Nilbrink wins after playoff

Paul Nilbrink of Sweden completed his maiden Challenge tour victory but he needed to survive a three hole play-off against Gustavo Rojas of Argentina to achieve it.

Both players had finished tied on seven under par 281, Rojas after a course record 65, while Nilbrink birdied the 72nd hole to catch him.

They parred the first two extra holes, the first and 18th, but returning to the par four first, Rojas sent his approach on to a bank 30 yards through the green. He made a brave bid to get his ball close but it finished 20 feet short and from there he three-putted for a double-bogey six.

Nilbrink, whose second shot finished 20 feet below the hole, could afford to three-putt but he took two for a par, victory and the £8,121 first prize.

Rojas was disappointed but he had the consolation of knowing that his £5,411 second prize was enough to take him to the top of the rankings

But the angriest man at Espoon was Fredrik Larsson of Sweden. He was one ahead at the start of the day and three clear after four holes. But he ran up double-bogeys at the par four eighth and short 12th and eventually finished with a 74 for 282.

"What a giveaway," was his parting remark.

As far as the British and Irish challenge went it was somewhat diluted. Ireland's David Higgins got closest with a 74 for 286, five behind, but the rest just made up the numbers and were never a factor.