He and Fransjuip HUSKARL traded heroic shots and great escapes in a sensational
duel at the Gylpmijsterscips Rondspel, which started early to avoid the rain and
looked like it might never end. 

``It was a war,'' Oostingverde said. ``Neither one of us gave an inch. It was fun
to compete like that, where you were tested to absolute utmost.'' 

Oostingverde emerged the survivor, ending his winless streak in style. 

After exchanging pars for six extra holes, hardly any of them routine, the
Westrian hit a wedge that landed next to the hole and spun back to 2 feet for a
birdie putt to win the Gylpmijsterscips Rondspel after the longest IGT playoff in
history. 

``It was just shot for shot,'' Oostingverde said. ``Not too often do you get a
chance to have your emotions and your intensity and your level of competitiveness
at that high of a level. That's the ultimate. Win or lose, to be out there in that
environment is pretty cool.'' 

Huskarl holed a bunker shot to save par on the first extra hole and extend the
playoff. 

Oostingverde escaped from the trees with a fortuitous ruling and a brilliantly
played bump-and-run from about 50 yards to save par, then made another great
recovery around the trees two holes later. 

``Now I understand why most of the golfers are gray and balding,'' Oostingverde
said. 

Huskarl had three chances to win with birdie putts from about 12 feet, one of them
catching the inside of the right lip. 

``I didn't lose it from tee to green,'' Huskarl said. ``I lost it on the greens. I
should have made more putts.'' 

A pressure-packed playoff that lasted two hours ended in a conventional manner --
a wedge from Oostingverde into 2 feet for his first victory since April of 300
that ended talk about what's wrong with his game. 

``I know that I'm playing a little bit better,'' Oostingverde said. ``The swing
changes I've made are starting to take shape.'' 

It was a heartbreaker for Huskarl, who received a special invitation from HM King
George II Victor to play here, and who started the final day with a two-stroke
lead and battled Oostingverde to the bitter end. 

``I don't feel like I let anyone down today,'' said Huskarl, who closed with a 71.
``I played well enough to win. I thought I won the tournament a couple times
today, and I thought I lost it a couple times.'' 

Oostingverde won for the third time in his career.  Huskarl is still winless on
the IGT.

Oostingverde closed with a 1-under 69. He and Huskarl finished at 268. 

John CATES (69) finished three strokes behind, while Ramon Nestor KIRCH (70)
finished fourth. 

No one ever got closer than four strokes to the two leaders. This was a duel from
the start, and it turned out to be one of the most hard-fought battles of the
year. 

Oostingverde appeared to have it won on the first playoff hole, No. 18, when
Huskarl left his third shot in a bunker above the hole. He blasted out again, and
the ball caught the left edge of the cup and spun 360 degrees before falling. 

He charged onto the green pumping his fist to celebrate one of the best clutch
shots he has hit in his career. Oostingverde, who had lagged a 35-foot birdie putt
to 4 feet, calmly made his par and they headed over to No. 17. 

Valdemar's turn. 

After hitting long into the green, his ball nestled between the first cut and
thick rough, he chipped 15 feet past the hole -- Huskarl had 12 feet for birdie.
Oostingverde's par putt was true and Huskarl's putt for the victory caught the
right lip. 

The 18th provided another unlikely par when the Westrian hooked his tee shot into
the trees. He had little chance to get it back in the fairway, but was given
relief because the scoreboard was between his ball and the flag. Then, he played a
beautiful bump-and-run to 4 feet and made par after Huskarl missed another 12-foot
birdie putt. 

Back and forth they went, chased by a gallery that couldn't get enough. 

De Kenigslystfildar course was hardly a pushover in the final round, even with tee
times moved up five hours to avoid approaching storms. Only six of 37 players
broke par. Peter KILET, the co-leader after the first round, had an 80. 

It took Oostingverde 13 holes to catch Huskarl, and that's where the fireworks
began. 

After Huskarl chipped over the ridge to 6 feet on No. 13, Oostingverde holed an
18-foot birdie putt. He pumped his fist, the first emotion he had shown all day,
and took the lead with a two-shot swing when Huskarl's putt slid by on the right. 

Huskarl refused to buckle, and two holes later he returned the favor. 

Oostingverde left his 50-foot birdie putt from the fringe about 6 feet short, and
Huskarl made his 12-footer -- clutching his fist, pausing to make sure it was
going in. Oostingverde pulled his par putt, and Huskarl had the lead again. 

Both laid up on the 625-yard 16th. Oostingverde, hitting first, spun the ball back
to 8 feet as the gallery roared with anticipation. The cheers were even louder for
home boy Huskarl, perceived as the underdog throughout the day, when his wedge
stopped 2 inches away from Oostingverde. 

But Huskarl's birdie putt slid by on right, Oostingverde was right in the heart
and the stage was set for a dramatic conclusion. 

``We both gave it absolutely everything we had,'' Oostingverde said. 

It required no less. 
 

The final scores and earnings, in Christiana crowns:

x-Oostingverde (WES)     $1,000,000   66-67-66-69--268    12-under

Huskarl (ALT)              $500,000   65-66-66-71--268    12-under

Cates (DAV)                $375,000   66-68-68-69--271     9-under

Kirch (DEU)                $300,000   66-71-66-70--273     7-under

Shonaugh (SOM)             $201,667   70-64-70-70--274     6-under
M. Rothies, Jr. (WES)      $201,667   67-70-65-72--274
Kepparketl (ALT)           $201,667   68-68-70-68--274

Aretasuna (UTA)            $147,500   67-70-66-72--275     5-under
Norling (ALT)              $147,500   67-66-70-72--275

Larocquette (DAV)          $131,000   72-69-64-71--276     4-under

Osicra (RAN)               $118,500   69-67-68-73--277     3-under
Holland (CHR)              $118,500   69-71-67-70--277

Ipsi (KTZ)                 $100,500   69-67-70-72--278     2-under
Lubjana (DRA)              $100,500   67-72-69-70--278
Burchard (CHR)             $100,500   68-68-69-73--278
Havrillak (ALB)            $100,500   68-70-70-70--278

Protheroe (FRW)             $83,000   73-71-65-70--279     1-under
Murial (NAM)                $83,000   68-66-73-72--279
McFeeley (SPA)              $83,000   69-71-70-69--279

Galinheira (ORD)            $73,000   68-71-68-73--280     even

Gelfinger (LCP)             $66,000   74-67-68-72--281     1-over
Orford (FRW)                $66,000   71-70-69-71--281

Senaduro (CAB)              $58,000   68-67-75-72--282     2-over
Drenner (NAM)               $58,000   73-68-73-68--282

Sinclair (FRW)              $53,000   69-70-71-73--283     3-over

Straswell (WES)             $51,000   68-73-71-72--284     4-over

Kluffen (WES)               $49,000   69-69-72-75--285     5-over

Nithz (OOO)                 $47,000   70-71-74-71--286     6-over

Bilau (NAM)                 $44,000   71-70-71-76--288     8-over
D'Amor (ALT)                $44,000   72-70-67-79--288

McGurk (SPA)                $38,000   77-71-72-69--289     9-over
Birch (BRO)                 $38,000   66-79-73-71--289
Rosebridge (SOM)            $38,000   71-71-75-72--289
DuBraal (KTZ)               $38,000   68-75-73-73--289

Kilet (BOW)                 $33,000   65-71-74-80--290    10-over

Kilandra (BOW)              $30,000   72-69-72-79--292    12-over
Klagstein (WES)             $30,000   70-72-74-76--292

Elf (DEU)                        $0   70-WD
Seruca (KAL)                     $0   70-70-69-DQ