Eduardo Romero

Eduardo Romero shot 6-under-par 274 to win the 2008 U.S. Senior Open by four strokes over Fred Funk at The Broadmoor’s East Course in Colorado Springs, Colo., to become the second Argentine winner of the championship,joining Roberto DeVicenzo (1980).

Romero, 54, joins De Vicenzo and 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera as the third USGA champion from Argentina. He held onto a 54-hole lead over the longest course in Senior Open history (7,254 yards), despite shooting a 3-over-par 73 in the final round.

“I win this tournament,” said Romero, who was playing in his second Senior Open. “I take the trophy home, two U.S. Opens now in Argentina. Cabrera won the U.S. Open and then I won this one. It’s fantastic. It’s very nice for the Argentine golfers, for South America, for the young golfers, for everybody.”

Romero, who began the final round with a twostroke lead over Funk, birdied the par-5 third hole to increase his lead to three. Funk, who shot 2- under 278, then birdied the seventh hole to narrow the gap back to two.

The long-hitting Argentine, who was second in driving distance for the week, staked his lead to three strokes with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole, but then bogeyed four consecutive holes (11-14).

But Funk was unable to capitalize on Romero’s bogey string because of his own bogey on the 11th hole and a costly triple bogey on the 13th, where he pulled his drive into deep rough. That swing gave Romero a comfortable four-stroke edge with four holes to play.

“I started to make bogey before that,” said Romero, the first international winner since 1997. “But, I can’t stop. I don’t see Fred’s scoring. I’m trying to make pars. Then, he makes triple bogey and I’m a little relaxing. My concentration was different after that.”

Romero, who led the field in birdies (17) and greens in regulation (55 of 72), finished his final round as solidly as he had played through the first 54 holes by making par on the final four holes.

Mark McNulty finished third at 279, followed by Greg Norman at 280 and John Cook at 280.

“This is important, very important because we are working very hard for golf in Argentina,” said Romero, who is known as El Gato (The Cat). “It is a dream to win the tournament and finally my dream’s coming true. I’m back to Argentina with this cup. It’s mine!”