Ballantine's Championship: Jeev loses playoff to McDowell

Jeju (South Korea): Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell birdied the third sudden-death playoff hole against India's Jeev Milkha Singh to win the $2.9 million Ballantine's Championship on Sunday.

Both men shot six-under-par 66s to finish on 24-under 264 after four rounds in the first European Tour-sanctioned event to be played in South Korea.

Jeev had led by as many as three strokes on the front nine but McDowell caught up by sinking a five-foot birdie putt on the par-four 15th.

The Indian regained the edge at 16 only to bogey the 17th.

McDowell had a long putt to win in regulation on 18 before they returned to the final hole three times in the playoff.

McDowell, who had not led all day, finally clinched victory at the third attempt, tapping in after Jeev missed a five-foot birdie putt after both players hit superb approach shots.

It was McDowell's third win on the European Tour and his first since winning the 2004 Italian Open, boosting his hopes of making the European team for September's Ryder Cup.

Special feeling

Victory on the honeymoon island of Jeju was worth 333,330 euros ($519,000) to McDowell, who is set to jump from 25th in the European Order of Merit into the top five.

"I was glad I was able to hit one close to the flag at the last there," a champagne-drenched McDowell said.

"That was sweet. I have worked unbelievable hard for this. It's a really special feeling right now."

Jeev, who had been aiming to become the third Indian to win on this season's European Tour, opened an early three-stroke lead after a two-shot swing on the par-five fourth.

But McDowell caught him after holing a five-foot putt for birdie at the 12th.

A birdie at 16 gave Jeev the edge again but the Indian pushed his tee shot to the right of the green on the second last, where a golf buggy ran over his ball to add to the drama.

Jeev was allowed a drop from the same spot but chipped 15 feet past the hole and failed to hole his par putt, opening the door for McDowell.

McDowell missed a tricky putt for victory on the first trip back at the 18th and Jeev sank a 15-foot right-to-left par putt on the second attempt to extend the playoff to a third hole, where his nerve finally crumbled.