Langer ends title drought in Holland

Bernhard Langer beat England's Warren Bennett in a sudden death play-off to win the Dutch Open.  

Langer watched his opponent miss a four-foot putt to decide the title at the first extra hole.

It provided Langer with his second win at the Noordwijkse links course - his third Dutch Open title.

But more importantly for the man controversially left out of the Ryder Cup in 1999, the 300,000 qualifying points he reaped sends him into the 10 automatic places for the match at The Belfry in nine weeks.

Overnight leader Bennett shaved the hole with his first putt in the play-off and left himself with the same distance he had dealt with a quarter-of-an-hour earlier to ensure the showdown.

But he couldn't hole the putt and Langer - among the third round leaders at last week's Open at Royal Lytham - collected his first European Tour title in four years.

Both men had finished on 15 under par for the tournament, Langer carding a 66 and Bennett a 67, four shots clear of the field.

An amazing run for the resilient 43-year-old German had closed a two-shot gap that had opened up between the pair with eight holes to play.

Both men notched eagles at the par-five, 502-yard 11th and turned the championship race into an exclusive duel once Miguel Angel Jimenez's putting let him down with three consecutive birdie chances as the Spaniard finished on 11 under.

Langer prevented a double bogey at the 14th with a brilliantly judged long putt and continued his momentum with three consecutive birdies with some breathtaking play on the greens.

The last of those, from all of 30 feet, drew the 43-year-old Ryder Cup veteran level and his putt at the last just rolled the wrong side of the hole.