Swede as you like

They say that second to winning a Major and getting your name on your home country's national open is a priority for most international golfers.

Swede Richard S Johnson sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the final green to become only the second home winner of the Scandinavian Masters in the last 12 years in front of a passionate home crowd and produced some of the most memorable scenes witnessed so far this year on the European Tour.

With a play-off looming against Argentina's Rafa Echenique, the 33-year-old looked to have played safe with his approach to the 407 yard last at Bro Hof Slott near Stockholm.

The local boy, who is now predominantly based in the US, put months of struggling with his game behind him to produce a fairytale finale to the event on Sunday afternoon.

Echenique must have been dumbstruck as Johnson forgot his early season woes, and rolled in what seemed a virtually impossible putt. At the same time he took his second European Tour title, eight years after his first. The scenes that followed were more reminiscent of a football crowd's roar than what you would normally see on a golf course.

Johnson, whose regular caddie Lance Ten Broeck went and played in The Senior Open Championship, invited one of his friends to carry the bag for him instead and earned himself Û333,330 (bd?)- I wonder who will be on the bag next week?

German Bernhard Langer claimed his first senior major title with a one-shot victory in the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie in Scotland.

Langer never won the regular Open Championship during his distinguished regular Tour career, but had six top-three finishes between 1981 and 2001.

The 52-year-old two-time former Masters champion started the day with a three-shot lead over Corey Pavin and a one-over-par final round 72 was good enough to take the title. US Ryder Cup skipper Pavin - playing in his first senior major - finished second after a closing 70.

Until now, Langer had won consecutive senior Order of Merit titles and finished in the top 10 seven times in senior majors, but had yet to close out the win.

Time is now running out for all of those hoping to make Colin Montgomerie's team for the Ryder Cup showdown with the USA at Celtic Manor in October. With only five more qualifying events to go, this week the European Tour continues in the Emerald Isle for the Irish Open. Graeme McDowell will bring his Major presence to the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, determined to continue his dream summer.

The Ulsterman became the first Irishman in history to lift the US Open with his victory at Pebble Beach, and with that the 30-year-old stormed from 37th to 13th in the Official World Golf Ranking, straight to the top of The Race to Dubai and cemented his place in Monty's 12-man team.

Many other famous faces are by no means guaranteed a spot and are cutting it fine to qualify automatically or to sufficiently impress the Captain enough to gain a pick.