Stephen Jensen survived a tense final afternoon to win the Scottish Senior Men’s Open Championship at Duff House Royal.
The Englishman started the final round tied with Scotland’s Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) but fell behind his rival on two occasions before edging ahead with a birdie on the 14th.
Both men dropped a shot on the 15th hole but three consecutive pars down the closing stretch saw Jensen close with a one over par 69 and claim a two-shot victory on one under par overall.
Moultrie bogeyed the last to finish with a three over par 71 and drop into a five-way tie for second place alongside a trio of Englishmen, Ian Crowther, Trevor Foster and Stuart Brown and Scotland’s Stewart Henderson.
🏆 | CHAMPION!
Congratulations to Stephen Jensen, your 2021 #SGSeniorMensOpen Champion.
More reaction from @duffhouseroyal to follow soon! pic.twitter.com/1c00taTAN2
— Scottish Golf (@ScottishGolf) June 18, 2021
Reigning English senior champion, Rupert Kellock, from Sunningdale, fired a 70 to finish seventh a further shot behind on 206.
Jensen said: “The final round is always scarier than any round you play and today was no different.
“I got off to a good start. I felt quite calm, cool and collected until the heat came on and then I had to scramble. Fortunately, I’m a pretty good scrambler and that helped me to pull through in the end.
“Credit to Paul though. It was nip and tuck between us the whole way.
“To win a national event like this means an awful lot to me,” he added.
“I have been very fortunate to have won the English Mid-Amateur before. That was my proudest golfing moment, but this is right up there with it.
“To win a national championship is the ultimate as far as I’m concerned so I’m absolutely thrilled.”
💭 | Hear from the 2021 #SGSeniorMensOpen Champion, Stephen Jensen, in our final report from @duffhouseroyal 👇
— Scottish Golf (@ScottishGolf) June 18, 2021
Tim Seaton completed an English double with a victory in the concurrent event for competitors over the age of 65.
Seaton was seven shots clear of Scotland’s Ian Brotherston after opening rounds of 65 and 70 but saw that lead cut to six when he closed with a seven over par 75 to finish on six over par 210.
“It’s been a great week,” said Seaton. “It’s the first time I’ve been in this part of the world but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”