By Kent Gray
Thaworn Wiratchant has survived four holes of sudden-death to win the 2nd Sharjah Senior Golf Masters in a playoff that lasted so long that floodlights were needed.

The Thai edged reigning Staysure Tour order of merit champion Clark Dennis with a tap-in par on Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club’s 18th hole at the fourth time of asking after Australian Peter Fowler had been eliminated after a bogey on the first hole of the playoff which finished under lights.

It was Wiratchant’s second successive European Seniors win after he captured the season-ending MBC Tour Championship Mauritius last December.

Dennis and Wiratchant started the final round at -11 with a shot buffer over Fowler but could only manage 71s to the Australian’s 69.

Fowler bogeyed the penultimate hole to give up a lead he held for much of the final round and then cruelly watched a birdie attempt on the final hole for victory lip out. Dennis, meanwhile, holed a eight-footer for birdie on the 54th hole to make it a three-way playoff at -12.

Fowler’s heartache was complete as he then three-putted from 45-feet in the first hole of sudden death to be eliminated as Wiratchant coolly saved par from the left-hand trap courtesy of a nerve jangling 10-footer and Dennis two-putted for his par from the back fringe.

On their second trip down the 18th hole in overtime, Wiratchant had the best chance but a similar length putt to the one he holed at the first time of asking slide by and the par went back down the 18th for a third time, this time with the help of SGSC’s floodlights.

They traded pars again to extend the playoff to a fourth hole before Wiratchant’s par got the job done.