Bland Wins Playoff at Canadian Tour Opener

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Adam Bland escaped a four-man playoff Sunday to win the Canadian Tour’s 2007 season opener.

Bland fired a 5-under 67 in the final round of the San Jose International Open, then defeated Scott Gibson, John Ellis and Spencer Levin with an 18-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.

‘What a great way to start my time on the Canadian Tour,’ said Bland, a rookie making his first start. ‘Hopefully this will be a kick start for the Aussies out here.’

Gibson shot a final-round 69 at Boulder Ridge, while Ellis and Levin both had 72s. The leading quartet finished 72 holes at 9-under-par 279.

Michael Harris (71) and Marc Lawless (73) were two shots back at 7-under 281.

Third-round leader Bret Guetz struggled to a 6-over 78 Sunday and tumbled all the way into a tie for seventh place at 6-under 282. He was joined there by Wes Heffernan (68) and Michael Walton (69).

Guetz, who had led since the end of the second round, was looking to accomplish what his brother, Brian Guetz, did last season: win his first Canadian Tour title.

But after entering Sunday with a three-shot lead, Bret Guetz had two-double bogeys, four bogeys and just two birdies in the final round. He shot a 42 on the back nine.

‘You’ve really got to feel bad for Bret,’ said Bland. ‘To play so well all week and have it come apart like that is tough to take. When I saw his lead early on, I thought if I could make a few birdies I may finish in the top five. It was unfortunate that had to happen to him.’

This was the first Canadian Tour event since the inaugural Canadian Tour Championship last September.