Garrido welcomes end of six-year winning drought

SPAIN’S Ignacio Garrido, only 123rd on the European Order of Merit and 228th in the world, became the third successive shock winner of the Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth yesterday.

After the victories of Andrew Oldcorn and Anders Hansen, neither of whom were in the world's top 100 at the time, Garrido collected his first win for six years by beating South African Trevor Immelman at the first hole of a play-off after a brilliant closing round of 65.

"I don't know if my heart is beating at the normal rate, but I don't think so," said the 31-year-old, who went into a slump after playing in Europe's Ryder Cup triumph at Valderrama in 1997.

"I didn't expect this. I'm making big swing changes and the last few months I've not been playing great. I expected some results this year, but apart from the majors, to me this is the best tournament to win. It means an awful lot."

The first prize was a massive £414,555 more than he has earned for the last two seasons.

In a week dominated by Annika Sorenstam playing on the US Tour, victory on this side of the Atlantic perhaps fittingly went to the only man to have appeared on the women's circuit. Garrido's girlfriend is professional Samantha Head and he has caddied for her a few times.

He and Immelman finished tied on the 18 under par total of 270, Immelman almost making an 80-foot eagle putt on the last.

Back they went to the 18th tee and when Garrido pushed his second and the Cape Town golfer, who had also birdied the 17th in regulation play, was on the green in two again it was advantage Immelman.

But Garrido, whose father Antonio played in the Ryder Cup as well, came down in the clear rather than the trees and from 50 yards he pitched brilliantly to two feet.

Immelman, from 60 feet this time, left his eagle attempt five feet short and when he missed he feared it was over. It was.

"Man, I thought I had holed at the 72nd even though I'm so small I couldn't really see the hole," said Immelman, whose consolation was a cheque for £276,365.

Sweden's Mathias Gronberg, winner of the Italian Open three weeks ago, finished third three strokes behind and world number two Ernie Els three times a runner-up at the event, but never a winner was fourth.

Nick Faldo finished joint ninth with Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie and all three were disappointed.

Faldo, appearing in the event for the 25th time, was chasing a record fifth title and at five behind with a round to go felt he had an outside chance. But a 70 was never going to be enough.

Casey was hoping for back-to-back wins on British soil after his Benson & Hedges International Open at The Belfry.

But a triple bogey seven on the third put him eight adrift, and five back nine birdies came too late.

Montgomerie's goal was a fourth win in five years, but he gave himself no chance from six back at the start of the day and was right. He shot a 69.