Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke holed a monster birdie putt on the 18th green to win his first European tour title for five years.

Clarke carded a one-over-par 73 for an eight-under total of 280 to finish one stroke clear of Robert-Jan Derksen.

"This is very special. It's been the toughest win of them all," the 39-year-old Ryder Cup star commented.

England's Robert Dinwiddie shared third place on five-under-par with Franceso Molinari and Lin Wen-Tang after a 74.

But none of them was able to mount a serious challenge to the leading pair, who were only one stroke apart at the start of the final round, with Clarke in front following his superb 67 in the third round.

He dropped a shot at the short 3rd and Derksen took the lead with a birdie at the next, only for Clarke to respond with one of his own on the 5th.

Another birdie at 10 again gave Clarke the edge and although he took a bogey four at the 14th, Derksen lost two strokes to par after chipping through the green and into the water.

The title seemed to be firmly in Clarke's grasp but he missed a four-foot birdie opportunity at 15 and then three-putted from the back of the 16th green, missing a two-footer for his par.

He made a mess of 17 as well, driving into the trees and then hitting his approach through the green before narrowly missing his putt for a four to the left of the hole.

But Derksen eased the pressure by finding sand from the final tee and Clarke responded with a magnificent drive which found the centre of the fairway.

His Dutch rival retrieved a par with a superb chip from off the green to card a 73, but Clarke, who lost his wife to cancer in 2006, read his own 25-footer perfectly and rolled it into the cup for an emotional triumph.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke holed a monster birdie putt on the 18th green to win his first European tour title for five years.

Clarke carded a one-over-par 73 for an eight-under total of 280 to finish one stroke clear of Robert-Jan Derksen.

"This is very special. It's been the toughest win of them all," the 39-year-old Ryder Cup star commented.

England's Robert Dinwiddie shared third place on five-under-par with Franceso Molinari and Lin Wen-Tang after a 74.

But none of them was able to mount a serious challenge to the leading pair, who were only one stroke apart at the start of the final round, with Clarke in front following his superb 67 in the third round.

He dropped a shot at the short 3rd and Derksen took the lead with a birdie at the next, only for Clarke to respond with one of his own on the 5th.

Another birdie at 10 again gave Clarke the edge and although he took a bogey four at the 14th, Derksen lost two strokes to par after chipping through the green and into the water.

The title seemed to be firmly in Clarke's grasp but he missed a four-foot birdie opportunity at 15 and then three-putted from the back of the 16th green, missing a two-footer for his par.

He made a mess of 17 as well, driving into the trees and then hitting his approach through the green before narrowly missing his putt for a four to the left of the hole.

But Derksen eased the pressure by finding sand from the final tee and Clarke responded with a magnificent drive which found the centre of the fairway.

His Dutch rival retrieved a par with a superb chip from off the green to card a 73, but Clarke, who lost his wife to cancer in 2006, read his own 25-footer perfectly and rolled it into the cup for an emotional triumph.


Betfair - Bet on all of today's live sport and get a free £25 bet when you open an account and quote BFB425