KARLSSON THRILLED WITH CUP WIN

Robert Karlsson was delighted to join the host of golfing greats who have won the coveted World Cup trophy after combining with Henrik Stenson to capture the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Sweden on Sunday.

The duo had made a relatively low-key start to the tournament and went into the final round four strokes behind leaders Spain and Australia.

However, Stenson and Karlsson saved their best for last and were superb around the Olazabal course at Mission Hills Golf Club in China today, carding a nine-under-par 63 in the tricky foursomes format.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal could only manage a two-under 70 to finish at 24-under-par 264 overall - three strokes behind Sweden.

Consequently, 2008 European Tour Order of Merit winner Karlsson and world number 12 Stenson join a lengthy list of famous pairings such as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Harold Henning and Tiger Woods and David Duval as World Cup winners.

"It means very much to win for the country," said Karlsson. "This has always been an event in Sweden that's been big. To play for your country is great.

"If you look on the trophy, there's many impressive pairings on there. I hope we can look back on it in the future and say the same about us playing here."

Stenson, meanwhile, had come close on two previous occasions with Sweden, finishing second and third in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

It was also a first victory of the year for the 32-year-old, and the Dubai-based Swede was honoured to have won.

"We've had a great time all week," said Stenson. "We played fantastic today.

"I haven't had a win so far this year, and I have got one now, so I'm very pleased with that.

"It's a great honour to play for your country, and obviously even better when you win."

For Spain's Jimenez and Larrazabal it was a disappointing end to a tournament where they had looked well placed for victory heading into the weekend.

Much like Sweden today, Spain were superb in foursomes in the second round as they shot a 63 to move four shots clear of the field.

However, they failed to build on that over the course of the final two rounds and ultimately a bogey and only three birdies today cost them a chance of success.

But 2008 European Tour Rookie of the Year Larrazabal was gracious in defeat, accepting the best team on the day won.

"We didn't play like we did in the first and second round, but it was still a good performance and a great tournament for us," said the 25-year-old.

"But you know, I wanted so bad to go home with the trophy, and I'm a little bit sad now.

"However, the best team today was Sweden so congratulations to them."

England's Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher finished strongly as a five-under-par 67 today meant they claimed sixth place.

However, their resurgence came too late after disappointing scores in the first two rounds all but ended their chances of a World Cup victory.

"We could have run close but we had a bad day on Thursday and Friday," said Poulter.

"We should have had a chance to win this golf tournament."

Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell endured their worst round of the tournament for Ireland, carding a five-over 77 to drop to 16th while Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Alastair Forsyth signed for a 72 today to finish seven under par overall, tied for 19th place.


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SWEDE SUCCESS FOR DUO

BALLESTEROS OUT OF INTENSIVE CARE

Seve Ballesteros has left intensive care after his fourth operation, the Madrid hospital at which he is being treated have confirmed.

The five-time major winner underwent further surgery on Tuesday for the placement of a cephalorachidian fluid VP shunt.

At the same time, the surgical team treating the 51-year-old performed a cranioplasty to repair a bone defect.

He remained in intensive care overnight being moved back onto the ward on Wednesday.

Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport in October.

He underwent a lengthy operation on October 24 to reduce pressure on his brain and remove remaining tumour tissues following two previous operations.

On November 18 he had recovered sufficiently to leave intensive care, although a hospital statement did warn there was a long way to go.


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FOURTH BRAIN OP FOR BALLESTEROS

Seve Ballesteros is back in intensive care after undergoing further surgery at La Paz hospital in Madrid.

Five-time major winner Ballesteros underwent scheduled surgery for the placement of a cephalorachidian fluid VP shunt.

At the same time, the surgical team treating the 51-year-old performed a cranioplasty to repair a bone defect.

His condition is reported as stable and he will remain in the intensive care unit.

Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport in October.

He underwent a lengthy operation on October 24 to reduce pressure on his brain and

remove remaining tumour tissues following two previous operations.

On November 18 he had recovered sufficiently to leave intensive care, although a hospital statement did warn there was a long way to go.


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SWEDE SUCCESS FOR DUO

Henrik Stenson believes playing with Robert Karlsson at the Ryder Cup this year gave Sweden the edge over other countries as they combined to secure the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

Sweden overturned a four-stroke deficit in final-round foursomes to capture only their second World Cup victory in the tournament's 54-year history and first since 1991.

Stenson and 2008 European Tour Order of Merit winner Karlsson played superbly together, shooting nine birdies in a flawless round for a nine-under-par 63.

That ensured they finished the tournament in 27-under 261 overall, three strokes ahead of Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal.

"I think playing in the Ryder Cup, it gives you great experience, and we had a great fourball together at Valhalla, and that's the only time we've played together before coming into this week," said Stenson.

"A team event is good fun. It's a format I really enjoy, and I think it sort of brings out the best of both players who can be there to cover up for each other, and then keep fighting hard for your partner.

"It has all worked out great."

Karlsson, meanwhile, admitted he was delighted to be joining famous players such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros in lifting the World Cup trophy.

"If you look on the trophy, there's many impressive pairings on there," he said.

"I hope we can look back on it in the future and say the same about us playing here.

"It means very much to win for the country. This has always been an event in Sweden that's been big. To play for your country is great."

Spain's Jimenez, meanwhile, refused to dwell on the defeat and instead paid tribute to his team-mate Larrazabal.

