Atwal beats Hedblom in playoff to win Malaysian Open

By Navzi Kareem

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - India's Arjun Atwal won the $2 million Malaysian Open for the second time on Sunday after beating defending champion Peter Hedblom on the second play-off hole at the Kota Permai Gold Club.

Atwal, the 2003 champion, surged up the leaderboard with a final round of eight-under-par 64 to finish on 18-under 270 for the tournament.

Overnight leader Hedblom missed a chance to win outright when his birdie putt on the 18th hung on the lip. He settled for a one-under 71.

Atwal, 34, needed only a par at the par-three second extra hole to win the first prize of $340,000 while his rival three-putted.

"It is an amazing feeling," Atwal told reporters. "I don't know how to put it into words. To come here and win this title twice now is incredible.

"I didn't think I had a chance starting out and just relaxed from the first hole. It was only on the 11th I felt I had a chance. It is incredible."

The Malaysian Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

Both players struggled to par the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, after Atwal found sand with his second shot and Hedblom drove into the water.