three back from Davis and only one ahead of Leaney – he would need par in over the last two for a guaranteed £122 000.

The 16th then took is turn in knocking back Rodiles as the Malaga man missed with his approach and took five whilst from a wild tee shot, Jacobsen pitched to the fairway and hit a great third to save par. Freddie then hit another wild tee shot at the 17th, a pull just as he had done on the 10th. Ahead, Monty was taking seven at the same hole to go back to level. He would finish at level par.

Bickerton played the 17th in par and saw Brian Davis make four to go four in front. He hen hit his 18th green of the day with his last approach and faced a two putt to ensure he stayed in front of Leaney.

‘Just two putt this was what my caddy said to me’, joked John afterwards, ‘I said to him “No way, this is going in … I might lag it otherwise”.’

John drained that putt for a 69, to the best of the day 66 from Davis, a fellow pupil of Peter Mitchell.

‘I knew that between me, Greg (Owen) and Brian that we were playing for a lot of money … Yes I knew. It was very steady. Brian got away from on the 11th when I took five and then when I holed on 13 he followed me in. We share the same coach so there was a lot of banter out there today.’

‘Its my biggest cheque of the year … its been a steady season, nothing special but this is great.’

Behind them, the drama was unfolding once again at the 17th. After playing out short of the ‘halfway’ bunker that makes any recovery from a tee shot so difficult, Jacobsen hit the 17th green but did not stay on it. Rolling back into the water, Freddie was now looking like taking no better than a six and Rodiles had to play the approach of his career – which he did.

Holing the birdie putt produced a huge Andalucian roar and Jacobsen’s miss for a six (taking seven) produced huge celebrations at the 18th green with the thought that ‘there man’ could win …. There was more drama to come.

A wild tee shot was to cost Rodiles a bogey. It would need a three from the Swede to force a second consecutive play-off and showing all the spirit he has become reknown for in this his ‘graduation’ year, Freddie stiffed his approach to the 18th – the play off was required.

This was Rodiles 111 tournament without a win – a number well known by English cricket fans as being the ‘bogey’ score. On the first play-off hole, there was nothing nervous about how Rodiles played the hole –a drive down the middle and an approach to just 8ft. Jacobsen was making a ‘four and a half’ recovering from more wayward play. That left Rodiles with a very slippery left to right putt for the title. He could have hit it harder to take away the break and risk going a few feet past. Instead, he played it dead weight and could only sink to his knees as it slid over the edge of the right lip. Back to the 18th, with the 10th then 18th to follow if the pair could not be split at the second play-off hole – and just 45 minutes of daylight left.

This time Jacobsen hit the fairway. His approach was well right though and Rodiles responded by drawing in his approach to 20ft. Jacobsen was face with a chip he had every chance of leaving short of the hole. It was from below the green and he played it well but it stopped some 5ft short. The Malaga man lagged to 2ft and could only watch as Jacobsen holed another crucial putt in this very special year.

They moved across to the 10th, where Jacobsen had taken 5 just two hours before. He was left then and this time he was way right. His ball trickled down the hill seeming to be destined to go in the lake. It stopped just inches short of the red link that marks the edge of a hazard very very rarely in play for the European Tour Professional.

The Double 2003 winner then played a great shot to the front of the green and two putted to halve the third play-of hole when Rodiles missed from pin high right. Rodiles would not have another chance as he carved his tee shot into the trees right. This time Jacobsen was in the middle of the fairway and just a few feet away in two. Rodiles could make only bogey and by winning for a third time, Freddie became the first Swede to win this many tournaments in a season.

He was the first wire-to-wire winner in the history of the Volvo Masters, he has won three times in his last 18 starts now has a five year exemption to go with a fourth place finish on the final Volvo Order of Merit, emulating Anders Forsbrand from 1992. This was the best tournament of the European Tour and had a deserved winner – Rodiles will come again though having learnt so much during the week.