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22 September, 2008

Matchplay victory lifts Stevens into contention

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Kent's Scott Stevens won the Keith MacDonald Matchplay - an MPI Financial Services Order of Merit event - after 36 holes of tough competition at Wentworth.

The Staplehurst PGA professional saw off Kings Hill's Paul Page 2&1 in the semi-final over the Edinburgh course and then returned in the afternoon to beat 2006 Order of Merit winner Gary Marks by the same score on the famous West course.

Stevens was three up early on against Page before the Surrey professional got things back to all square, only to lose the 15th and 16th from which he could not recover.

Against Marks, from World of Golf in New Malden, it was much closer until Stevens edged ahead on the ninth and went three up by winning the 14th and 15th.

However, Marks reduced the deficit with a three on the next hole but could not repeat the feat and Stevens clinched victory on the 17th.

"It was good to play on such a quality golf course," said Stevens, who had to beat last year's Order of Merit winner Ant Tarchetti and regular contender Tim Spence in earlier rounds.

"We get to play so little matchplay - I think this was my sixth round of the year - but the longer you go in this tournament the more you get with it.

"My last Order of Merit victory was a couple of years ago so it is nice to get back on the winner's rostrum."

Stevens gave some credit to coach Alan Barber, whom he returned to recently.

"I went back to Alan, one of my old coaches, and he gave me a few things to work on and I started playing with a bit of confidence," added the 33-year-old, whose victory lifts him into sixth place in the merit table and in with an outside chance of claiming the title - or a top three spot which would see him qualify for the end of season Srixon PGA Play-off.

"I've played pretty badly in strokeplay events in the Order of Merit but my goal now is to win the final event (the CK Group PGA Southern Professional Championship at Dale Hill next month).

"I think winning the Order of Merit is probably out of the question but I want to finish as high as possible."