Paul Casey beats Paul McGinley in playoff

England 's Paul Casey triumphed in the TCL Classic on Sunday after edging Irishman Paul McGinley with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off.

The 27-year-old Casey fired a final round of six-under-par 66 at Yalong Bay Golf Club for a 22-under-par 266 aggregate which was matched by McGinley, who equalled the course record of 63 that included five birdies on the trot from the 13th hole.

After both players parred the first extra hole played on the 18th, McGinley found bunkers with his drive and then his approach shot to hand the advantage to Casey. The talented Englishman drained a glorious 25-foot birdie putt to seal his fourth career title on the European Tour. The US$1 million TCL Classic was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol, Korea's Kang Wook-soon and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark shared third place on 21-under-par, while Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, the winner of this event when it was last played in 2002, finished a further stroke back following a 68 for sixth place. Montgomerie needed a top-two finish to break into the top-50 in the world and qualify for next week's The Players Championship.

"I felt I played good golf this week," said Casey, who pocketed US$166,660. "I love this course, this is great layout and it reminds me of my home course and I felt at home all week in Sanya. I've been hitting the ball a long way, it's going silly distances and my short game has been good."

With McGinley, famous for holing the winning putt for Europe in the 2002 Ryder Cup, setting the clubhouse mark following his sizzling bogey-free effort, the rest of the title hopefuls had some nervous moments.

Casey, the overnight co-leader, turned in 32 and saved pars on 15 and 17 and needed a crucial birdie on 16 to tie McGinley. He could have wrapped it all up in regulation after he left a potentially winning 12-foot putt at the last well short of the cup.

"It was nice to be in the final group. I knew Paul was playing very, very well and had finished at 22-under when I was coming down 16. I knew what I had to do and it was nice to be in that position. My up and down (for birdie) on 16 was key. I also made a good save for par on 17.

"It's nice to get the season going again. I had a back injury after Hawaii in January and I've put that behind me. I'm now enjoying playing golf again. This is a fantastic place, I didn't know this sort of place existed in southern China " said Casey, who was a member of the European team that won last year's Ryder Cup.

McGinley was also chasing his fourth career title and was disappointed to finish runner-up. "It is really disappointing to shoot 63 in the last round and lose. I gave it my best shot, but it wasn't meant to be. I hit the edge of the hole on the last as well, which would have given me six birdies in a row to win. It wasn't meant to be for and it was Paul's turn to win," he said.

Chawalit, who was tied for the lead going into the last day, had an up-and-down front nine which consisted of four birdies, one bogey and one double bogey before launching a title charge on the inward journey. He birdied the 12th and 14th, eagled the 16th with a chip-in but ran out of holes eventually for a 67.

"I am very happy to have fought back from the front nine. I chipped and putted very well, but I just didn't do enough for victory. Overall, I am happy,” said the Thai.

Korea 's Kang reproduced some of his old form which helped him win two Order of Merit titles in his illustrious career, shooting a second straight 65 for his best finish of the season.

Bjorn, one back after third round, had a horrendous quadruple bogey at the par three third hole but courageously battled back with eight birdies and an eagle, which saw him romp home in 29, to finish one stroke behind the play-off duo.

Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang closed with a 66 to finish tied seventh with American Edward Loar and Spain 's Ivo Giner as the Asian Tour produced six players inside the top-10.

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