Lawrie beats Garrido in Spanish Open playoff

By Norman Dabell

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Ireland's Peter Lawrie beat Spaniard Ignacio Garrido in a sudden-death playoff at the Spanish Open on Sunday to claim his maiden European Tour title after coming back from five strokes behind overnight.

Lawrie birdied four of the last six holes for a closing five-under 67 and a 15-under 273 total at the Real Club, while Garrido, the leader for the second and third rounds, holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the last for a 72 to match the Irishman.

Both players birdied the first extra hole but Garrido found water at the second hole of the shootout to concede the $521,000 first prize with a bogey to Lawrie's par.

Lawrie's success came in his sixth tour year and five years after he lost a playoff for the same title to Britain's Kenny Ferrie in the Canary Islands.

The 34-year-old Dubliner became the second winner from the Republic of Ireland in three weeks after Damien McGrane won the China Open two weeks ago. Last week Darren Clarke, from Northern Ireland, won the Asian Masters.

"It's been quite a time for the Irish, with my room mate Damien winning by nine shots and Darren's win last week," Lawrie told reporters.

"I've been in a playoff for this title before and didn't do myself justice and now I've done it."

In Sunday's playoff, former Ryder Cup player Garrido, who had surged into the lead with a course-record 63 in the second round and led by three shots going into Sunday's finale, looked as though he would complete his first win for five years when he hit into the 18th green to four feet.