ST ANDREWS (Scotland), Sept 28: Lee Westwood edged out world number two Ernie Els by one shot to win the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, the Briton holding his nerve to continue his recent resurgence.

The former European number one, who won his first tournament in three years at last month’s BMW International Open, carded a final-round 67 to finish on 21 under par, one clear of South African Els.

Westwood had looked set for a comfortable victory after moving three shots ahead of the field but Els birdied the last two holes to push the Englishman all the way.

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin finished third, two shots adrift of Els, with Briton Darren Clarke and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber tied fourth.

The 30-year-old Westwood made his first bogey of the tournament at the par-four second hole but surged ahead round the turn.

He fired three successive birdies from the eighth hole to move two shots ahead and immaculate putts of 10 and 15 feet at the 12th and 13th holes took him to 21 under.

Els, however, was inspired as he went in search of his seventh victory of the season.

He birdied the difficult last two holes on the Old Course to close to within one shot of Westwood, who had to negotiate his final three holes in par to win the tournament.

Els plundered nine birdies on the way to a sparkling 64 but it was not quite enough for the big South African, though he did stay ahead of Clarke in the race to win Europe’s order of merit. The burly Northern Irishman lacked inspiration in a final round of 70.

Britons David Howell and Brian Davis, who closed with an Old Course record 62, Australian Nick O’Hern, Swede Henrik Stenson and South African Richard Sterne were a further shot back in a tie for sixth.

Fiji’s Vijay Singh, the world number three, shot 68 to complete a 13-under-par aggregate total of 275, four shots better than defending Dunhill Links champion Padraig Harrington.

Former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance won the team pro-am competition with his 15-year-old son Daniel.

Leading final round scores (Britain unless stated):

267 — Lee Westwood 70, 68, 62, 67.

268 — Ernie Els (South Africa) 72, 65, 67, 64.

270 — Raphael Jacquelin (France) 69, 68, 64, 69.

271 — Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 68, 69, 67, 67; Darren Clarke 67, 68, 66, 70.

272 — Nick O’Hern (Australia) 73, 67, 67, 65; Brian Davis 74, 70, 66, 62; David Howell 67, 68, 69, 68; Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 71, 66, 67, 68; Richard Sterne (South Africa) 71, 67, 65, 69.

273 — Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 68, 68, 66, 71.

274 — Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 67, 68, 71, 68; Mark McNulty (Zimbabwe) 71, 66, 68, 69; Phillip Price 68, 71, 66, 69; Simon Yates 66, 71, 66, 71.

275 — Charlie Wi (South Korea) 71, 70, 66, 68; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 72, 66, 69, 68; Ian Poulter 69, 69, 68, 69.

276 — Stephen Scahill (New Zealand) 70, 73, 67, 66; Mark James 70, 71, 67, 68; Julien Clement (Switzerland) 72, 68, 70, 66; Paul Lawrie 69, 67, 68, 72; Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 71, 68, 65, 72.

277 — John Bickerton 70, 70, 70, 67; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 71, 71, 68, 67; Joakim Haeggman (Sweden) 69, 73, 69, 66; David Park 70, 70, 66, 71; Kennith Ferrie 71, 72, 68, 66.

278 — Glen Day (US) 69, 73, 67, 69; Richard Green (Australia) 74, 72, 64, 68; Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 68, 70, 70, 70; Ian Woosnam 72, 69, 70, 67; Jamie Donaldson 67, 74, 69, 68; Nick Faldo 71, 70, 70, 67.

ARMOUR STILL LEADS

SAN ANTONIO (Texas): Tommy Armour III birdied the last three holes to build a comfortable six-stroke lead after the third round of the $3.5 million Texas Open on Saturday.