Roberts sinks 20-footer to pip Romero in Senior Open play-off
The 51-year-old Californian holed a 20-foot putt at the first extra hole for par while Romero missed a six-footer.
Roberts, who took a four-shot lead into the final round at the Ayrshire links, survived a near-disastrous back nine when he double-bogeyed 14 and 16 to finish with a round of 75.
Romero, despite four bogeys in five holes, was four shots better, while American Dick Mast produced the lowest round of the day to card a 67 and finish one outside the play-off.
Roberts said: “I feel relieved more than anything. I hated it for Eduardo — winning that way — but I have waited a long time for this.
“I was all over the place on the back nine and on 18 in the play-off, it looked like it was curtains. But I made a very good putt.
“I have always had faith in my putter and today it carried me through, thank goodness. I didn’t hit the ball nearly as well as I did the first three days but I hung in there and never gave up,” said Roberts.
“I am so glad that Scotland invented the game because I love links golf and the fans are the most knowledgeable in the world.”
Romero, who won the Scottish Open four years ago, added: “I would have loved to have won again in Scotland but the wind made it tough going.
“Loren started with a big advantage but I knew when I caught him after he made a couple of mistakes it was far from over.”
Defending champion Tom Watson shot a second-successive 74 to finish eight over while Englishman Gordon J Brand finished as the top European in 10th place.
Brand, one of only four players to break par when he carded a 69, was runner-up to Greg Norman in the 1986 Open at Turnberry.
Another Englishman, Bob Larratt, had a hole-in-one at the fourth to win 171 bottles of wine — one for every yard.
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