Els snatches title in Classic finish

A dramatic 18-foot eagle putt on the final hole gave Ernie Els a third Dubai Desert Classic title today – but only when Miguel Angel Jimenez three-putted the same green.

Jimenez came to the 547-yard last sharing the lead with Welshman Stephen Dodd, but after Els leap-frogged over both of them the Spaniard was left with a six-footer to force a play-off and missed.

Els, champion in 1994 and 2002, won the €278,000 top prize with a closing 68 and 19 under-par total of 269.

Dodd and Jimenez shared second, while Colin Montgomerie was fourth. That was not enough to take him back into the world’s top 50 and so he will play in China in two weeks’ time still trying to grab a place in next month’s Masters.