South African golfer Retief Goosen has become just the seventh player to retain the European Order of Merit, after carding an even par final round of 71 at the Volvo Masters tournament at Valderrama in Spain. Goosen finished the tournament November 10 with a 12-over-par total of 296. But that was good enough to win the title as top money winner on the European Tour for the second straight year. Ireland's Padraig Harrington finished second in the money standings, after bogeys on the last two holes left him with a 73, and ended his chances of catching Goosen. Harrington finished one stroke behind Goosen in the tournament.
Goosen finished tied for 34th and Harrington tied for 36th. The South African ended the season with just under $2.4 million, while Harrington earned $2.33 million. The Irishman needed to beat Goosen by several strokes in the tournament to have a chance to pass him for the title.
With most eyes focused on who would win the money title in the season's final event, Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Bernhard Langer of Germany were the joint winners of the tournament. They remained deadlocked after two sudden-death playoff holes as darkness prevented further play. Langer carded a 67 and Montgomerie shot a 70 in the final round to end regulation with three-under-par totals of 281.