Baker retains in Mauritius as Montgomerie bid fades

Peter Baker pipped Adilson da Silva by a stroke to win in Mauritius in 2023

Peter Baker beat Simon Griffiths on the third hole of a sudden-death play-off to retain the MCB Tour Championship Mauritius at Constance Belle Mare Plage.

The Englishmen both birdied the last two holes of the regular tournament – which is the finale to the Legends Tour season – to finished tied on 16 under, three clear of the field.

They then matched each other with birdies on the first two occasions they played an extra hole, the par-five 18th, before Baker got up and down from a greenside bunker to make a winning four.

Baker, who nearly pulled out of the tournament before his second round through illness, retained the title he won last year en route to claiming the order of merit but his victory in the tournament was not enough to keep hold of the John Jacobs Trophy.

Instead, that title went to the man Baker pipped last year for it, Brazilian Adilson da Silva. Griffiths had the consolation of winning the Barry Lane Rookie of the Year award.

Earlier, Baker - the 1993 Ryder Cup player - went out in 35 thanks to a birdie-bogey-birdie run in the middle of the front nine then picked up a shot at the 10th to move to 14 under.

Six pars followed before he got to 15 under on the short 17th then tapped in for a four at the par-five last after his eagle putt for victory missed on the left side.

Griffiths made birdies at the first, third, fifth and eighth for a brilliant front half of four-under 32 and picked up another stroke at the par-five 13th before his birdies at 17 and 18.

There was no last-day charge on the Indian Ocean island for Colin Montgomerie, the champion on the Legends course at Belle Mare Plage in 2017.

Colin Montgomerie won at Constance Belle Mare Plage seven years ago

The eight-time European order of merit champion began the championship with a fine five-under 67 and although he struggled at times on day two, he gave himself a chance in the final round with a closing birdie to get to seven under.

However a double bogey at the second ruined any hopes of early momentum and although he got a shot back at the sixth he bogeyed the eighth to go out in two-over 38.

His weekend was summed up by the four holes to start the back nine as a bogey was followed by two birdies - but then undid his good work with a double-bogey seven at the 13th.

A missed eight-foot birdie putt meant he made five consecutive pars to finish his tournament at four under, well adrift of Baker and Griffiths.

Instead it was Keith Horne of South Africa who had roared into contention with four birdies in five holes from the 2nd before he made a three at the par-four ninth to go out in 31 and get to 13 under.

A double-bogey at 12 damaged his charge and although he got shots back at 14 and the last it was not enough.

After a lively start to his final round, Da Silva produced some steady golf to see himself over the line in the order of merit race.

He began with two birdies and two bogeys before settling down, with a string of pars and three more birdies for a 69 and a share of seventh to finally clinch the John Jacobs Trophy after a phenomenally consistent season.