Simon Dyson has taken victory in the KLM Dutch Open after holing an 18-foot birdie putt at the first hole of a three-way play-off.
Englishman wins play-off to repeat 2006 success
Simon Dyson has taken victory in the KLM Dutch Open after holing an 18-foot birdie putt at the first hole of a three-way play-off.
The Englishman, who won on the same Kennemer course in exactly the same fashion three years ago, moved to the top of the leaderboard after shooting a course record-equalling 63 during his final round.
Having moved into contention from six strokes off the pace, Dyson then defeated Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Sweden's Peter Hedblom - the trio having all finished on a 15-under-par aggregate.
Hedblom had held a two-stroke advantage at the start of the day but Dyson matched him at the end of regulation play courtesy of a round that equalled the lowest of the European Tour season.
Lawrie led by one at that stage, but the Irishman's advantage slipped with a bogey at the 473-yard 16th - the Dubliner choosing an iron for safety off the tee and making a complete hash of it.
In the event he did well to drop only one shot there and eventually signed for a three-under-par 67.
Hedblom lost his lead after playing the first 16 holes in level par but he then birdied the 170-yard 17th after hitting the flagstick with his tee shot - the ball stopping two feet away.
However, he and Lawrie parred the last with Hedblom signing for a 69 and both men ensuring that they joined Dyson for a return trip to the final hole.
Chance blown
Hedblom blew his play-off chance after going over the green and making bogey - the Swede has now lost all four play-offs he has contested - while Lawrie was studying a five-foot par putt when Dyson struck.
It was the 31-year-old's first title since the same event - Dyson beating Australian Richard Green in 2006 - and it earned him a cheque for more than £257,000, the biggest in his career.
Defending champion Darren Clarke was very nearly involved in the play-off as well but was left to rue two missed birdie putts which hung on the lip of the fourth and 18th holes.
The Ulsterman eventually signed for a two-under 68 and joint fifth place alongside Welshman Jamie Donaldson (67) and one stroke behind another Irishman, Damien McGrane (64).
Dyson later said his final round had brought even more parallels with his first victory on the links.
"When I birdied the seventh and ninth I thought back to doing the same when I won," said the York golfer. "Then I birdied the 12th like I did then."
He had also rolled in a 20-footer on the 10th, but the crucial one was a 35-footer at the 17th.
"It was travelling," he admitted. "It's funny when you see the line you're not thinking about the pace. That was a bonus."
Dyson will likely also count the par he made on the 384-yard 14th as a bonus, having pushed his drive into a bad lie in the rough.
However, he was able to take relief because of a molehill.
Kennemer will not be hosting the tournament next year - it moves back to Hilversum - and Dyson added: "It's a shame to be honest. It's horses for courses and this just seems to suit my eye."
