Stephen's flying high (From Barry And District News)

Stephen's flying high

A BARRY golfer has taken the sporting world by storm at the Volvo China Open.

Fifteen years on from his debut and after ten trips to the qualifying school, Stephen Dodd has won a European Tour title.

Thanks to a second-round 70 achieved in freezing conditions in Shanghai, Dodd holds a three-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Volvo China Open, first event of the new Order of Merit season.

The 38-year-old has been playing in a fierce wind and rain, and never expected to get so far.

Dodd, who finished at 12 under, did enough to keep Denmark's Thomas Bjorn at bay in the final round.

He had a scare at the par-three 17th when he three-putted, but Bjorn made a mess of the 18th and could not take advantage.

Chawalit Plaphol, Thaworn Wiratchant and Jason Dawes shared third place.

Stephen said: "All I wanted to do was to go out and do my very best and that's what I did. Fortunately, it was my turn to play well."

The victory was Dodd's first win in 166 starts since he turned professional in 1989.

He added: "I thought I would win given time. Obviously it's taken longer than I thought. I never believed I wasn't good enough. If I didn't think that I would have stopped a long time ago."

Turning in 33 was the stuff of dreams - it included a chip-in birdie on the 185-yard eighth - but missing par putts of six and four feet coming home meant the 1989 Btitish amateur champion had to settle for a six under par total of 138.

An illustration of how tough things were came when the cut fell at seven over, matching the highest of the 2004 season. It enabled 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie to survive with two shots to spare despite a 78.

Dodd is ranked 229th in the world compared to Bjorn's 31st, but his 58th place on last season's money list was the best of his career.