Quiros takes Rocco Forte Open despite late collapse

Spain’s 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.

Quiros secured his seventh European Tour title, but a first since 2011, with a par on the second extra hole at Verdura Golf Club in Sicily 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 persuaded 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.

“It’s a strange feeling because obviously I’m very happy,” Quiros, who reached as high as 21st in the world in 2011 but started the week 703rd, told Sky Sports. “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.

“At the end 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.”

Scotland’s Scott Jamieson shot a closing 70 to finish at three under par for a share of 38th place.