Hovanec earned a permanent spot on the IGT through 303 on Sunday, closing with a
5-under-par 66 for a one-stroke victory over Craig Protheroe in the Erste
Communications Whitlam Open. 

The Ansonian is the first player to win playing under a sponsor 's exemption on
the IGT, and also the first from his country to not only play, but also win on the
IGT.  This win should pave the way for the talented Ansonian delegation to make
their way onto the IGT.  The Royal Agronia Golf Club (RAgGC), the Ansonian
Veterans Recreational Association (AVRA) and the Midloch Country Club (MCC) has
set up the All Ansonia Golf Federation and is currently awaiting registration with
the Sports Development Council and ANVECOM.  By next week, about a dozen Ansonian
players will for the first time be eligible to play on the IGT.

"Starting the week, I felt good about my golf game and got myself in good
position," Hovanec said. "I had nothing to lose and go out and play good golf,
play solid [was really satisfying]." 

Hovanec finished with a 19-under-par total of 265 on the Gough International
Country Club and earned $504,000. 

"I missed a few putts and hung in there and made some good birdies when it
counted," Hovanec said. "Frankly, I wasn't really sure what the heck I was doing
out there today.  I got swept away in the moment.  It feels great to make that
putt on the last hole to win.  I am still in a daze!" 

That last putt was a 4-footer for par that Hovanec needed to avoid a playoff.
Hovanec carried a one-stroke lead to the 18th, but drove into the right rough,
then hit his second shot just over the green. He then got up and down for par. 

"I wanted to enjoy it," Hovanec said. "I put the best putt on it I could." 

Protheroe had a chance to tie Hovanec, but his birdie attempt at the 18th never
came close to going in. He matched Hovanec's 66. 

"I played really well all day," Protheroe said. "It was really a good day for me.
I'm going to walk out of here disappointed that I didn't win the tournament
against an unknown newcomer, but I'm glad I didn't lose the tournament.  Hovanec
beat me today. The numbers show he beat me by one and he did. He was one shot
better.  I guess we know who he is NOW!" 

Hovanec took a one-stroke lead over Protheroe, Aanviln HAMMERSTRIN and Valdemar
OOSTINGVERDE into Sunday's round and kept his nerve and his advantage with a
3-under 32 on the front nine. 

Protheroe also had a 32 to stay within one. He birdied the par-4 11th to tie
Hovanec at 17 under, but Hovanec birdied at the 13th and 15th move two strokes
ahead. 

Hovanec got himself into a bit of trouble when his drive at the par-5 17th missed
the fairway, but he got a free drop after the ball rolled into an area considered
ground under repair. 

>From there he laid up short of the green, pitched to 7 feet and two-putted for
par. Protheroe, playing with Hovanec, two-putted for a birdie to close within one. 

Fransjuip HUSKARL shot himself into the mix with a 4-under 31 and shared the lead
with Hovanec after a birdie at the par-3 seventh put him 16 under. 

Huskarl, who started the day at 11 under, slipped back with a bogey at the ninth,
then birdied the 14th and 15th holes to get back to 17 under, good for third
place. 

Jeff ORFOED, winner of the Royal Christiana Open last week, shot a 65, including a
6-under 30 on the back nine, to finish fourth at 268. Rugro BILAU and Balhoonhe
BEOBIDHENHE tied for fifth at 269. 

"It's really incredible" the winner said, "us Ansonians were just getting started
on the IGT, and now a win!"

The final scores and earnings, in Christiana Crowns:

Hovanec (ANS)        $504,000   67-64-68-66--265    19-under

Protheroe (FRW)      $302,400   69-65-66-66--266    18-under

Huskarl (ALT)        $190,400   69-68-65-65--267    17-under

Orford (FRW)         $134,400   70-65-68-65--268    16-under

Beobidhenhe (EDE)    $106,400   68-66-67-68--269    15-under
Bilau (NAM)          $106,400   67-68-68-66--269

Oostingverde (WES)    $93,800   67-67-66-70--270    14-under

Senaduro (CAB)        $84,000   69-66-69-67--271    13-under
Lamar (LCP)           $84,000   66-69-66-70--271

Galinheira (ORD)      $67,200   71-67-66-68--272    12-under
G. Cartwright (FRW)   $67,200   65-69-69-69--272
Hammerstein (REZ)     $67,200   69-65-66-72--272
Herring (FRW)         $67,200   65-69-67-71--272

