His one-stroke lead already was in serious danger Sunday when he learned his tee
shot, lodged in the bottom of a hedge, was out of bounds by no more than a foot.
Then came the cheers, which felt like a kick in the stomach. 

Phetphongsy looked over his shoulder and saw Laurence "Leopard" BIRCH sweeping his
fist into the cool air to celebrate a birdie that brought him redemption at the
Caprivi Ale Davenport Open. 

With a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole and a stunning collapse by
Phetphongsy, Birch went from a one-stroke deficit to a three-stroke victory. 

It was an emotional victory for the young Melanian who recently switched to his
new Listonian passport after the dimise of Brolecia, thus earning the first
international sports victory for his newly independent nation in history!
 
"It's a fabulous day!" Birch said. "But I also feel bad for Omar. I learned from
several times where I blew a lead myself that you have to play all 18 holes." 

That was one too many for Phetphongsy. 

Coming off a birdie from 6 feet on the par-3 17th that restored his lead, the
Ansonian hit his drive over the gallery and out of bounds. Needing to reach the green with his fourth shot to have any chance at par, Phetphongsy hooked it into the water. 

He finished with a triple bogey for 76. 

"There is nothing good," he said. "I will always remember the last hole. Always." 

Birch closed with a 69 for his second career victory on the IGT. 

This one will be remembered more for a collapse far more spectacular than Birch's
splendid birdie on the last to win it. 

"It's a funny game," said Birch, who finished at 274. "I feel for Omar because
I've been in that position. I'm just glad I made that last putt." 

It was no laughing matter for Phetphongsy, the young Ansonian in his second season
on the IGT. 

"I was pretty much lost out there," said Omar, who made only five pars. "I don't
know what was going on. Things were going right, and other things were going
horrible." 

Phetphongsy started the final round with a four-stroke lead. "I couldn't get it
done. Hopefully, I'll come out of it some day soon and give myself another chance to
win." 

Birch picked up Z 720,000 for the victory. 

Whitlam's Ray BARTRIM had a 73 and tied for third at 278 with Moranian rookie
Travis OLIO, who had a 72. 

Local hopeful and last week's winner John CATES tied for the low round of the day,
a 4-under 68, but was never a factor Sunday for his second straight win - it
wasn't to be. 

"It's a lot harder now when you don't know where the ball is going," Cates joked.
He finished at 282, eight strokes behind. 

Cates was out of the pictures, but the thrills didn't leave with him on another
gorgeous day along the beautiful Mycroft Pines Course. 

Up-and-down throughout the day, Phetphongsy seemingly seized control by pitching
in for birdie behind the 13th green for a one-stroke lead, only to give it right back
with the kind of mistakes that took him out of the tournament. 

>From the middle of the fairway on the par-5 14th, he sliced a 3-wood out of
bounds, dropping to a catcher's squat in shock. His next shot went left, and
Phetpongsy 
showed his quick temper by slamming his 3-wood into the soft turf. 

He took double bogey, which turned into a two-stroke deficit when Birch, playing
in the group ahead, rolled in a 10-foot birdie. 

Phetphongsy somehow regrouped. 

A wedge into 2 feet on the next hole stopped the bleeding, and he holed a tricky
4-foot par putt on the 16th to keep Birch in range. 

The par-3 17th produced another swift change in momentum, this time Birch walking
off the green looking like he wanted to go straight into the lake. 

He rolled his 30-foot birdie putt about 5 feet past the hole and caught the left
lip coming back, taking a bogey. As he stood on the 18th tee, he heard a massive
roar and turned his head to see Phetphongsy's 7-iron on the 17th come down 6 feet
from the hole. 

The Ansonian made that for birdie to take a one-stroke lead, walking to the famous
closing hole with the confidence of a champion. 

Like everything else along the back nine Sunday, it didn't last long. 

"I figured par would win," Phetphongsy said. "But then, the change of events in
about 30 seconds. I found my ball was out of bounds. Birch made it, the crowd went crazy. It was a long walk back to the tee." 

An overall disappointing result for the local Davenport golfers, who were heavily
favored after their excellent showing last week.  Cates was the only one to break
into the top-10.  Philippe LAROCQUETTE even missed the cut, as did NICKERSON and
PARSLEY, only with first time competitor Loniver PORTRESSHAVEN placing as the only
other Davenportian in the money.

Sadly, Davenport's outgoing legend Toppy O'BANNON, playing in his final
competitive tournament as a professional, also missed the three-round cut, denying
his fans a chance to bid him farewell on sunday, but bowing out gracefully. 
O'Bannon is now expected to take a position as broadcaster, and is hot in the
running as a rumored candidate to be the 302 International Golden Chalice Team
Captain!

