HAMPSHIRE golfer Richard Bland has enjoyed his best performance on the European Tour for 15 years.

The Stoneham ace went into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich today as joint leader with US Masters champion Sergio Garcia after posting rounds of 67 on Saturday.

But Andres Romero won his first title in nine years, with Bland and Garcia joint second.

The Argentinian was playing on a sponsor’s invite in Munich and had slipped to 837th in the world since his last victory at the 2008 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

He showed no signs of that alarming drop in form today, carding a closing bogey-free 65 to get to 17 under and beat Bland, Garcia and Belgium’s Thomas Detry by a single shot.

It was Bland’s best performance since he finished joint second in the Murphy’s Irish Open in 2002.

Romero began his round with seven pars but birdied the eighth, ninth and 11th before a hat-trick of gains from the 13th moved him into a share of the lead.

Detry posted a closing 66 to set the target at 16 under but when Garcia three-putted the 16th and Bland missed the green on the next, the door was open for Romero.

Bland and Garcia both needed eagles to force a play-off.

The duo could only make birdies, however.

Garcia was looking for his third win of the season in his first event in Europe since his triumph at Augusta, while Bland fell short of his first victory in his 411th European Tour appearance.