Sudden-death play-off holds no fear as The Cat pounces for victory

ARGENTINA'S Eduardo Romero became the third oldest winner in European tour history at Loch Lomond yesterday and £366,660 richer.

''I can buy my country,'' he joked after beating Swede Fredrik Jacobson with a nine-foot birdie putt at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off in the Barclays Scottish Open.

Romero, 48, on the eve of the Open this Wednesday, added: ''It's a very special moment. I'm not old, but I could be these youngsters' father.''

Only Ireland's Des Smyth and England's Neil Coles were older when they lifted titles Smyth in Madeira last season and Coles at the 1982 Sanyo Open in Spain. Both had just turned 48.

Jacobson, five times a runner-up on the circuit without ever winning, led by one with two to play, just as he had at the Irish Open two years ago.

On that occasion he bogeyed the final two holes. This time, just one bogey was enough to be his undoing, but it was another bad one to concede.

The 27-year-old three-putted the short 17th, missing from under three feet.

Both parred the last to finish on the 11-under-par mark of 273, Romero holing from 10 feet for a 70 and Jacobson a three-footer for a 71.

But when they returned to the tee at the 430-yard 18th, Jacobson went over the green, and Romero seized his chance wonderfully well.

''I could see he was extremely nervous,'' said Romero, who in stark contrast to his opponent has won 83 times around South America.

''I saw a little shaking when he was chipping and putting. But it's normal it's pressure.''

Victory made the player, known as 'The Cat,' just the seventh non-European to earn more than £4million on the tour. It was his eighth win here, but it is more than twice what he has ever pocketed from a single event win before.