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Golf

Rafael Cabrera-Bello Misses Eagle Putt on 18 for 59, Wins Austrian Open

OBERWALTERSDORF, Austria (AP) -- Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain shot a course-record 11-under 60 on Sunday to win his first European Tour title by one stroke over Benn Barham at the Austrian Open.

Cabrera-Bello was in seventh place overnight, trailing leader Barham by eight strokes. He overtook the Englishman with 11 birdies to finish at 20-under 264.

Cabrera-Bello missed an eagle putt on No. 18 that would have given him a European Tour record 59 that would have matched the best score ever on the PGA Tour.

"It's just amazing. I played the best golf of my life and I can't believe it," said Cabrera-Bello, who had never been under 64 on the European Tour. "I was so far back I wasn't thinking about winning. I just tried to play one shot at a time."

Barham bogeyed the par-4 third in a 2-under 69. Soren Hansen of Denmark was two strokes back, placing third for the second straight week.

The 25-year-old Cabrera-Bello lost his place on the European Tour in 2007, but returned from the Challenge Tour this season.

It was his fifth top-10 finish this year and he will rise from 74th to 46th in The Race to Dubai standings.

Cabrera-Bello drew even with Barham after the Englishman failed to make a birdie on the first 10 holes.

Barham, who had led the competition from the opening day, dropped two behind before sinking a 12-footer on the 16th. But a drive into the rough at the 18th was the decisive stroke.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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