Kjeldsen wins Volvo Masters; Karlsson gets Order of Merit

Golf Betting Lines

11/02/2008 - San Roque, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Soren Kjeldsen only needed an even-par 71 in Sunday's final round to win the season-ending Volvo Masters.

Kjeldsen finished the tournament at eight-under 276 and won the championship by two strokes over Martin Kaymer (68) and Anthony Wall (69) at a soggy Valderrama.

The third round was completed Sunday morning and then the players went back out for the final round. There was some rain on Sunday, but the final round was contested under mostly sunny skies.

It was certainly a sunny day on Sunday for Robert Karlsson.

The Swede, who only tied for 32nd place, won the Order of Merit title.

Padraig Harrington, winner of two majors this year, had the best chance to catch Karlsson before the tournament, but it was Lee Westwood who had the opportunity on Sunday.

If Westwood would have won the event, he would have gone past Karlsson for the money title, but it didn't happen.

Westwood, who will have his tonsils removed on Monday, only managed a one-over 72 in the final round and tied for fourth with Sergio Garcia, who also shot a 72 on Sunday. The pair finished at minus-four.

It was the first Order of Merit title for Karlsson. He won twice, finished second twice and third four times in the 2008 campaign. Karlsson played for the European Ryder Cup team and posted three top 10s in majors this season.

"I haven't really understood what I've done yet, but it's fantastic," said Karlsson. "It's probably the most difficult week I've ever played. I've had a fantastic year."

Karlsson's spectacular season not withstanding, Kjeldsen was a wonderful story on Sunday.

Kjeldsen made a big move with three birdies in a row in the third round Sunday morning and held a three-stroke cushion at the start of the final round.

He played smart, simple golf and made 10 consecutive pars at the start. Unfortunately for Kjeldsen, Kaymer flew up the leaderboard with three birdies and a bogey on his front nine.

Kaymer birdied Nos. 11 and 12 to get within one, then ran home a five-footer for birdie at the 13th to match Kjeldsen atop the leaderboard at eight-under par.

Kjeldsen responded with a six-foot birdie putt of his own to take back the lead at 11. He stiffed his tee ball at 12 to seven feet and converted that putt to move two clear of Kaymer at minus-10.

Kaymer went long with his second at 16 and made bogey. Kjeldsen owned a three- shot lead, but he too had trouble at the 16th. Kjeldsen drove into the trees on the right and had to pitch back into the fairway. He couldn't save par, but his lead was back to three after Kaymer bogeyed the last.

Kjeldsen bogeyed the par-five 17th and his lead was down to two when he reached the 18th tee. Kjeldsen found the fairway, but knocked his second into a greenside bunker. Wall was in the mix too, but would need birdie to really threaten Kjeldsen.

Kjeldsen blasted out to two feet and kicked in the par putt for his second win on the European Tour.

David Lynn shot a two-under 69 and took sixth at minus-three. Richard Green fired a four-under 67 for seventh place at two-under-par 282.

Anders Hansen (71) and Graeme McDowell (67) shared eighth at one-under 283.