Along with successfully winning a title for the first time in his many tries asan
IGT playing pro, the usually exuberantly emotional Rothies managed to win with
hardly any fist pumps and even fewer dramatics. 

Not that it mattered. And not that he didn't try. 

Playing the kind of golf that has left even the dominating San Patrician duo of
McFeeley and McGurk shaking their heads, the oldest son of the IGT Commissioner
cruised to his first and long overdue IGT victory with a 2-under 70 to win the
rain-delayed Kukurian Koffee Open by five shots, at 269. 

"I needed to shoot a good front nine to increase my lead and make sure the guys
didn't have a chance," said Rothies, who made three birdies inside 4 feet on the
front. 

Rothies' countrymate Charlie Von Chicken and the red-hot Steve Horsnell, coming
off another runner-up finish last week, wound up tied for second.  Von Chicken got
to within four strokes before his lone bogey in a round of 7-under 65. Horsnell
holed a lob wedge from 81 yards for eagle on No. 5 in his round of 68.  He is
playing extremely well right now, and with the IGT returning to UNT next week,
Horsnell might be chalking up his first win soon? 

With Rothies firmly in control most of the time, an steamy yet gray overcast day
at the tournament quickly lost its suspense. The only question was the margin of
victory. 

"In his own mind, he can get better," Von Chicken said. "In everyone else's mind,
he's as good as we want him to play.  Now that he has won his first, watch out!"

Kukurian Reinhard Knöchel had a 69 to finish fourth at 276, leading the pack of
local IWK challengers, who mostly underperformed at home.  Imre Weslow's
performance was particularly disappointing, and attendence suffered somewhat
without the affable player contending for his home crowds. 

Altlander Calvino Malatest, paired with Rothies and trying to make up six shots,
instead had a 73 and was at 278 along with Merite's Dustin Yurhaus (66) and the
champion's brother, Thobias Rothies (70), who made it an overall excellent week
for the Rothies family, especially since IGT Commissioner was also able to annouce
the expansion of the IGT to include the finest players from Davenport and Utania,
days ago.

The final round was about as easy as it comes. 

The closest anyone came to Rothies was when Von Chicken birdied the 15th get to 15
under, and Rothies made his only bogey at the 13th to drop to 19 under. But
Rothies answered with a birdie on his next hole, while Von Chicken bogeyed the
par-3 16th, restoring order. 

This was nowhere near as dramatic, but it counts as a victory just the same, and
that a long expected and deserved one.  IGT Commissioner Matthias Rothies, Senior
proudly handed the trophy personally to his beaming son, as the two embraced, with
brother Thobias looking on nearby.  A great shot for the family album!

The final scores and earnings, in Christianan Crowns:

  M.Rothies, Jr. (WES), $558,000      71-63-65-70-269  19 under

  Von Chicken (WES), $272,800         73-64-72-65-270  18 under
  Horsnell (UNT), $272,800            70-70-66-68-270 

  Knöchel (IWK), $148,800             74-65-68-69-276  12 under

  Yurhaus (MER), $113,150             72-71-69-66-278  10 under
  T.Rothies (WES), $113,150           76-68-64-70-278 
  Malatest (ALT), $113,150            73-66-66-73-278 

  Tahoma (CHR), $93,000               74-69-69-67-279   9 under
  Protheroe (FRW), $93,000            71-71-67-70-279 

  Kirch (DEU), $80,600                74-66-71-69-280   8 under
  Sanfreddian (IWK), $80,600           73-69-68-70-280 

  Huyfrino (BRO), $71,300             71-68-69-73-281   7 under

  Burchard (CHR), $58,125             74-67-71-70-282   6 under
  Bajme (KTZ), $58,125                73-71-68-70-282  
  Kalviack (KAL), $58,125             71-68-72-71-282  
  Huang (WMC), $58,125                70-73-68-71-282  

  Narresch (IWK), $46,500             74-70-71-68-283   5 under
  duKlerik (REZ), $46,500             76-69-69-69-283  
  Chriponsi (BRO), $46,500            75-70-69-69-283  

