SAM Torrance secured a third European Senior Tour Order of Merit title by edging past Ian Woosnam thanks to a third-place finish behind Australian Mike Harwood in the OKI Castellon Senior Tour Championship.
In the closest Order of Merit finish since 2000, Torrance, who picked up 30,068 in Spain, ended the year on 170,695 – just 3,380 ahead of 2008 Order of Merit winner Woosnam, who finished the closing event in a share of 18th place.
"It means the wo
rld to me," said the 55-year-old Scot, who also topped the Order of Merit in 2005 and 2006. He has now equalled Carl Mason's total and is just two behind Tommy Horton's benchmark of five.
"I'm delighted. I'm the best Senior player in Europe this year, that feels fantastic," added Torrance. "I played so well for the last two days and holed nothing."
Torrance's triumph continued a good spell for Scottish golfers. Martin Laird sparked it when winning on the PGA Tour in Las Vegas and Peter Whiteford triumphed in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Italy.
"It's been a great battle between me and Woosie," said Torrance. "I said last year I wanted to get his title off him and I've done it. I only won one event (the DGM Barbados Open] but I dug in over the year.
"This Order of Merit is actually sweeter than the other two. The older you get the harder it is. With each year that goes by you get older and it's not like the main Tour where you are 18 or 21 and gaining experience. So it's a fantastic achievement."
Harwood carded a superb final-round of 66 in windy conditions at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo to finish three strokes clear of overnight leader Angel Franco and add the season-ending Championship to the Volvo Masters he won on the European Tour in 1990.
