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Swedish golfer Jonzon keeps tour card with do-or-die Spain win

An 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole at the Castellon Masters was enough to secure victory and a continued place on the European Tour for Sweden's Michael Jonzon.

Swedish golfer Jonzon keeps tour card with do-or-die Spain win

Jonzon saw off a late charge from German star Martin Kaymer, who was playing in his first event since breaking his toes in a go-kart accident in August.

The 37-year-old Swede needed to finish in the top two to keep his European Tour card for next year and he claimed his first tournament win in 12 years after Kaymer failed to force a play-off on the 18th.

Kaymer was six shots behind with five holes to play but rattled off birdies on 14, 16 and 17, while world number 482 Jonzon produced a double-bogey on 15 before dropping another shot on the penultimate hole.

The two were level going down the last – with Jonzon’s compatriot Christian Nilsson also on 19-under-par in the clubhouse – but after Jonzon held his nerve to birdie from 18 feet, the 24-year-old Kaymer missed from nine feet.

“I’m on the moon,” said Jonzon, who had not achieved a top-10 finish since December 2008 and whose last title was the 1997 Portuguese Open.

“It’s been desperate for me and I am kind of speechless at the moment. It’s unbelievable. It’s going to take time to let this sink in, I guess.

“I’m just so thrilled to have a playing status for next year and I’m so proud of myself, the way I handled these days.”

Jonzon was a shot ahead overnight but lost the lead when defending champion Sergio Garcia, playing on his home course, began his fourth round with back-to-back birdies.

The Spaniard, though, could not sustain his challenge and ultimately finished fourth.

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FOOTBALL

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark

Danes will be able to take up their tennis rackets and golf clubs again after the country's two biggest sports associations announced that outdoor sports with no physical contact can resume again.

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark
Tennis will be one of the first sports to restart. Photo: Søren Bidstrup/Ritzau Scanpix
The Sports Confederation of Denmark and the country's other sports association DGI announced that they had agreed new guidelines for restarting group sports with the Danish Health Authority, in a press release issued on Tuesday. 
 
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“This is the first sign of sport opening up, and we are really pleased that the health authorities have given us guidelines so that some activities can start up again,” Charlotte Bach Thomassen, chair of the Danish sports association DGI, said. 
 
“Of course, joining together in sports clubs must be safe from a  health point of view, so it is important to be aware that in many sports associations you will not be able to meet physically.” 
 
 
DIF chairman Niels Nygaard told Ritzau that the announcement did not mean any organisation would be required to restart activities they did not regard as safe. 
 
“These are voluntary associations where there are differences from association to association and sport to sport,” he said. “Our recommendations are not a requirement for associations to start activities. They can do it if it can be done under safe conditions, and if they have doubts about whether it can be done, then they shouldn't do it.”
 
According to the joint press release, group sports can now restart if: 
 
  • they take place outside 
  • participants can keep a distance of two meters from others
  • participants pay special attention to hand hygiene
  • rackets, clubs or other props are frequently cleaned
  • participants cough or sneeze into your elbow or a paper towel
  • participants stay home if they have a fever, cough or muscle soreness. 
  • shared facilities such as clubhouses and dressing and shower facilities are not used 
 
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