Stephen Dodd beats David Howell in playoff

Britain's Stephen Dodd won his second European Tour title of the season by beating compatriot David Howell in a playoff for the Irish Open on Sunday, Howell's second shootout disappointment in a week.

The 38-year-old Welshman, who won the season-opening China Open, birdied the first extra hole -- the par-five 18th -- after reaching the green in two and calmly holing out for birdie from five feet.

The pair had completed the 72 holes of regulation play on nine-under-par 279, Dodd with a 68 and Englishman Howell, who sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the last to take the tournament into extra time, a 70.

They finished two shots ahead of Argentine Angel Cabrera (68) and overnight leader Nick Dougherty of Britain (74).

"If somebody had said at the start of the year that all of this would have happened to me, I wouldn't have believed them," Dodd, the 1989 British amateur champion, told reporters. "I feel really excited.

"I've worked really to get this. It's taken a long while but everything is paying off for me now.

"David must be really disappointed but it's only a question of time before he wins (again)."

Howell, whose only European Tour victory came at the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic, lost a playoff to Dane Thomas Bjorn at the second extra hole in last week's British Masters at Forest of Arden.

"I was distraught last week but I'm a lot more upbeat this time," Howell told Reuters. "I played pretty dreadfully today but managed to get the job done (by making the playoff).

"I know the win will come soon."

Dodd's Irish triumph was the latest chapter in a remarkable story for the Welshman, who took 11 years and 166 tournaments to clinch his maiden European Tour title in China last November but only eight further events to win his second.

Boosted by his winner's cheque for $421,000 in Ireland, he has climbed to fourth place in the European order of merit.

Dougherty took a two-shot lead into the final round at Carton House Golf Club but lost his way after a bright start, dropping four shots in four holes from the fifth. He was unable to recover from a four-putt double-bogey on the fifth.

Cabrera birdied four of the last six holes to close with a 68 and secure his best European finish since his second place at last year's Volvo PGA Championship.

Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern produced a blemish-free 66, the best score of the day, with six birdies to share fifth place, three strokes out of the playoff.

Course designer Colin Montgomerie was also boosted by six birdies as he recovered from a third-round 75 to sign off with a 70 and joint 28th place, a finish that left him upbeat about his chances of qualifying automatically for next month's U.S. Open.

Montgomerie lies 54th in the world rankings but needs to be in the top 50 after next week's BMW Championship at Wentworth to avoid U.S. Open pre-qualifying at Walton Heath, England on June 6.

"It was a difficult week this week for me, having to worry about other players, tee markers, sineage, all that, so finishing with a 70 is pretty good," said the 41-year-old Scot.

"I made six birdies and now I'll look forward to next week and take those birdies with me as positives."

Defending champion Brett Rumford of Australia tied for 49th, but had a consolation prize of the use of a private jet for 10,000 miles after winning a separate competition for the player with the best aggregate score over the closing five holes.

The final round of the Irish Open was delayed by 90 minutes after lightning forced the players off the course.

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