(Reuters) – Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello beat England’s Callum Shinkwin in a playoff to win the Scottish Open at Dundonald after earlier striking a tournament-record eight-under-par 64.
The 33-year-old struck a perfect second shot on the extra hole, the 18th, and holed out for a birdie four before Shinkwin left his putt just short.
The victory was Cabrera-Bello’s first in five years — his third on the European Tour — and brought a $1.1 million prize.
“I was very happy, I really gave it a go in the playoff and it worked out for me. I enjoy those pressure situations, they really define you,” said Cabrera-Bello, who earlier this year struck an albatross at the Players Championship at Sawgrass.
There was compensation of a sort for Shinkwin, the world number 405, whose 13-under-par total secured a place at the British Open, which starts on Thursday at Royal Birkdale.
The Watford-born 24-year-old, who earlier this year missed nine successive cuts, came agonizingly close to winning outright, leaving a putt inches short on the 18th to drop his only shot of the regulation round.
France’s Mattieu Pavon finished third on 10 under after a final-round 66, a position that also qualifies him for Birkdale along with Australia’s Andrew Dodt, who gets his first shot at a major.
Britain’s Ian Poulter, who shared the overnight lead with Dodt and Shinkwin on nine under, fell away after a 74 left him on seven under alongside American Rickie Fowler, the 2015 winner, and four others.
Ulsterman Graeme McDowell finished on five under and will miss the British Open for the first time.
Cabrera-Bello’s last win was at the Dubai Desert Classic in February 2012.
(Reporting by Neil Robinson; Editing by Ken Ferris)
