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Garcia dedicates victory to recovering Seve

Sergio triumphs on home course for first European win in over 3 years

Image: SergioAP
Sergio Garcia celebrates after winning the Castellon Golf Masters on Sunday. Garcia shot a 4-under 67 to win by three shots.

CASTELLON, Spain - Sergio Garcia picked up his first European victory in over three years at his home course on Sunday and immediately dedicated the three-shot victory at the Castello Masters to the recovering Seve Ballesteros.

Garcia, whose father is still the club professional at the Club de Campo del Mediterraneo golf course where the Spaniard has played since childhood, closed with a 4-under par 67 for a four-day total of 20-under 264. Garcia finished ahead of Sweden's Peter Hedblom (66), who had pulled even early on.

But Garcia immediately turned the attention to Ballesteros, who remains in a Madrid hospital following brain surgery Friday to remove a malignant tumor. Ballesteros remains in stable but serious condition in the intensive care unit of the Spanish capital's La Paz hospital.

"I couldn't help but think about Seve,'' Garcia said. "I'm sending all my love to him and his family and hope he recovers soon. I hope this victory helps him to get a little better.''

Alexander Noren of Sweden took third after a closing 65 left him at 15-under and five behind Garcia, whose last European win was the 2005 European Masters.

"It just feels very special and means so much. Just getting the tournament here was special for me and my family but to play the way I did and win it is awesome,'' said the 28-year-old Garcia.

"I didn't play amazing and when Peter had such a great start I thought these guys were not making it easy for me.''

Garcia started well with a birdie-3 at the first but Hedblom matched that and ran off three more birdies over the next three holes to pull to within one. The Swede eventually pulled even at 16-under when Garcia failed to save an up-and-down at the par-3 No. 6.

Garcia rolled in from eight feet for a birdie-3 at the next hole and birdied again at No. 8 to make the turn with a 2-stroke lead.

Both players matched birdies at the 13th and 16th until Hedblom bogeyed the par-4 No. 17 to fall three back.

"On the back nine I felt I had it under control and had a lot of chances and putts but didn't make that many,'' Garcia said.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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