Garrido beats Immelman in playoff

Ignacio Garrido put his rebuilt swing to a severe but ultimately successful test when he defeated Trevor Immelman in a thrilling playoff at the Volvo PGA Championship on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Spaniard looked to have done enough to clinch only his second European Tour title and easily the biggest cheque ($673,000) of his career when he set an 18-under-par target of 270 thanks to a closing 65.

But South African Immelman, the overnight leader, conjured birdies at both the closing par five holes for a 68 to send the tournament into a sudden-death shootout down the treacherous long 18th.

Immelman and Garrido launched massive drives straight down the fairway at the first extra hole but the Spaniard's approach flew right of the green while his opponent landed on the putting surface but 50 feet or so short.

Garrido, playing his first playoff, chipped perfectly to within two feet before Immelman's tentative putt rolled four feet short and his putt for birdie started on the wrong line and rolled agonisingly wide.

The Spaniard, son of former Ryder Cup player Antonio, wasted no time in converting his tap-in to become his country's first winner of the Tour's flagship event since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1994.

Immelman, who had narrowly failed to win the tournament outright at the 18th when his putt from 50 feet for a 67 lipped out, was playing in his third play-off of the season.

The 23-year-old from Cape Town won the South African Open beating Tim Clark but lost out to Mark Foster in the Dunhill Championship the following week in January.

The pair had barely showed any nerves all day in outscoring a top-quality field all within striking distance at the outset including Mathias Gronberg who eventually finished third three shots adrift after a 67.

Immelman's mentor Ernie Els, matched with Garrido, was unable to convert a string of chances to improve on fourth a short further behind after a 69 with British pair Barry Lane (67) and Kenneth Ferrie (68) one worse at 13 under par.

Afterwards, Garrido said the reconstruction of his swing, began at the start of the season, was only halfway finished and was not looking particularly promising after four missed cuts in eight starts this season.

"I just never expected this," he told a news conference. "I would have been happy just to come second, just to have beaten Ernie because I never expected that."

He added that it helped his cause considerably to play with Els, who is known as one of the more laid-back characters on the tour.

"You'd think that playing with Ernie would be a difficult thing. I found him such a nice guy. He supported me and was so friendly. It made it easier for me," he said.

"I was so pleased with the way I played and even when I was in the playoff it hadn't really sunk in. It was over before I had a chance to think about it."

Immelman, who has emerged this season as a potential future major winner, was left to rue his missed putt in normal time for a decisive eagle at the 18th.

"I was 50 feet away and I'm not tall enough to see the hole but it was a great speed and just lipped out. What can you do?" he said.

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