Derkson snatches title with closing 65

Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen upstaged pre-tournament favorite Ernie Els by winning his debut European Tour title by a shot at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Derksen, who had never before finished higher than joint-12th in a tour event, reeled off five birdies and an eagle-three to close with a flawless round of seven-under-par 65, and a 72-hole total of 17-under 271.

His eagle at the 550-yard 13th, where he holed out from 60 feet, provided the tournament's pivotal moment, drawing him level with Els for the first time before the South African stumbled soon afterwards with a double-bogey six at the par-four 12th.

Defending champion Els, who had been chasing his fifth title of the year in seven starts, hit back with birdies on 13 and 15 but failed to pick up another shot at the last to force a playoff.

The popular South African, the world number two, had to settle for second place after carding a final-round 69.

"This is the biggest shock of my life," said an emotional Derksen, who became the second Dutchman to win a European Tour event, after Rolf Muntz's victory at the 2000 Qatar Masters.

"This week it has all come together for me and I played fantastic today. I was tense and nervous but, importantly, I didn't make any mistakes.

"I only looked at the scoreboard when I made my birdie putt on 18. Although I knew I was doing well today, I didn't know how well I was doing," added the Nijmegen resident, who broke down in tears after his round.

"Before this year, I'd never thought I could win. But I started believing in myself and, before teeing off today, I knew I had been playing well enough to win, given a little bit of luck as well."

Scotland's Alastair Forsyth, who played with Els in the final group, closed with a 71 to share third spot at 14-under 274, level with England's David Lynn, who also returned a 71, and 1991 U.S. Masters champion Ian Woosnam, a 69.

Twice champion Els seemed to have a third Dubai title firmly within his grasp when he opened up a two-shot cushion over the rest of the field after 11 holes.

But hopes of what would have been a remarkable seventh tournament victory in his last 10 starts crashed when he ran up his double-bogey six at the par-four 12th, overhitting the green with a seven-iron approach into the wind.

Moments before, Derksen had holed his 60-foot eagle putt on 13 to draw level with the big-hitting South African and the pair were once again deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard when Els bounced back with a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-three 15th.

But Derksen then birdied the 18th to finish at 17 under and Els, who later fluffed a chip from the edge of the 18th green, was unable to make a birdie of his own to take the tournament into extra holes.

"I played good today in pretty tough conditions," said Els. "One guy comes out of the pack and beats you. He played well, so it's just one of those things.

"I only made one mistake today, on the 12th, and made double there. But then I played solid coming in, and did what I wanted to do. All in all, I played good."

The day had begun promisingly for Els, one of three players locked at the top of the leaderboard overnight, when he drove the green at the 351-yard second hole, his two-putt birdie leaving him at one under for the day and 14 under for the tournament.

The world number two then birdied the par-five third to move two clear of Forsyth, Lynn and South Korea's Kevin Na.

Although he dropped his first shot of the round at the par-four sixth, the South African birdied the seventh before reaching the turn in two-under 33 and then picked up his fourth shot of the day at the par-three 11th.

Just one hole later, though, Els made his one mistake of the day, an error that ultimately cost him the tournament.

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