Jimenez claims play-off success

The 44-year-old Spaniard, having holed in one earlier in the day, collected the record BMW PGA Championship first prize of nearly £600,000 with a two-putt birdie four on the second hole of a play-off.

"This is my 20th season on Tour and it's a nice present," said Jimenez, who as a result sits proudly at the top of the Order of Merit and will almost certainly earn his third Ryder Cup cap in September.

Wilson, who would have headed the money list himself if he had triumphed, has now been a runner-up no fewer than seven times, including four this season, and the Mansfield 27-year-old has yet to taste success.

This one will hurt more than most. It was his third play-off loss and a fine bunker shot at the first play-off hole had given him a putt to win after Jimenez had three-putted from the back fringe, but his seven-footer lipped out.

Then, when they played the long 18th for the third time in the day, he found the right-hand rough just as he had on his first visit and a 12-foot birdie attempt missed as well.

With one hole to play Wilson and Jimenez, seeking to be the third oldest winner of the title after Dai Rees and Arnold Palmer, were one ahead of overnight leader Robert Karlsson.

Wilson was in the group ahead and by missing a 15-foot birdie chance - he will certainly have no fond memories of the green - opened the door. Jimenez was favourite when he was in the rough just right of the green in two, but then fluffed his chip.

A three-way tie was on the cards then with Karlsson only three feet from the flag with his pitch, but while Jimenez got up and down to tie Wilson on the 11-under-par mark of 277, the Swede not only fluffed his chance, but missed the next one as well.

That made him third for the third week in a row and this time in a tie with England's Luke Donald, who had begun the last day nine adrift of him and shot a best-of-the-day 65.