  McKey (ROS), $34,844                76-71-71-66-284   4 under
  Peakock (UNT), $34,844              71-72-73-68-284  
  Kluffen (WES), $34,844              73-71-70-70-284
  Nagy (SPA), $34,844                 66-69-78-71-284
  Leuwenzaan (LOM), $34,844           72-68-73-71-284  

  Jensen (CHR), $22,669               72-68-74-71-285   3 under
  Mestrov (GUW), $22,669              74-69-71-71-285  
  Lemmernig (IWK), $22,669            73-71-70-71-285  
  T. Jones (UNT), $22,669             72-69-72-72-285  
  Cunningham (UNT), $22,669           72-71-70-72-285  
  DeDronk (ALT), $22,669              74-71-67-73-285  
  Ipsi (KTZ), $22,669                 73-70-69-73-285  
  McFeeley (SPA), $22,669             73-69-68-75-285  

  Kessel (KTZ), $16,378               74-74-70-68-286   2 under
  Orford (FRW), $16,378               74-73-68-71-286  
  L. Mitsuchen (WMC), $16,378         72-72-70-72-286  
  Indurain (DEU), $16,378             72-69-72-73-286  
  Chowdown (WMC), $16,378             70-70-72-74-286  
  Sinclair (FRW), $16,378             72-69-68-77-286  

  Havrillak (ALB), $13,640            76-71-69-71-287   1 under
  O'Donnell (UNT), $13,640            69-72-70-76-287  

  Drawazal (KAL), $11,780             78-70-70-70-288   Even
  Huskarl (ALT), $11,780              71-72-73-72-288   
  Weslow (IWK), $11,780               72-71-72-73-288       
  Kepparketl (ALT), $11,780           72-73-68-75-288  

  DuBraal (KTZ), $8,866               74-71-75-69-289   1 over
  Bilau (NAM), $8,866                 71-75-72-71-289  
  Buettner (GUW), $8,866              74-71-73-71-289  
  Okay (WMC), $8,866                  76-72-69-72-289  
  Katchingg (WMC), $8,866             74-68-74-73-289  
  Bedinsson (NEO), $8,866             72-74-68-75-289  

  G. Cartwright (FRW), 7,295          74-71-73-72-290   2 over 
  Senaduro (CAB), $7,295              72-71-74-73-290  
  Lumle (LEX), $7,295                 74-68-75-73-290  
  Giselund (LOM), $7,295              72-72-73-73-290  
  Johannessen (WES), $7,295           69-71-75-75-290  
  Durranende (LEN), $7,295            71-69-75-75-290  
  Ferhentodo (EDE), $7,295            73-69-73-75-290  

  Fittler (FRW), $6,882               79-69-71-72-291   3 over
  Quay (KAL), $6,882                  71-72-77-71-291  
  Beobidhenhe (EDE), $6,882           76-72-71-72-291  
  Klagstein (WES), $6,882             71-72-72-76-291  
  Koblenthz (IWK), $6,882             73-70-71-77-291  

  Dahlista (CAB), $6,696              74-69-70-79-292   4 over

  Imvaldt (WES), $6,572               79-69-73-72-293   5 over
  Bin'Weri (FNZ), $6,572              75-73-72-73-293  
  Glenfiddich (DRA), $6,572           77-71-72-73-293  
 
  Harrison (MER), $6,448              72-74-72-76-294   6 over   

  Silva (FRW), $6,169                 77-71-76-71-295   7 over
  Kossuth (SPA), $6,169               74-73-77-71-295  
  Davys (FRW), $6,169                 73-75-73-74-295  
  Feoddu (KTZ), $6,169                76-72-72-75-295  
  Kilandra (BOW), $6,169              73-74-73-75-295  
  Shearer (UNT), $6,169               74-72-73-76-295  
  Saby (DEU), $6,169                  74-71-74-76-295  
  Ouesreche (BRO), $6,169             73-72-73-77-295  

  Pharinser (DRA), $5,828             76-72-77-71-296   8 over
  McGurk (SPA), $5,828                75-72-74-75-296  
  Von Toschamerton (DEY), $5,828      71-71-75-79-296  

  Zirandria (NAM), $5,704             76-72-76-73-297   9 over

  Lyons (UNT)                         70-71-76-WD