Irishman Peter Lawrie claimed his first European Tour title in dramatic fashion when he beat overnight leader Ignacio Garrido to win the Spanish Open in a playoff on Sunday.

Garrido held a five-shot lead on Lawrie at the start of the final round and was aiming to make Tour history by emulating his father Antonio, who won the Spanish Open in 1972.

However the Spaniard, twice a runner-up, saw his game go wayward on the outward nine as Lawrie went about steadily chipping away at his deficit.

Garrido battled back on the inward nine and only stopped Lawrie, the clubhouse leader on a 15-under-par total of 273, claiming the title outright when he birdied the last with a spectacular 30-foot putt to force the playoff.

Garrido's bid then looked back on when he pitched to three feet for a birdie three, but Lawrie made a 25-footer for a matching birdie three and Garrido's next pitch to the same green spun back into the water.

"I'm not a party person, but I will enjoy this," said Lawrie, who picked up a winner's cheque of 333,000 euros.

Lawrie becomes the third Irishman to win on the Tour recently with Damien McGrane and Darren Clarke winning in China.

It is Lawrie's biggest victory so far, although the 34-year-old lost out in a playoff to Kenneth Ferrie of England in the same tournament in 2003.

AFP