Karlsson clinches Links title

Karlsson with the trophy

Final leaderboard:
-10 R Karlsson (Swe)
-10 M Kaymer (Ger)
-10 R Fisher
Karlsson won at first extra hole
-8 J Sandelin (Swe)
-7 J-F Lima (Por)
-7 A Wall
-7 M Carlsson (Swe)

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Sweden's Robert Karlsson clinched victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the first extra hole at St Andrews on Sunday.

The Ryder Cup player bagged his second European Tour success within a month by birdieing the first after he finished tied with Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer on 10 under par.

Fisher inexplicably crashed his drive straight in the burn guarding the green, while Kaymer claimed a regulation par-four after his birdie attempt from 12 feet stayed above ground.

It was left to Karlsson to hole out from three feet following a delightful pitch shot to take home the £432,000 first prize.

"I was pretty confident playing the first again because I'd birdied it twice before so I had a good feeling for it," admitted Karlsson.

Kaymer had a chance to win in regulation play, birdieing the 16th to take a one shot lead, but he failed to get up and down from the front right of the difficult 17th and missed from eight feet for birdie on the last.

Fisher and Karlsson both had closing rounds of 65 but also missed birdie putts on the final hole that would have earned them victory - the latter earlier doing particularly well to get up and down at the penultimate hole, sinking a 10-foot putt to remain on 10-under.

Karlsson, who won the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Germany the week before the Ryder Cup, now leads the Order of Merit and plans to play one more event before the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin did his chances of retaining his card no harm at all with a fourth placed finish, getting up and down from the path behind the 17th green and again from the Valley of Sin at the last.

Padraig Harrington entered the final round just two shots off the lead held by Kaymer and Sandelin, but two dropped shots in the first four holes effectively ended his chances and he settled for a round of 71 and a share of 13th.

The Open champion is now second in the Order of Merit but only intends to have one more outing this season at Valderrama.

"I still rate Padraig's year higher than mine because he's won two majors," Karlsson added. "But I've got him for now.

"I have one more tournament than Padraig so if I do my job well maybe I can build a little cushion."