McDowell wins in play-off triumph

Graeme McDowell held his nerve to prevail at the fourth play-off hole and secure his second European Tour victory in the rain-delayed Italian Open in Milan today.

The Northern Irishman finally outdid France’s Thomas Levet, who paid the price for finding the water with his approach on the 18th after the two had matched one another shot for shot in a play-off which lasted almost an hour.

In the end, McDowell had two putts to secure the €133,552 first prize – and he duly rolled up and knocked in from a matter of inches to claim what he later described as his first “professional” victory.

The 24-year-old from Portrush was finally following up his first tour success, which came at the Scandinavian Masters back in 2002.

“This feels so good, I cannot tell you,” he said.

"To win in Scandinavia as quickly as I did (after joining the tour), I still felt I was an amateur. Right now I feel like a professional. It feels like my first professional victory.”

McDowell certainly had to battle as Levet pushed him all the way.

Both players parred the first extra hole at the par-four 18th. The eventual winner missed the fairway to the right; but Levet, better placed off the tee, flew the green and left himself with an awkward chip back.

After their minor dramas, each eventually holed putts for par to prolong the tension.

A re-run on the 18th produced less eventful pars from each player, before they moved on to the 17th to try to settle the issue.

They upped the ante there with a superb approach each which left holeable putts to share the spoils again, this time with birdie threes on another par four.

As the rains returned in what has been a sodden tournament, it was back to the 18th for another set-to – and it was Levet who finally gave way with a wayward shot into the lake.

McDowell had been tied for the lead overnight on 18 under with another Frenchman, Gregory Havret, in an event reduced to 54 holes and pushed into a fifth day by weekend storms.

Each of the contenders carded 65s in his final round. But as Havret failed to improve his standing over the two holes he had left this morning, it was his compatriot Levet who emerged as McDowell’s play-off rival.

Levet made up two shots in four holes this morning and managed to sink a tricky eight-footer for par on the last to hold on.

McDowell also parred the 18th for the first of four times today to set up the finale.