Keanu Jahns of Germany fired a final-round 69 to claim the first Faldo Series Austria Championship at Waidhofen Golf Resort by four shots.  Three Austrian players will join the 16-year-old at the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final in Northern Ireland.

“My putting was the difference today and that was thanks to advice from Keith Wood,” said Jahns in reference to Sir Nick Faldo’s personal coach who attended the 54-hole tournament.  “The Grand Final will be my first time in Ireland and I can’t wait.”

Joining Jahns (-6) at the sixteenth Grand Final at Lough Erne Resort on September 11-13 will be Markus Habeler (Boys’ Under-21), Christoph Pelzmann (Boys’ Under-16) and Marlies Krenn (Girls’ Under-21).  The Austrian trio won their age-groups in Waidhofen an der Thaya to qualify for the Faldo-hosted World Amateur Golf Ranking event.

The fifth Grand Final spot went to Michaela Fabiankova of the Czech Republic, runner-up to Krenn in the girls’ division.
Supported by The R&A, the European Tour and Lough Erne Resort, the 2012 Faldo Series Europe schedule features a record 20 tournaments in 14 countries including six in England plus others in Bahrain, Ireland, Chile, the Czech Republic, Greece, Wales, Austria, Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia and Russia.

Established in 1996, 38 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 28 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year.  Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

Leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 214 – Markus Habeler (AUT) 73-73-68; 223 – Adam Rajmont (CZE) 68-79-76; 227 – Nikolaus Wimmer (AUT) 77-78-72.  Boys’ Under-18: 210 – Keanu Jahns (GER) 70-71-69; 217 – Lukas Lipold (AUT) 74-73-70, Martin Hromadka (CZE).  Boys’ Under-16: 220 – Christoph Pelzmann (AUT) 74-75-71; 221 – Christopher Fisher (AUT) 72-75-74; 226 – Timo Vahlenkamp (GER) 76-76-74.  Girls’ Under-21: 217 – Marlies Krenn (AUT) 73-75-69; 225 – Michaela Fabiankova (CZE) 74-78-73; 226 – Anastasia Mickan (GER) 75-77-74.

For more information on the Faldo Series visit www.nickfaldo.com.  You can also follow the Faldo Series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/faldoseries and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/faldoseries.