An overdue distinction went to long-time aristocrats of the game, when Spain captured the Alfred Dunhill Cup for the first time here on the windswept Old Course yesterday. Even defeats morning and afternoon for their teenage captain Sergio Garcia failed to deprive them of a breakthrough which seemed entirely predictable 24 hours previously.

Ireland's skipper Paul McGinley talked about destiny when the Spaniards achieved a most improbable victory on Saturday. And when they went on to beat the holders South Africa yesterday morning, one sensed he was right.

As if happened, the final against Australia remained exciting despite its predictability. This was due largely to the climax of the top match in which Garcia pushed Craig Parry all the way to the 19th, before making the rare error of a three-putt bogey.

Elsewhere, Jose-Maria Olazabal was always in command against Stephen Leaney while at the bottom of the order, Peter O'Malley lacked the quality to seriously threaten the supremacy of MiguelAngel Jimenez. And so, a team comprising three current Ryder Cup players emerged victorious here for the first time since the American trio of Curtis Strange, Tom Kite and Mark Calcavecchia in 1989.

Since this tournament was launched in 1985, only six countries - Australia, Ireland, England, Scotland, the US and Spain - have been ever-present. By 1995, the other five had all won the trophy at least once, so a Spanish breakthrough was clearly deserved, especially after their defeat in last year's final.

But the Spaniards won it the hard way. In fact no other winner had conceded as many games along the way - five in all - since Canada lost six in 1994. Yet, that statistic also reflected Spanish strength in the way they compensated for each other's passing weaknesses.

Garcia led the way with three successive 67s for three wins in the group stage. Then Olazabal and Jimenez came into their own when their young leader succumbed to the superior shotmaking skills of Ernie Els in the semi-finals and to the splendid consistency of Parry in the final.

Els, who had conquered Olazabal in last year's final, took control against Garcia after establishing a four-stroke lead in the opening five holes. The South African eventually won 70-72 which was fine scoring in the conditions but on this occasion, the normally staunch support of David Frost and Retief Goosen faltered.

The other semi-final was quite remarkable as an exercise in survival. When beating Scotland on Saturday to win their group, Australia were a combined six-under-par: in a semi-final victory over Sweden, they were 14 over - a difference of no fewer than 20 strokes.

After a round of 80, Leaney was the Australian match-winner. He got his chance after Jarmo Sandelin, two behind with two to play, drew level when Leaney double-bogeyed the 17th, only to three putt the last. Then, down the 19th, the Swede's pitch rolled back into the Swilcan Burn which proved to be a watery grave.

Quite apart from that particular match, it was an achievement for the Australians to have got so far, especially in view of their 2-1 defeat by Paraguay on Friday. The wind eased somewhat as the day progressed, but not until the afternoon's matches went into the famous loop. And by that stage, Parry had established a slender lead over Garcia while the other two matches were in Spanish control. Yet it was much too early to write off the precocious talent that is Garcia.

Garcia managed to thrill the galleries, particularly when using the putter for a second shot all of 65 yards and then holing from 15 feet for a birdie to force the match into sudden death.

Minutes later, when he and his compatriots each pocketed £100,000, it was necessary to remind oneself that there are more end-of-season goodies still to come.

"It hasn't been a bad year," said Garcia with classic understatement. "I couldn't ask for more than this, but I hope I will go on to win many more tournaments." He added: "My team-mates were brilliant, but I also hope I always play this course as I did this week."

Given that it was his first experience of the Old Course, Garcia's five-match performance was quite remarkable, especially his mastery of the notorious 17th. Even in yesterday's final, when he appeared to take an excessively tight line down the right, he managed to produce another of those wonderful punched mid-iron shots which guided the ball safely into the heart of the green.

Olazabal, who had hardly dared believe what was happening against Ireland on Saturday, was clearly relieved: "This is very satisfying, especially after losing in the final last year," he said. "We've made history."

The outcome of the final served only to embellish the Garcia magic. Since becoming only the fourth teenager to win on the European Tour by capturing the Murphy's Irish Open last July, he has been runner-up to Tiger Woods in the USPGA Championship and now captain of a winning Spanish Dunhill Cup team.

In this latest achievement, he has gone even where the great Seve Ballesteros failed to tread in 1985, 1986 and 1988. Even more fascinating in the fact that he has shot figures of 18-under-par for 90 holes on the ancient links where the British Open will be held next July. Anyone interested in a long-range bet?