ST ANDREWS (Scotland), Oct 22: Scotland’s Paul Lawrie collected his first victory since his Open success in 1999 when he won the weather-plagued Dunhill Links Championship in dramatic fashion here Monday.

The Scot, who looked to be cruising to victory with a two-shot lead and only two holes to go, needed to sink a 30-foot putt out of the ‘valley of sin’ at the 18th hole to clinch victory and avoid a play-off with Ernie Els.

As the ball dropped into the hole Lawrie began a victory dance while Els, in the scorers hut at the back of the green looked on and could only think about what might have been.

Once again it was St Andrews infamous 17th Road Hole that played the key role.

Els, playing in the group in front of Lawrie, hit his second into the bunker protecting the front of the green and Els looked in stunned disbelief as his first attempt to blast out only made it half way up the bunker wall.

His second attempt cleared the wall, hit the flag and stopped 10 feet away. Although Els sank the putt he had suddenly gone two behind Lawrie.

Lawrie, aware of what was going on in front of him, kept his approach well away from the bunker and found the front of the green but it left him with a massive 50 foot putt across the green.

He three-putted and suddenly his lead was cut to one. Up ahead Els hit his approach to the 18th to 20 feet and somehow got the ball down for a birdie and suddenly the South African had a share of the lead for the first time.

A sudden death play-off looked certain when Lawrie’s approach hit 10 feet from the flag but then spun back off the green into the valley of sin.

But Lawrie, who shot the best round of his career when he carded a 63 here in the third round, hit his putt from off the green perfectly, the ball turning into the hole at the last second.

England’s David Howell’s victory hopes were dashed at the 16th when he three putted the 16th to slip to two behind Lawrie and only two holes to go. Another bogey at the 17th and it was all over, despite finishing with a birdie.

Colin Montgomerie looked like he might equal or even better Lawrie’s 63 when he began his final round in blistering form, reaching the turn in a stunning six-under 30.

But Montgomerie, whose professional record over links is far from impressive, could not keep it going, finally coming to grief at the Old Course’s infamous 17th. A double-bogey killed off any dreams and Montgomerie finished with a five-under 67.

Lawrie’s playing partner Paul McGinley, who shared the lead after the third round got off to the worst possible start when he drove into the burn guarding the front of the green to run up a bogey.

Final scores:

270 - Paul Lawrie 71-68-68-68

271 - Ernie Els (Rsa) 65-70-68-68

272 - David Howell 67-68-69-68

273 - Jean Hugo (Rsa) 68-70-69-66

275 - Colin Montgomerie 71-68-69-67, Padraig Harrington 67-67-72-69, Peter O’Malley (Aus) 71-67-68-69, Paul Casey 69-70-66-70

276 - Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 68-70-71-67, Jamie Donaldson 68-66-74-68, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69-69-69-69, Paul McGinley 67-64-71-74