Sweden's Henrik Stenson led by a shot from Britain's Ian Poulter and American Ben Crane midway through the final round of the Players championship on Sunday. Stenson kept his cool as others struggled in the intense heat at the TPC Sawgrass, making bridies on the fourth and ninth holes to stand at eight under midway through his round. Poulter got off to a good start with a birdie on the par-five second but bogeyed the fourth before a birdie on the ninth kept him in the frame at seven-under overall. Germany's Alex Cejka gave up his tournament record five-stroke third-round lead in just four holes as he imploded with three bogeys and a double bogey on the fourth after he found water and two-putted. Paired with world number one Woods, Cejka found himself tied for fourth, six under par, after completing seven holes. Woods faired better than his partner but was still not doing enough to put himself in contention, three bogeys and a birdie in his opening seven holes leaving him tied for 12th. American Woody Austin and Briton Brian Davis were tied in fourth place on six under, Davis making an eagle on the par-five ninth. Vancsik eases to victory Argentina's Daniel Vancsik cantered to a six-stroke victory in the Italian Open on Sunday as twice major champion John Daly enjoyed his best tournament for four years by taking a share of second place. Vancsik's runaway success, the biggest winning margin on this season's European Tour by three strokes, came with a closing six-under-par 65 for a 17-under 267 four-round total. American Daly took second along with Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin and Briton Robert Rock. Winner Vancsik claimed his second title, two years after his first, with consummate ease. He went out in four-under and picked up eight birdies altogether to give his rivals little chance of catching him. The 32-year-old had led by a stroke overnight following Saturday's storm-interrupted round. By the time he walked off the first green with a birdie to his credit, he had extended his lead to three strokes and never looked back from there. Daly did his best to make a dent in Vancsik's lead as he produced six birdies following his only dropped shot, on the second, for a 66. By starting five shots adrift of Vancsik, though, the 1991 US PGA winner and 1995 British Open champion found himself with too much to do. Instead, Daly had to settle for his best result on both tours, US PGA and European, since finishing second in the September 2005 American Express World Golf Championship. Jacquelin and Rock, who both closed with 68s, produced faultless rounds but could never get on terms with Vancsik.
