Robert Karlsson took a big step towards becoming the first Scandinavian to win the Harry Vardon Trophy that goes to the European No.1 when he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship yesterday after a three-way play-off with England's Ross Fisher and Germany's Martin Kaymer.

The 39-year-old two-time Ryder Cup player overtook Ireland's Padraig Harrington at the top of the European rankings with the £433,000 top prize that takes him more than £100,000 clear at the top with four tournaments to go.

Harrington, however, is playing in only the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama, having committed to the Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda next week for the season's major champions.

Karlsson also has the Portugal Masters on his schedule in a fortnight's time and a good week would give him a significant advantage at the final shootout with England's Lee Westwood, No.1 in 2000, also in the shake-up, a distant £270,000 behind.

Harrington, who closed with a 71 for 283 and joint 13th place worth £37,500, said: "I wasn't playing well enough or confidently enough. I know myself I'm just not on top of my game."

If Karlsson does win the order of merit, he conceded that the player of the year award should go to Harrington, the winner of two majors, the Open and the PGA. For himself this was his second win of the season after the Mercedes-Benz Cham-pionship last month, although he has an excellent record in all four majors, eighth in the Masters, fourth in the US Open, seventh in the Open and 20th in the PGA.

"Padraig's won two majors and it's hard to top that," conceded Karlsson, who still hopes to close out Harrington in Portugal for the order-of-merit crown. "I'm going to play one more tournament before Valderrama and he's not, so if I do my job well maybe I can build a little bit of a cushion. But I have exceeded my expectations on the season so far."

The Swede, partnering Dermot Desmond, Celtic's principal shareholder, in the pro-am tournament, took the big prize yesterday - his ninth in Europe - after pitching over the Swilcan Burn to a couple of feet for a winning birdie 3 at the first extra hole after Fisher found the burn with his tee shot and failed to make par and Kaymer missed his birdie attempt from 10 feet.

It was the third time Karlsson had played the first hole on the Old Course during the tournament and the third time he had birdied it.

"I had a pretty good feeling for it," he said. "It was a 3-wood and a wedge. I knew my tee shot was going to reach around the 100-yard area and I got a perfect distance."

On a warm day and in light winds that contrasted with the winter weather of Saturday, and in front of a crowd of 15,970, the trio had tied on a 10-under-par aggregate of 278 after Karlsson, who started an hour ahead of the leaders, had covered the Old Course in seven-under-par 65, the same as Fisher.

It was Kaymer who looked the likely winner when he birdied the 16th to take the lead, but he immediately relinquished it at the 17th by taking three from just off the right side of the green, and followed that by missing from eight feet for his birdie on the Tom Morris green in front of the grandstand.

Kaymer, 23, with two wins behind him already this season, couldn't close out his third but still took positives from his performance in partnership with brother Philip.

"It's disappointing, especially after having chances on the last two holes to win the tournament, but it was still a good week for me," said the German who was consoled by a prize of £225,600.

Marc Warren, top Scot with a 69 to finish alongside Harrington, said that if his putting would just improve he could find himself on the winner's podium before the end of the season.

"I had a birdie chance at every hole on the back nine but managed only two, and they were tap-ins. At the 12th (a 348-yard par 4) I drove the green and after my first putt I had a four-footer for birdie that didn't even touch the hole," he said.

"If I had the putter working, 10 under was an achievable target.

"I'm driving the ball great, I have more control than I have had for a long time and a far better understanding of what I am doing. If I can putt well I will win."

The 27-year-old Scot said he was planning two days' rest before stepping into the breach again later this week in Madrid. His winnings of £37,500 took him up 16 places to No.97 in Europe.

Stephen Gallacher closed with a seven-under-par 65 for a three-under aggregate of 285 in a round, starting at the 10th, that opened with four birdies in a row. It brought back memories of his closing eight-under 64 at Loch Lomond in the Barclays Scottish Open, where he was joint sixth.

"I had a birdie chance at every hole today," said Gallacher, who was followed every step of the way by seven-year-old son Jack. "He's the lucky mascot and he keeps me right. He's been at four tournaments this year and I've done well in them all."

Gallacher had a creditable 74 at Kingsbarns on Saturday when the exposed course switched from being the easiest to the most difficult. "What a difference it was today," he said. "Kingsbarns was a joke - I was just about blown over, but that is links golf for you."

Gary Orr had a 71 for a two-under aggregate of 286 and will miss this week before returning to play in the Portugal Masters.

"I'll need a good week there to make the Volvo Masters," he said. That tournament is restricted to the top 60 and Orr's £20,800 winnings lifted him two places to No.66.