EUROPEAN TOUR

Spaniard Alvaro Quiros had mixed emotions after recovering from squandering a seven-shot lead with 12 holes left to beat Zander Lombard in a play-off at the Rocco Forte Open, Sicily.

Quiros secured his seventh European Tour title, but a first since 2011, with a par on the second extra hole at Verdura Golf Club after South Africa’s Lombard three-putted from 40 feet.

The pair had finished tied on 14-under-par, one shot ahead of China’s Li Haotong, who had an albatross on the 12th in a closing 66, but had to be told to get off a bus heading to the airport as the final group stumbled over the closing stretch.

Spain’s Pep Angles was a shot further back after a bogey on the last, with Australians Marcus Fraser and Jason Scrivener sharing fifth.

“It’s a strange feeling because I’m very happy,” Quiros, who reached as

“The result is the victory and that’s the most important thing”

high as 21st in the world in 2011 but started the week 703rd, said.

“It’s a victory and means a lot of things, but unfortunately I didn’t really like how I finished the round.

“But I could be speaking about second position so I’m happy.

“The result is the victory and that’s the most important thing.

“It’s been a little bit of a mess. The game wasn’t that bad, just the last few holes I started to struggle into the wind.”

Quiros began the day with a five-shot lead and responded to Lombard’s birdies at the first two holes with four of his own at the second, fourth, fifth and sixth to extend his advantage to seven.

However, having dropped just four shots in the first 61 holes, Quiros clearly began to feel the pressure as he bogeyed the eighth, 10th and 15th, before a double bogey on the 16th allowed Lombard to draw level.

Both men then bogeyed the 17th as Angles chipped in for a birdie to close within a shot, which finally persuaded Li to take his clubs off the 3pm bus which was about to leave for the airport.