Coltart holds nerve to end three-year drought

Andrew Coltart survived a mid-round stumble to secure a long-overdue second European Tour title in the Great North Open.

The Scot carded a final-round 72 for an 11-under-par total of 277 and a one- shot victory over Stephen Gallacher and Paul Casey at Slaley Hall. The first prize of £133,330 lifts him into eighth in the Ryder Cup standings.

Coltart, whose only previous victory came in the Qatar Masters three years ago, said: 'It's been a while. It's very difficult to try to find the self-belief when you have very little to justify it. I'm almost doubly delighted that it was pretty horrible and I managed to keep my head and get the job done.'

Coltart began the day three shots clear but at one stage found himself two shots behind after bogeys at the eighth and ninth. Birdies at the 11th and 12th got him back on level terms before another dropped shot on the 12th left him in a five-way tie for the lead.

Crucially, however, of all the play-ers in contention, Coltart was the only one to have won before. As the rest faltered, a 15-foot putt for a birdie on the 15th took him back to 11 under, alongside leader Bradley Dredge.

Dredge looked set to force a play-off until a double-bogey six on the 18th, when his tee shot hit a spectator and ended in deep rough. He finished in a tie for fourth on nine under with Daren Lee and Steve Webster.