Thomas Bjorn emerged from a four-year run without a victory to win the Estoril Open by five shots Sunday. The 39-year-old Dane, who had led by three strokes overnight, shot a final round 4-under 68 at Penha Longa to reach a 23-under total of 265 and see off the challenge from Australian left-hander Richard Green, who closed with a 70. Bjorn's winning total was only one stroke short of the 24-under Portuguese record set by Colin Montgomerie at Quinta do Lago in 1989. It was Bjorn's 10th on the European Tour but his first since the Irish Open at Carton House in 2006 and he admitted: “It feels it has been a long time in coming. But I have to be pleased. When I saw the weather conditions I thought if shot somewhere in the 60s I would be difficult to beat and I produced a 68.” Green had cut Bjorn's lead to just two shots at the par five 12th when the leader drew gasps from the crowd by missing a putt from inside 18 inches. But he then settled the issue with birdie putts from close range at the par 14th and 5-foot on the 15th, opening up a five shot lead that was not be closed. Another Danish golfer Mark Haastrup, who had arrived in Portugual after five missed cuts from his previous six tournaments took third place for the first time on a main European Tour event after closing with a 5-under 67. That allowed him to overtake Irishman Damien McGrane, who had equaled the course record 64 in the first round and after a run of three successive birdies was only two behind Bjorn with six holes to play. McGrane, who won the China Open in foul weather in 2008, has a reputation for playing his best under tough conditions. But as the wind blew at up to 30mph during the second half of his round, he finished with six straight bogies and a 2-over 73 saw him finish fifth. Garrigus shoots into lead American journeyman Robert Garrigus, who is still shrugging off a bout of food poisoning, upstaged his more illustrious rivals to take a two-shot lead in the third round of the St. Jude Classic Saturday. Two strokes off the pace overnight, Garrigus fired a sparkling four-under-par 66 on a sizzling hot day at the TPC Southwind. He bogeyed the par-four last after pushing his tee shot into the right rough and missing the green with his approach, but retained overall control with an 11-under total of 199. Garrigus covered the back nine in four-under 31 after an eagle on the par-five 16th. Swede Robert Karlsson, the European No. 1 in 2008, chipped in for birdie from just off the 18th green for a 68 to lie second. British world No. 3 Lee Westwood, co-leader overnight, battled to a 71 and was a further stroke back at eight under with American Heath Slocum (66). The 32-year-old, who has missed four cuts in seven PGA Tour starts this season, was especially delighted with his display after succumbing to food poisoning last week. Storms halt Farm Classic In Illinois, the third round of the LPGA State Farm Classic was suspended because of thunderstorms Saturday and was to resume Sunday, organizers said. After a four-hour break, play was called off for the day with 46 players still to complete their rounds. Second-round leader M.J. Hur of South Korea and American Cristie Kerr were atop the leaderboard at 13-under when play was halted. Hur had completed three holes and Kerr had played four. South Korean Amy Yang and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist were a shot back. More rain was forecast for Sunday. In 2003, heavy rain forced cancellation of the fourth round and third-round leader Candie Kung of Taiwan was declared the winner.
