Westwood holds of Els to claim another title

Lee Westwood edged out world number two Ernie Els by one shot to win the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, the Briton holding his nerve over the closing holes to continue his recent resurgence.

The former European number one, who won his first tournament in three years at last month's BMW International Open, carded a final-round 67 to finish on 21-under-par 267, one clear of the big South African.

Westwood had looked set for a comfortable victory after moving three shots ahead of the field but Els birdied the last two holes to push the Englishman all the way.

"I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to win," Westwood told reporters. "This is very high up in my list of victories, coming here at the home of golf and against a fantastic field.

"I felt very emotional coming up the 18th fairway but with the pin cut where it was, I knew I had to keep concentrating to finish the job."

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin finished third, two shots adrift of Els, with Briton Darren Clarke and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber tied for fourth a further stroke behind on 271.

The 30-year-old Westwood made his first bogey of the tournament at the par-four second hole but surged ahead round the turn.

He fired three successive birdies from the eighth hole to move two shots ahead and immaculate putts of 10 and 15 feet at the 12th and 13th holes took him to 21 under.

Els, however, was inspired as he plundered nine birdies on the way to a sparkling 64 in search of his seventh victory of the season.

He birdied the difficult last two holes on the Old Course, producing a brilliant 50-yard pitch on to the 18th green, to close to within one shot of Westwood, who had to negotiate his final three holes in par to claim the $800,000 first prize.

"It was the toughest pitch I've had all week and was one of the best I've hit in my career," said Els who dropped three shots in his last two holes at Kingsbarns on Saturday.

"I wasn't really feeling that good after yesterday's finish but I feel I made up for that today."

Els had the consolation of increasing his lead over Clarke in the race to win Europe's order of merit, the burly Northern Irishman lacking inspiration in a final round of 70.

Britons David Howell and Brian Davis -- who closed with an Old Course record 62 -- Australian Nick O'Hern, Swede Henrik Stenson and South African Richard Sterne were a further shot back in a tie for sixth.

Fiji's Vijay Singh, the world number three, carded a 68 to complete a 13-under-par aggregate total of 275, four shots better than defending Dunhill Links champion Padraig Harrington.

Former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance won the team pro-am competition with his 15-year-old son Daniel.

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