The final results and earnings, in RealmsZaster:

Birch (LIS)                Z 720,000   66-72-67-69--274    14-under

Phetphongsy (ANS)          Z 432,000   66-65-70-76--277    11-under

Bartrim (FRW)              Z 232,000   68-67-70-73--278    10-under
Olio (MOA)                 Z 232,000   69-70-67-72--278

Elf (DEU)                  Z 146,000   70-71-71-68--280     8-under
Verde (ORD)                Z 146,000   67-69-72-72--280
VanElvis (WES)             Z 146,000   67-72-70-71--280

Mendelsonn (LIS)           Z 112,000   69-72-68-72--281     7-under
Fagundes (EST)             Z 112,000   72-70-67-72--281
Deball (STK)               Z 112,000   70-71-70-70--281
Havrillak (ALB)            Z 112,000   69-71-70-71--281

Beobidhenhe (EDE)           Z 84,000   71-71-68-72--282     6-under
Shenassa (ANS)              Z 84,000   70-71-70-71--282
Cates (DAV)                 Z 84,000   70-73-71-68--282

Koreti (RAB)                Z 60,000   71-73-71-68--283     5-under
Matikainen (VMK)            Z 60,000   73-67-69-74--283
Rellaux (CMR)               Z 60,000   69-71-71-72--283
Kluffen (WES)               Z 60,000   67-72-70-74--283
de Brothie (CAL)            Z 60,000   70-73-69-71--283
Bneressia (NAM)             Z 60,000   67-77-68-71--283
DuBraal (KTZ)               Z 60,000   69-72-72-70--283
Cashasarha (EDE)            Z 60,000   64-75-70-74--283

Detarti (RAB)               Z 43,200   72-70-68-74--284     4-under
Osicra (RAN)                Z 43,200   69-68-72-75--284

Aretasuna (UTA)             Z 32,400   71-70-71-73--285     3-under
N'Banj (UTA)                Z 32,400   72-73-71-69--285
Blavik (VMK)                Z 32,400   70-70-73-72--285
Uunderfvil (KTZ)            Z 32,400   69-73-72-71--285
Merch (REZ)                 Z 32,400   73-71-72-69--285

M. Rothies, Jr. (WES)       Z 26,600   71-71-73-71--286     2-under
Holland (CHR)               Z 26,600   69-71-72-74--286

Fildbauer (ALT)             Z 21,657   72-73-69-73--287     1-under
Falangio (EKZ)              Z 21,657   68-73-73-73--287
Pishenky (DRA)              Z 21,657   72-70-71-74--287
Portresshaven (DAV)         Z 21,657   70-69-73-75--287
de Druuidt (WES)            Z 21,657   75-69-68-75--287
Senaduro (CAB)              Z 21,657   69-72-73-73--287
Bilau (NAM)                 Z 21,657   71-75-70-71--287

di Cravengianhe (DEY)       Z 13,421   69-71-75-73--288     even
McGurk (SPA)                Z 13,421   68-76-71-73--288
Pharinser (DRA)             Z 13,421   74-67-75-72--288
Durranende (LEN)            Z 13,421   74-71-71-72--288
Kilet (BOW)                 Z 13,421   69-72-74-73--288
Monroe (FRW)                Z 13,421   69-75-71-73--288
Kruddorf (SCK)              Z 13,421   71-70-73-74--288
Li (WCG)                    Z 13,421   74-68-69-77--288
Fernandez (FRW)             Z 13,421   73-71-70-74--288
Huyfrino (PCL)              Z 13,421   68-72-76-72--288
Kekrade (GUW)               Z 13,421   72-69-75-72--288
Burchard (CHR)              Z 13,421   72-68-73-75--288
d'Estaing (AET)             Z 13,421   72-73-71-72--288

Oostingverde (WES)           Z 9,190   74-72-70-73--289     1-over
Werkem (BOW)                 Z 9,190   71-72-70-76--289
Anchinaheto (EDE)            Z 9,190   77-67-70-75--289
McFeeley (SPA)               Z 9,190   70-70-73-76--289
Uroja (UTA)                  Z 9,190   74-68-74-73--289
Gaessler (CMR)               Z 9,190   74-73-69-73--289
Zoek (WES)                   Z 9,190   69-73-74-73--289
Ouesreche (SVA)              Z 9,190   74-71-71-73--289

Santaline (CMR)              Z 8,680   73-72-71-74--290     2-over
Scipshold (ALT)              Z 8,680   74-68-73-75--290
Luostarinen (VMK)            Z 8,680   70-71-72-77--290
Gortsidler (ALT)             Z 8,680   71-72-71-76--290

Ladtkow (ANS)                Z 8,360   73-73-69-76--291     3-over
Chassea (MER)                Z 8,360   70-72-73-76--291
Hovanec (ANS)                Z 8,360   71-73-72-75--291

Chriponsi (PCL)              Z 8,120   72-70-71-79--292     4-over
Zirandria (NAM)              Z 8,120   71-72-73-76--292
Aloysius (CMR)               Z 8,120   69-71-75-77--292

Laundy (FRW)                 Z 7,960   70-74-72-77--293     5-over
Godjul (VMK)                 Z 7,960   76-69-71-77--293

Matthewman (ARM)             Z 7,840   71-72-72-79--294     6-over