Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin sealed his Ryder Cup place by winning a sudden-death play-off against South African Retief Goosen for the German Open title on Sunday.

Goosen looked to have the $160,000 first prize in the bag when he took over the lead at the 17th.

But the South African missed a three-foot putt to bogey the last, while Sandelin saved from 12 feet, to take the Berlin Sport Club event into a shoot-out.

At the first play-off hole, the 18th, Sandelin hit the green in two to par while Goosen needed three to get on and again bogeyed to hand the title and a Ryder Cup debut to the Swede.

Both had finished on 14-under-par 274 with rounds of four-under-par 68 after starting the final day locked together.

That was two strokes better than another Swede, Pierre Fulke (67), with German Thomas Goegele (65) and another South African, Roger Wessels (68), a further stroke back.

Sandelin's second win of the year after clinching the Spanish Open in April, hauled him from fifth to third in the Ryder Cup table and he becomes the fourth Swede to earn a European team place.

Sandelin had taken the lead at Bad Saarow at the halfway stage with a second round 64 and was never overhauled until hooking wildly at the par-three penultimate hole and failing to get up and down from heavy greenside rough.

The result cost Goosen the chance of overtaking Colin Montgomerie on top of Europe's rankings but Sandelin's victory put him third on the tour rankings as well as on the Ryder Cup table.

"I was proud to sink that putt on the 18th and then go out and win it at the same hole," said Sandelin. "That's the sort of thing I'll remember when we get the tough situations in the Ryder Cup.

"I thought I'd lost it on the 17th but you don't give up. My putter saved me today.

"It's a great feeling to have sealed my Ryder Cup place. It's the biggest team golf event there is, where you get closer to the guys, and I'm so looking forward to it.

"It's also great to be third in the Order of Merit and, of course, my goal has to be to win it. Colin Montgomerie is the one to beat.

"But it's been a great week because I've also found out I'm in the U.S. PGA Championship and I've made the British Open."

Goosen flew out to play in his second U.S. Open, disappointed he still lies second in Europe's rankings, sandwiched between Sandelin and leader Montgomerie.