Hansen wins four way playoff

Soren Hansen might want to play the lottery.

The 28-year-old Dane claimed his first European PGA Tour title in four years Sunday, winning a four-way playoff in improbable style at the Murphy's Irish Open.

Hansen eagled the final hole of regulation and survived a shot into the water on the first hole of sudden death before earning his second career title. His first came at the 1998 Navision Open in Denmark, where he escaped a three-way playoff.

Darren Fichardt of South Africa, Niclas Fasth of Sweden and Richard Bland of England joined Hansen in the playoff -- the seventh in the last 17 years at this event.

Fichardt seemed to be in the driver's seat on the first hole of sudden death but missed a 2 1/2-foot birdie putt at the par-5 18th, allowing his three competitors to stay alive.

Hansen was fortunate to get to the second playoff hole. After driving into the trees off the right side of the fairway at No. 18, he ran a low iron shot through the fairway and into the water that fronts the green.

With Fichardt, Fasth and Bland on the green in regulation, Hansen took a drop and nearly sank his chip before tapping in for a par that eventually was good enough to get him to the next hole.

The four returned to the 18th tee, and each birdied, except Bland, who pulled his drive into the trees to the left of the fairway and missed a 30-foot putt, remaining winless during his brief European Tour career.

The playoff moved to the par-4 first hole, where each of the three remaining players parred. Hansen missed a 12-foot birdie putt that could have won it while Fasth two-putted from 45 feet and Fichardt got up-and-down from a bunker.

With night setting in at Fota Island, Hansen and Fichardt put themselves in birdie position at the par-3 17th while Fasth hit a member of the gallery with his tee shot. Fichardt pushed a 16-footer for birdie before Hansen made a 15-footer for the win.

Hansen began the day with a share of the lead and shot a 3-under-par 68 that included four birdies, three bogeys and his closing eagle, which allowed him to match Fichardt, Fasth and Bland at 14-under 270.

Fichardt, whose lone tour victory came last season in Brazil, started the final round a stroke back before carding a 67. He opened with consecutive bogeys but played the last 15 holes in 6-under, finishing with a birdie.

Fasth also closed with a birdie -- his third over the final five holes -- en route to a 68 but settled for his second runner-up finish of the season. He remained winless since claiming his maiden European Tour title at the 2000 Madeira Island Open.

Playing in the final group, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark had an eagle opportunity on the last hole of regulation but three-putted and ended up two shots back at 272. Padraig Harrington of Ireland headed a group of seven players at 273.

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