Davies left bemused by win

Welshman Rhys Davies captured his first European Tour title with a brilliant display in Morocco yesterday.

The 24-year-old former Walker Cup amateur – he was a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in 2007 – lifted the Hassan Trophy by two shots after a closing seven-under-par 66 at Royal Dar Es Salam.

Davies trailed South African Louis Oosthuizen by three with 15 holes to play, but birdied eight of the next 11 and took the 207,666 first prize with a 25-under total of 266.

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For Oosthuizen it was a fourth runners-up finish on the circuit, while Frenchman Thomas Levet, Spaniard Ignacio Garrido, Finn Mikko Ilonen and another South African Thomas Aiken shared third place five strokes further back.

Davies, British boys champion seven years ago, said: "I'm a little bit lost at the moment – this is all completely surreal to me.

"I didn't really think very much out there. It was all a bit of a blur."

Told about his eight birdies from the fourth to the 14th the Bridgend golfer, who will move into the world's top 100 as a result, added: "I didn't know I did that. I just felt I could make every putt and felt in control of my swing. That was the best I've hit it all week."

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Davies finished third in his last tournament in Malaysia and will be watched closely now in the year when his home country stages the Ryder Cup for the first time.

He did not even have a card on the circuit or the second tier Challenge Tour a year ago, having twice failed to come through the Tour qualifying school. But winning a Challenge Tour event in Wales to which he had received an invitation changed everything. Davies then won again to finish fourth on their money list and earn promotion without the need to go back to the school.

Germany's Anja Monke claimed her third Ladies European Tour title with a one-stroke win at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in her first competition of the season.

Carin Koch headed into the final round a stroke ahead of Monke, Vikki Laing and Melissa Reid, and the Swede remained top until she dropped shots at the 15th and 17th holes.

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Monke, playing in the penultimate group, carded a three-under 69 and a 54-hole total of eight-under 208 on the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia course.

Koch was second and France's Virginie Lagoutte-Clement third.

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