"I was really honored to receive the note from HM", Kepparketl said,
"once I knew I was going to play there at the personal invitation of HM,
I felt as if all pressure fell away, and all of a sudden, my level of
motivation, my game raised themselves to a whole new level!"

A new level indeed, as Kepparketl broke records today, distancing the
world-class field by an incredible 11 strokes!  "I was playing like
floating on a cloud this week... everything seemed to go my way, I got
the good bounces, I made all the putts... I was literally in the ZONE! 
I didn't expect this, but I'll take it!" said the exuberant Altlander in
the interview shortly after receiving his trophy and winning cheque of
one million christiana crowns from the Altlandic Monarch.  

"There was no catching Nels this week" said compatriot Pit Norling, who
finished tied for 4th, "we all envy his form here... some of us have put
together perfect rounds, but he darn near played all four rounds
perfect!"

Even in near darkness that broke after a 3-hour rain delay forced play
into late in the day, there was no stopping Kepparketl. 

With cameras flashing like strobe lights and fans flicking lighters like
they were at a rock concert, Nels finished an otherwise ho-hum final
round with a birdie to go 21-under. 

The only suspense today was whether Kepparketl would beat the clock,
brought on by a storm delay that lasted nearly three hours. 

It was a close call, unlike anything else at De Kenigslystfildar. 

''I'm a better player than I was last year,'' Kepparketl said. ''And
hopefully, I'll be better next year.  It's my first win on the IGT, and
I could not have imagined a better tournament for me to win than this
one.  For every Altlander, this is the one we want the most!!'' 

Larry Tahoma of Christiana, got as close to the eventual winner as
anyone Sunday — five strokes. But he bogeyed three of the last four
holes and finished with a 69 to slip into a tie for second with another
Christianan, Evan Burchard, who had a 66. 

Both earned $437,500 from the $5 million purse. 

The final moments at Firestone were like a circus. Players were
desperate to finish their rounds so they wouldn't have to return Monday
morning. They had the option to stop, but plugged along as the skies
grew darker. 

''If the tournament was tied, I guarantee it would have stopped,''
Kepparketl said. 

No need for that. Nels started the final round with a nine-stroke lead,
and no one got closer than five strokes. Kepparketl got it together on
the fourth hole, and the rest was history.  He is the second Altlander
after Pit Norling to win on the IGT.

"This is great", he exclaimed at the dinner festivities hosted by the
Royal Family, "and the best thing is, I can go home now, and celebrate
with my friends and family!"

The CC 1 million first prize moves him into top-10 territory on the
Order of Merit, and puts him firmly in contention for a berth on the
Golden Chalice team!

The final results and earnings, in Christiana Crowns:

                     Kepparketl (ALT), $1,000,000  64-61-67-67--259 -21 

                     Burchard (CHR), $437,500      66-67-71-66--270 -10 
                     Tahoma (CHR), $437,500        66-69-66-69--270 -10 

                     T. Rothies (WES), $243,333    65-69-69-68--271  -9 
                     Norling (ALT), $243,333       66-66-69-70--271  -9 
                     Kluffen (WES), $243,333       68-68-65-70--271  -9 

                     Nithz (OOO), $170,000         72-69-68-63--272  -8 

                     Holland (CHR), $147,500       68-70-70-65--273  -7 
                     McGurk (SPA), $147,500        71-69-66-67--273  -7 

                     Oostingverde (WES), $125,000  67-73-69-65--274  -6 
                     Cates (DAV), $125,000         69-69-70-66--274  -6 

                     Chriponsi (BRO), $110,500     69-69-70-67--275  -5 
                     Gortsidler (ALT), $110,500    67-71-69-68--275  -5
 
                     Ouesreche (BRO), $103,000     67-69-66-75--277  -3
 
                     Kalviack (KAL), $95,500       71-69-70-68--278  -2 
                     Klagstein (WES), $95,500      71-70-68-69--278  -2
 
                     Von Chicken (WES), $83,000    74-66-69-70--279  -1 
                     Orford (FRW), $83,000         66-71-71-71--279  -1 
                     Bilau (NAM), $83,000          69-69-69-72--279  -1
 
                     Birch (BRO), $68,333          70-69-74-67--280   E 
                     Lumle (LEX), $68,333          66-69-73-72--280   E 
                     Larocquette (DAV), $68,333    67-70-70-73--280   E
 
                     M.Rothies, Jr. (WES), $60,000 71-72-71-67--281  +1
 
                     DuBraal (KTZ), $52,333        69-74-73-67--283  +3 
                     Sunilam (WMC), $52,333        72-69-73-69--283  +3 
                     Protheroe (FRW), $52,333      68-76-68-71--283  +3 

                     Huskarl (ALT), $44,000        66-77-72-69--284  +4 
                     Zoek (WES), $44,000           76-65-71-72--284  +4 
                     Disbach (ARO), $44,000        71-71-70-72--284  +4 
                     Pescitel (ALT), $44,000       70-68-72-74--284  +4 

                     Seruca (KAL), $38,000         68-71-76-70--285  +5 
                     Sinclair (FRW), $38,000       71-74-70-70--285  +5 

                     Nagy (SPA), $34,750           73-72-72-69--286  +6 
                     Indurain (DEU), $34,750       75-67-72-72--286  +6 

                     McFeeley (SPA), $32,500       75-72-70-70--287  +7 

                     Straswell (WES), $31,000      69-74-72-73--288  +8 

                     O'Banion (SPA), $29,500       75-73-69-75--292 +12