Peter Fowler
sealed a sentimental return to the course where six years ago he feared for his
golfing future, clinching a hard-fought one stroke victory in the Acorn Jersey
Open at La Moye Golf Club.

The Australian, who celebrates his 56th birthday on Tuesday, injured his back
on the eve of his European Senior Tour debut on the Channel Island in 2009 and
subsequently required surgery which kept him out of the game for nearly a year.

But this time fortune proved to be in his favour as he survived a nervous
finish to card a 1-under par closing round of 71 and a 7-under par winning
score, holding off the challenge of playing partner Anders Forsbrand to capture
his fourth Senior Tour title, and first since the 2013 French Riviera Masters

Coincidentally, Fowler also made his European Tour debut at La Moye Golf Club
32 years ago, and despite the painful memories of the career-threatening injury
he sustained at the venue, he admits it is a special place for him.

"I made my European Tour debut here and my Senior Tour debut as well, and it is
fantastic to now win here too," said Fowler.

"It’s a course
I’m very fond of, so it is special. I also lost in a play-off here to John
Morgan in 1986 and my caddy this week, Tim Morton, was on the bag then."

"I’m staying with
him this week, so it’s nice for us to come back together nearly 30 years later
and go one better."

Renowned throughout his career as an excellent putter, it was the flat stick
that got Fowler across the line today.

"It was a good
tussle today with Anders. We played the European Tour at the same time and he
played very strong today, hitting a lot of greens, but my putting was the
difference."

"I’ve worked hard
on my putting and it has come back the last couple of weeks, because it wasn’t
very good last year."

Starting the day tied for the lead, both Fowler and Forsbrand reached the turn
in level par, but Fowler pulled away on the back nine with birdies on the 11th
and 13th holes.

He dropped a shot
on the 14th when his ball plugged in a bunker, but regained that on the 16th,
before another bogey on the 17th meant he took a slender one shot lead to the
18th hole.

Any resulting nerves were not settled when he pushed his tee shot left, but a
fine approach shot out of the rough and a steady putt from 12ft set up a tap-in
par for the victory, with Forsbrand left to rue a cold putter as he made nine
straight pars on the inward nine for a level par 72 and a 6-under par total.

Fowler’s victory continues his strong start to the 2015 Senior Tour season
after he finished joint runner-up behind Paul Wesselingh in last week’s SSE
Enterprise Wales Senior Open at The Celtic Manor Resort. It also extends his
impressive record on the Senior Tour following his career-saving back operation
and subsequent gruelling rehabilitation.

One of the most consistent players since his return to action, Fowler won the
2011 Senior Tour Order of Merit, a year after returning to the game, and he
believes the back injury he sustained at La Moye in 2009 strengthened his
mental resolve, which proved decisive in his back nine battle with Forsbrand.

"When you have any back surgery, you are entering the unknown and you fear for
your career," said Fowler, who won the 1993 BMW International Open on The
European Tour.

"The rehab was
long and arduous, but wins like this make it all worthwhile."

"I’ve played some of my best golf since the surgery, although I wouldn’t
recommend it for people."

"But once you go
through the hard work, it strengthens your resolve, and it definitely helped me
today. I’m mentally tougher because of it."