The duo had looked in control of the tournament after partnering well in Friday's second-round foursomes, carding a 63 that sent them four strokes clear at the top of the leaderboard.

However, while Sweden only became stronger, Spain's challenge weakened but Jimenez reflected on what he felt had still been a 'fun' week.

"We were playing very well and I have a very nice partner," said the 44-year-old.

"We enjoyed all week and I really had fun with (Larrazabal).

"We didn't win the tournament, but apart from that, a very fine week."

England's Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher finished well as a five-under-par 67 took them to sixth place.

In contrast, Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell suffered their worst round of the tournament for Ireland, carding a five-over 77 to drop to 16th while Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Alastair Forsyth signed for a 72 to finish seven under par overall, tied for 19th place.


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POULTER RUES POOR START

Ian Poulter reflected on what might have been after a weekend resurgence secured England a sixth-place finish at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on Sunday.

Poulter, 32, and team-mate Ross Fisher headed into the tournament confident they could mastermind a first World Cup success for England since Paul Casey and Luke Donald prevailed in 2004.

However, a disappointing three-under-par 69 in first-round fourballs was followed by a two-over 74 in foursomes on Friday to all but end their challenge.

The pair improved dramatically yesterday as they shot a superb nine-under-par 63 before a 67 in today's final round propelled England up the leaderboard.

However, it had come too late to have any impact on the final outcome with eventual World Cup winners Sweden finishing 12 strokes ahead.

And Poulter, who combined with Justin Rose to finish fourth at last year's World Cup, felt England missed a golden chance for victory.

"I'm extremely disappointed with the overall position," said the Ryder Cup star.

"I think obviously, looking at the weekend, we're very happy. We've done what we thought we were capable of doing, but we only did it on Saturday and Sunday. So the first two days were such a shame.

"We've gone and shot five under today, and made two bogeys, silly bogeys at that, and we could have shot seven, eight, nine under par today. Now that's seriously good golf in foursomes.

"We walked away with nine under par yesterday and we were extremely disappointed. We felt we left probably four or five shots on the golf course.

"So looking at that, we had a chance to put ourselves in a position. We could have run close."

Despite the disappointment, Poulter was able to draw upon one positive that came out of the World Cup.

Fisher made his debut for England and made a significant impact in the improved performance over the weekend.

"The overall picture is that it is Ross' first World Cup," added Poulter. "I thought he was a good partner.

"It takes a couple of days to get used to someone when you haven't played a whole lot of golf with somebody and it was nice to do it some justice in the end."


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HARRINGTON WINS SHOT OF THE YEAR

Padraig Harrington has led an Irish clean sweep in the European Tour's Shot of the Year Awards.

The three-time major winner took first place for his brilliant five-wood approach to the 17th green in the final round of the Open at Royal Birkdale.

Harrington hit to within three feet from 249 yards and then holed for an eagle as he marched to victory for the second year in succession.

Graeme McDowell came second for his seven-iron shot on the third hole of his play-off with Jeev Milkha Singh at the Ballantine's Championship in Korea, while Harrington also took third spot for his tee shot to within eight feet at the penultimate hole of the US PGA Championship, where he claimed his second major of 2008.


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SUCCESSIVE WINS FOR KARLSSON

PAMPLING ENDS DROUGHT IN PLAY-OFF

Rod Pampling won the Australian Masters today whenn he edged out Marcus Fraser at the third play-off hole at Huntingdale Golf Club after the two Australians had finished tied at the top of the final round leaderboard locked at 12 under par.

Victorian Fraser carded a superb final round seven-under-par 65, which included just one bogey, but thenso too did Pampling - despite missing birdie chances at his last three holes which would have sealed the win without the play-off.

While Fraser, 30, sat on the practice range preparing for the play-off, Queensland's Pampling, 39, had three opportunities to claim the victory in regulation but, after first missing a distinct chance at 16, pushed a six-foot birdie putt at 17 wide right and then, at the last, missed out again, this with a tough 25-footer for the championship, the ball drifted left of the hole.

Both players missed long birdie chances on the first trip down the 18th, which saw just one birdie today in regulation.

Fraser found the rough off the tee and sand with his second on the return trip down the 18th while Pampling found the middle of the fairway but saw his approach failed to clear a bank at the front of the green and rolled back onto the fringes.

After Fraser chipped to the back of the green, Pampling put the pressure on his opponent when he got to within a foot, but Fraser converted from 10 feet to ensure a third play-off hole.

Fraser again missed the green into the 18th and after putting past the hole up a steep hill at the back of the green, missed a par putt and was forced to settle for a bogey to open the door for Pampling.

Pampling grabbed his chance with both hands, claimed his first Aussie green jacket with a simple three-foot par putt to claim his maiden European Tour triumph and his first Australasian Tour victory since the 1999 Canon Challenge.

Joint overnight leader Robert Allenby, a two-time Masters champion, was in contention heading into the final holes at 11 under, but was forced to rescue a double-bogey five at the 15th as he holed a 20-foot putt after chipping out of a greenside bunker and finished alone in third at nine under after a 73.

South Africa's Tim Clark (67), Australia's Nathan Green (70) and Sweden's Alexander Noren (68) finished tied for fourth at eight under.

Australia's David McKenzie (68) finished seventh at seven under, while joint overnight leader Michael Sim finished seven shots off the pace following a 77.


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