Mark Garrod in Seville

Dubliner Peter Lawrie finally became a European Tour winner at the 175th attempt yesterday, and made it three Irish wins in a row.

On a dramatic final day at the Spanish Open in Seville, Lawrie prevented Ignacio Garrido creating Tour history when he won a play-off at the second extra hole. Garrido was seeking to emulate his father, Antonio, winner in 1972, and kept his hopes alive when he sank a closing 30-foot birdie putt to tie on 15 under par.

He was the one then poised for the £262,758 first prize when he pitched to three feet as they went into sudden death. However, 34-year-old Lawrie made a 25-footer for a matching birdie 3, and Garrido's next pitch to the same green spun back into the water.

"I'm not a party person, but I will enjoy this," said Lawrie after following the lead of his room-mate Damien McGrane and Darren Clarke, winners of the two previous Tour events in China.

"I've three bullets to dodge and if I dodge them I'm the winner," Lawrie commented as he waited to see what happened to the players still out on the course. Dane Soren Hansen had a 12-foot chance to tie, but missed, then Miguel Angel Jimenez - in front until he put two balls in the water on the 10th and ran up a triple bogey 7 - fell out of the running as well. That left only one bullet, but Garrido was eventually also unable to stop Lawrie breaking his duck.

A 74 from Colin Montgomerie put him 70th of the 75 players who made the cut.