Golf: Spaniard Lara hangs on for first win1

Spain's Jose Manuel Lara fought off a spirited challenge from rookie Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines to win the Hong Kong Open by a stroke on Sunday.
Lara, who had led the tournament after each of the first three days, held his nerve to secure a maiden European Tour victory with a 15-under-par 265 total after a final round 69.
"Today was a very, very tough day for me...I really concentrated on my own game," said Lara, who had felt his five year winless streak weighing heavily on his shoulders.
"I tried to be in my bubble, in my own game. It's a great victory," he said.
Lara saved what he called his shot of the tournament for the very end when he salvaged a wayward drive into the rough by chipping superbly onto the green for a par finish.
The win is the Valencia native's first since turning professional in 1997 after the world number 127 finally managed to go one better than second-placed finishes at last year's Wales Open and Mallorca Classic and the European Open in July.
"You can't believe how many people say to me every week: "when are you going to win?", and now I can say to them, I've won" said Lara with a laugh. "So it's a really important moment in my life." His adversary Pagunsan, who only turned professional in January, played superb, fluid golf to take the lead halfway through the round. But the 16th hole turned the outcome when he bogeyed and Lara sank a long birdie putt to regain the lead.
The 28-year-old, whose ready smile delighted the crowds at the Hong Kong Golf Club, had no regrets, though.
"I've really happy today ... I think I'm very lucky this year, so much luck," he said with a laugh.
Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee finished joint-third on 12 under, along with Asian Tour order of merit leader Jeev Milkha Singh and his Indian compatriot Jyoti Randhawa.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, the ponytailed Spaniard who won in Hong Kong two years ago, dropped a shot on the 18th to finish 11 under along with Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen.
Earlier in the day, promising Chinese Liang Wen-chong fired a hole-in-one at the 140-yard 12th hole, winning himself a $20,000 gold bar. Defending champion Colin Montgomerie fizzled in his bid to become only the second player to retain the Hong Kong Open title since 1959, shooting an even-par 70 to finish tied for 19th.