Hansen secures maiden European Tour win at San Roque
SAN ROQUE, Spain, April 17 (Reuters) - Sweden's Peter Hanson edged out compatriot Peter Gustafsson in a playoff to clinch his maiden European Tour title at the Spanish Open on Sunday.

Hanson sealed victory with a par at the first extra hole, despite finding a greenside bunker with his approach.

Both players finished three shots ahead of the field after 72 holes on eight-under-par 280, Gustafsson with a joint-best score of six-under-par 66 and overnight leader Hanson with a 71.

South Africa's Hennie Otto returned a level-par 72 to tie for third at five under with Irishman Peter Lawrie, who carded a 69.

Hanson, two shots ahead after the third round, had a chance to secure victory at the 72nd hole but lipped out with a birdie putt from 30 feet.

However, the 27-year-old was the better player when the Swedish duo returned to the 18th, the first playoff hole, getting up and down to save par after chipping to within a couple of inches of the cup from a greenside bunker.

Gustafsson was unable to follow suit after pulling his approach shot behind the bunker and missed a 12-foot par putt to extend the playoff.

Four three-putts the previous day had held Hanson back but he was happy with his putting in the final round as he improved on his previous best European Tour finish, a tie for second in last season's Scandinavian Masters behind Britain Luke Donald.

"My putting let me down yesterday but it worked out a lot better today," said Hanson, after securing the first prize of $357,000.

"That long putt on the 18th could have gone in and I felt really solid with my putting after spending half-an-hour practising on Saturday night."

He added that he and Gustafsson both suffered from nerves during the playoff.

"Peter wanted a chat as we walked down the 18th but I pretty much ignored him because I wanted to stay focused, so I'm buying dinner," he said.

Gustafsson, who won the European Tour school hosted by San Roque last year, had fought back from a disappointing 75 on Saturday to push his good friend all the way.

"There's a lot of good coming out of this because my (tour) card is secured for next year," he added.

Lawrie extended his fine record at Spanish Opens, birdies at the last two holes helping him to a 69 and a share of third place with Otto.

Irishman Lawrie lost a playoff for the Spanish Open in 2003, the season he ended by being voted European rookie of the year.

Otto, two strokes behind Hanson overnight, shared the lead at the turn but his chance of a first European Tour title perished with double-bogeys at the 10th and 15th.

A birdie at the last for a 72, though, earned the South African a career-best European Tour finish.

Final Last round scores and totals
.280 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 70 68 71 71 280 Q Peter Gustafsson (Sweden) 70 69 75 66

283 Q Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 71 70 73 69

Hennie Otto (South Africa) 71 71 69 72 285 Q Stephen Dodd (Britain) 74 73 72 66

Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 72 71 71 71 286 Q Miguel Angel Martin (Spain) 71 72 72 71 287 Q Raphael Jacquelin (France) 73 71 74 69

Simon Khan (Britain) 73 73 72 69

Paul McGinley (Ireland) 76 70 72 69

Steven O'Hara (Britain) 70 75 74 68 288 Q Ian Garbutt (Britain) 72 74 73 69

David Gilford (Britain) 75 71 70 72

Jose Manuel Lara (Spain) 73 72 68 75

Paul Lawrie (Britain) 72 72 69 75

Sam Little (Britain) 74 70 74 70 289 Q Francois Delamontagne (France) 73 72 75 69

Sebastian Fernandez (Argentina) 73 72 70 74

Stuart Little (Britain) 72 74 74 69

Damien McGrane (Ireland) 73 74 69 73 290 Q Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 77 69 73 71

Jamie Donaldson (Britain) 74 68 74 74

Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 73 75 75 67

David Griffiths (Britain) 77 68 73 72

Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 72 76 68 74

Martin Maritz (South Africa) 72 73 74 71

Andrew Marshall (Britain) 72 71 75 72

David Park (Britain) 72 72 73 73

Jean-Francois Remesy (France) 75 73 71 71

Jarmo Sandelin (Sweden) 72 72 78 68 291 Q Johan Axgren (Sweden) 72 74 73 72

Carlos del Corral (Spain) 74 73 72 72

Mark Foster (Britain) 72 72 74 73

Jonathan Lomas (Britain) 73 74 71 73

Adam Mednick (Sweden) 72 74 71 74

Oliver Wilson (Britain) 75 72 74 70 292 Q Diego Borrego (Spain) 70 73 77 72

Jose-Filipe Lima (Portugal) 73 71 73 75

David Lynn (Britain) 74 71 76 71

Carl Suneson (Spain) 76 72 74 70 293 Q Jose Manuel Carriles (Spain) 72 75 74 72

David Drysdale (Britain) 74 73 74 72

Alfredo Garcia (Spain) 75 72 71 75

Andrea Maestroni (Italy) 72 76 73 72

Graeme Storm (Britain) 73 70 77 73

Steve Webster (Britain) 79 69 75 70 294 Q Ben Mason (Britain) 72 75 75 72

Titch Moore (South Africa) 75 73 71 75

Fernando Roca (Spain) 72 75 75 72

Marcel Siem (Germany) 73 75 70 76 295 Q Gregory Bourdy (France) 73 68 74 80

Darren Fichardt (South Africa) 75 72 71 77

Mikko Ilonen (Finland) 73 70 75 77

Robert Rock (Britain) 73 75 77 70

Jean Van de Velde (France) 73 71 77 74 296 Q Emanuele Canonica (Italy) 70 77 78 71

Roger Chapman (Britain) 75 72 75 74

Gary Murphy (Ireland) 73 74 77 72

Johan Skoeld (Sweden) 75 73 71 77

Leif Westerberg (Sweden) 73 73 79 71 297 Q John Bickerton (Britain) 73 75 76 73

Andrew Coltart (Britain) 73 75 75 74

Jose Rivero (Spain) 70 72 76 79 298 Q Oskar Bergman (Sweden) 71 74 76 77

Malcolm MacKenzie (Britain) 72 74 78 74 300 Q David Carter (Britain) 74 74 74 78 301 Q Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 74 71 78 78

Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 74 74 79 74 302 Q Fredrik Henge (Sweden) 75 71 79 77 307 Q Raul Ballesteros (Spain) 75 72 82 78

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