McIlroy loses in play-off

Lin: Deserved win

Leaderboard:
-15 Lin Wen-tang
-15 R McIlroy
-15 F Molinari
* Lin won at second extra hole
-13 P Larrazabal
-13 C Plaphol

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Lin Wen-tang of Taiwan claimed victory over Rory McIlroy at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off for the UBS Hong Kong Open.

It is the second time in three months the youngster from Northern Ireland has lost in extra holes after he threw away victory in the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre.

However, on this occasion it was Lin who claimed a thoroughly deserved victory, firing his approach to the 18th to within a few inches after seeing McIlroy find the green from a seemingly impossible position.

Lin had earlier had the chance to win in regulation play, finding the putting surface but unable to convert the birdie chance from eight feet.

The miss left him on -15 and level with McIlroy and Italian Francesco Molinari, who slipped out of the ensuing play-off after failing to match the birdies of the other two as they returned down the par-four 18th.

Frustrating

On that occasion it was Lin who did remarkably well to stay alive, extricating himself from the trees on the left and this time converting the birdie to frustrate McIlroy, who appeared to have victory at his mercy.

But the kid from Hollywood drove his ball into the same trees on the second extra hole, and although he floated his approach onto the green Lin was able to fire his second shot next to the cup from the perfect position, and with McIlroy unable to hole his putt the 34-year-old from Taiwan took the title.

"I'm still smiling," he said after picking up the £280,000 winners' cheque. "This is my first European Tour win and my feelings cannot be described.

"With this win I can re-assure myself that what I am doing is right."

Overnight leader Oliver Wilson began the day with high hopes of clinching a first title after eight runner-up finishes, but although he was two-under par for the day through 13 holes he needed a strong finish to get involved in the play-off.

But the Englishman endured a disappointing back nine, dropping shots at 15, 16 and 17 to fall out of the reckoning and into a tie for sixth place, three shots off the lead.

Round of the day

Bernhard Langer's challenge to become the oldest winner on the European Tour at the age of 51 failed to materialise, the German carding a one-under-par 69 to finish alongside Wilson.

However, the round of the day came from American John Daly, who fired eight birdies in a flawless round of 62.

The 42-year-old is in the middle of the biggest slump of his colourful career but is hoping this top-20 finish will give him the impetus to climb the rankings once again.

"I think I've made more money than I did all of last year on the US Tour, in one tournament! So you can tell where I've come from," he said.

"I've come from close to Ground Zero all the way back up. But who knows? I've just got to keep working at it. Being healthy helps.

"It just makes you feel good to have a number like that. I don't know what place I was in going into today but I know it wasn't great.

"It feels really, really good and it feels like, yeah, maybe I still can play a little bit."

The round was later matched by last year's winner Miguel Angel Jimenez, who rescued a disappointing defence with eight birdies and no dropped shots to finish on seven under par.