Jamie Donaldson dramatically birdied the final hole to win the Staysure Marbella Legends after a scintillating final-round 64 at Aloha Golf Club. A back-nine of just 30 shots saw the 2014 Ryder Cup player edge out another member of Paul McGinley’s victorious European team, Stephen Gallacher, by a single shot after the Scot’s superb 65.
Overnight leaders, Thomas Bjørn and home favourite Miguel Ángel Jiménez, finished third and fourth, respectively, after being unable to keep up with the leading duo. Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg was T5 after a 69, alongside 2025 Order of Merit winner Scott Hend – who made an electric start and held the lead midway through the final round before fading late on.
The top-10 was rounded off by Swedish duo Joakim Haeggman and Johan Edfors, Denmark’s Anders Hansen and English pair Craig Farrelly and Greg Owen.
Standing on the 18th fairway tied at -12 with Gallacher, with a play-off looking likely, Donaldson produced a shot for the ages – a 5-iron from 205 yards to three feet to move one clear. When Gallacher’s lengthy birdie try slid by, a second Staysure Legends Tour title – and a second on Spanish soil after he claimed the Champions UK European Senior Masters at La Manga in November – was his.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Donaldson, who only turned 50 in October and has made an impressive start to his Staysure Legends Tour career. “I played great today and I had to, given that Stevie’s shot an amazing round as well. The shot on 18th was a tricky one – you’ve got to take a club that’s only just going to make it to the hole if you hit it perfectly, which luckily I did.
“I hit a nice draw in there, one bounce and it was nice to see it next to the hole. It would have been even nicer if it had been a tap in, but it’s nice to leave yourself a little fiddly little one down the hill. When it went in it was amazing.
“Stevie is a really good friend of mine. You want him to birdie the last, then you battle it out in a play-off, but it’s a little bit easier if he doesn’t. You want people to beat you playing their best golf. He shot seven-under today, and I just happened to shoot eight to pip him by one. So a really good day all round and I’m looking forward to celebrating. Any time you win it’s special.”
Peter Lawrie, who found himself in contention midway through the second round, shot a closing 77 to finish on +5 and tied for 44th, while Cameron Clark’s debut as a full Legends Tour member was one to forget as he ended the week tied for 58th at +12.
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