EUROPEAN MASTERS: RORY McILROY was a five-foot putt away from becoming the third youngest winner in European Tour history yesterday - and then saw it all go horribly wrong.

The 19-year-old Northern Irishman lost the Omega European Masters to Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin at the second hole of a play-off at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.

After his par attempt on the 72nd hole had failed and he had angrily thrown his ball into the water by the green McIlroy had another chance to take the title at the start of sudden death.

However, his 15-foot attempt missed as well and, hard though it was to believe, worse was to follow.

Playing the 405-yard 18th for the third time he hit a 25-foot birdie putt 18 inches past the cup and incredibly missed that too.

Lucquin, 12 feet away, suddenly had victory in his grasp and with two for it needed only one to lift his first European Tour title in 175 attempts.

The 29-year-old, who actually lives in Switzerland, was ranked 460th in the world at the start of the week and at 127th on the Order of Merit was fighting for his future.

Now he has a two-year exemption on the circuit and is €333,330

For McIlroy the runners-up cheque for €222,220 - plus a €4,300 watch for his first round 63 on Thursday - was little consolation.

Only South African Dale Hayes and Spain's Seve Ballesteros had won at a younger age. "Obviously I am very disappointed," he said. "I got very unlucky on the 18th in regulation, where it got a pretty big bounce for a sand wedge.

"I hit a good chip, but not a very good putt. Then second time around in the play-off it didn't really matter as he holed his.

"That made me feel a bit better after missing that putt. I can take a lot from this week - I played very well all week and played well coming down the stretch, but unfortunately one bad shot cost me.

"I came here after three missed cuts in a row and found a bit of form. It would have been nice to go home with the trophy, but I have plenty more tournaments, even this year.

"It would be great to get a win this year, but if not I have the rest of my career. C'est la vie."

He had been four clear with a round to play, but after bogeys at the second and third suddenly found himself one behind and then down to fourth place at one point.

The pair had tied on the 13-under-par total of 271, Lucquin closing with a 67 to McIlroy's bitterly disappointing level-par 71.

Joint third only one behind were Ryder Cup Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, Scot Gary Orr, Swiss player Julien Clement and another Frenchman, Christian Cevaer.

Jimenez was the only member of Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup team in the field - and the only player in the world's top 50 - and had chances galore on the greens to win the title.

"There are 14 clubs in the bag and one of them, I don't like him," he said after his 67. "I had a nightmare."

For Orr it was a third top eight finish in his last four starts. He also closed with a 67 and a birdie on the last earned him €94,674 for his week's work.

Lucquin said: "I have no words to explain what I am feeling. I don't know what happened (to McIlroy) on the second.

"He asked if he could finish, I said that was okay and he missed it. That made it easier for me."

It was the second French success in a row after Gregory Havret's win at last week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. The country's two previous successes this season, by Thomas Levet and Gregory Bourdy, also came back-to-back in Spain and Portugal.

Lucquin was sprayed with champagne by compatriots, his young son Alex looking positively scared as the celebrations began.

"When I saw my wife and little boy it was a dream," he added. For McIlroy, though, it was a nightmare.