GOLF/Dunhill Championship: Germany's Marcel Siem holed an eight-foot birdie putt at the third extra hole to claim his maiden European Tour victory at the Dunhill Championship yesterday.

The 23-year-old ended the challenge of Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who could only par the 531-yard 18th, after Gregory Havret, also of France, had been eliminated from the three-way play-off at the second extra hole.

The trio took the tournament into extra time for the second successive year at Houghton Golf Club after they completed the regulation 72 holes in 22-under-par 266.

Ireland's Peter Lawrie carded a final-round 71 for a 13-under-par total of 275 and a share of 16th place.

The other two Irish players involved also shot 71, Mark McNulty finishing on 279 and Damien McGrane on 283.

Dusseldorf-based Siem fired a six-under-par 66 while Jacquelin and Havret carded final rounds of 67.

Denmark's Soren Hansen, who had led by a stroke overnight, surrendered his advantage by making just one birdie in his first 15 holes, his closing 69 leaving him in fourth at 21-under 267.

Siem, whose previous best finish was fifth at the 2002 Scottish PGA Championship, birdied the par-five 18th three times in the play-off to become the second German to win the title at the venue, after Sven Struver in 1996.

The winner's cheque for $145,500 was the biggest of his career and Siem became the fifth player in a row to claim the Dunhill Championship as a breakthrough victory on the European Tour.

"I was nervous today and just tried to find ways to relax," Siem told reporters. "I kept stretching my hands, which was an exercise I have learned.

"I also had chewing gum to relax. It was the first time I had done that on the course. I tried a lot of things and they seemed to work."

The pencil-slim German played solidly throughout the final round, the turning point coming at the par-four 10th, where he gained a free drop after his drive ended up under a motor car.

Siem dropped on to a dirt path that gave him a good lie, and struck a nine-iron approach from 168 yards to set up a birdie putt from five feet.

Havret narrowly missed a 50-foot eagle putt at the last to seal victory in regulation play, although Siem had missed a 10-foot birdie putt minutes earlier at the same hole that would have taken him to 23 under.

In the play-off, Siem had good opportunities to clinch the title at the first two extra holes, but on both occasions missed eagle putts from inside 15 feet.

"My hands were shaking I must confess," he said. "The first putt I thought was straight but it went right to left. The second putt was about 15 feet and was going right into the hole but I just didn't hit it."

Siem, however, made no mistake next time round. After Jacquelin had missed a birdie putt from 14 feet the German slotted his own birdie chance from eight feet and could celebrate his debut victory on the European Tour.

England's Lee Westwood shot a final-round 68 to finish at 16-under 272, which lifted him to the top of the European Ryder Cup points standings.