Najunder (WMC)        $53,200   67-69-72-65--273    11-under

Du Klerik (REZ)       $38,136   68-71-65-70--274    10-under
MacGillivray (CAL)    $38,136   66-67-69-72--274
Chriponsi (BRO)       $38,136   72-69-67-66--274
Lowe (ARM)            $38,136   68-64-73-69--274
Novello (ALT)         $38,136   70-67-66-71--274
Shonaugh (SOM)        $38,136   69-71-67-67--274
Davys (FRW)           $38,136   66-70-67-71--274
Du Braal (KTZ)        $38,136   70-69-67-68--274
Sorithzy (WMC)        $38,136   64-71-70-69--274
Matthewman (ARM)      $38,136   73-68-66-67--274

Merch (REZ)           $22,330   68-70-69-68--275     9-under
Salvatori (FRW)       $22,330   68-69-69-69--275
Tsumpi (WMC)          $22,330   68-70-69-68--275
Sinclair (FRW)        $22,330   70-69-66-70--275

Silva (FRW)           $17,803   65-76-68-67--276     8-under
Part (WMC)            $17,803   70-67-67-72--276
Pickering (ARM)       $17,803   70-70-69-67--276
D'Amor (ALT)          $17,803   69-66-73-68--276
Clarkeston (FRW)      $17,803   67-67-70-72--276
Boyd (FRW)            $17,803   67-72-69-68--276

V. Toschamerton (DEY) $12,078   69-70-68-70--277     7-under
Dahlista (CAB)        $12,078   70-70-71-66--277
Mandrin (BOW)         $12,078   67-68-70-72--277
Malachai (KTZ)        $12,078   69-71-70-67--277
Feoddu (KTZ)          $12,078   69-72-70-66--277
Antanavo (LEN)        $12,078   70-71-68-68--277
MacKirdy (CAL)        $12,078   70-69-69-69--277
Melk (SNX)            $12,078   66-68-73-70--277
Thomasson (LCP)       $12,078   68-69-71-69--277
Berch (CHR)           $12,078   69-70-69-69--277
Morrow (EIC)          $12,078   70-68-69-70--277

Jensen (CHR)           $7,616   67-70-70-71--278     6-under
Kruddorf (SCK)         $7,616   71-70-71-66--278
Kresnick (SCK)         $7,616   70-70-69-69--278
Cartier (FRW)          $7,616   67-72-70-69--278
Rajpatell (WMC)        $7,616   71-66-70-71--278
McGurk (SPA)           $7,616   69-69-72-68--278

McDonough (SPA)        $6,496   70-71-66-72--279     5-under
Russell (FRW)          $6,496   69-69-71-70--279
Tay (WMC)              $6,496   69-70-68-72--279
Birch (BRO)            $6,496   74-67-69-69--279
Brofned (KTZ)          $6,496   70-71-69-69--279
Ipsi (KTZ)             $6,496   69-71-70-69--279

O'Banion (SPA)         $6,216   69-72-68-71--280     4-under
Soya (WMC)             $6,216   70-69-67-74--280
Sandario (TIG)         $6,216   69-70-72-69--280

Choek (WMC)            $5,936   72-69-70-70--281     3-under
Champlain (WMC)        $5,936   70-70-73-68--281
Huang (WMC)            $5,936   67-71-73-70--281
Jernandez (DEU)        $5,936   71-67-71-72--281
Tennant (ARM)          $5,936   72-68-68-73--281
Brok'levitsch (KTZ)    $5,936   64-72-69-76--281
Nickerson (DAV)        $5,936   73-66-69-73--281

Bobone (ORD)           $5,600   70-68-71-73--282     2-under
Queal (SOM)            $5,600   68-70-75-69--282
Chimes (SCK)           $5,600   69-71-71-71--282
Elf (DEU)              $5,600   70-71-70-71--282
Zoek (WES)             $5,600   73-67-68-74--282

Fittler (FRW)          $5,432   73-68-71-71--283     1-under

Fornende (CAB)         $5,292   69-72-70-73--284     even
Sotogune (WMC)         $5,292   69-72-70-73--284
Goldsmith (NEO)        $5,292   71-69-67-77--284
Waturnowani (ALL)      $5,292   69-67-73-75--284

Uunderfvil (KTZ)       $5,124   71-70-75-69--285     1-over
Zirandria (NAM)        $5,124   70-71-73-71--285

Kessel (KTZ)           $5,040   67-74-74-71--286     2-over

Bneressia (NAM)        $4,956   68-73-75-71--287     3-over
Durranende (LEN)       $4,956   71-70-73-73--287

Falangio (EKZ)         $4,872   70-71-71-76--288     4-over

Lariman (REZ)          $4,816   71-70-75-76--292     8-over