British Seniors Open: American Loren Roberts won the €1.5 million Senior British Open at Turnberry in a sudden-death play-off with Argentina's Eduardo Romero yesterday.

The 51-year-old Californian holed a 20-foot putt at the first extra hole for par while Romero missed from six feet.

Roberts, who took a four-shot lead into the final round at the Ayrshire links, survived a near-disastrous back nine when he double-bogeyed 14 and 16 to finish with a round of 75.

Romero, despite four bogeys in five holes, was four shots better, while American Dick Mast produced the lowest round of the day to card a 67 and finish just one shot out of the play-off at five-under.

"I feel relieved more than anything," Roberts said, after collecting the winner's purse of €231,226.

"I hated it for Eduardo - winning that way - but I have waited a long time for this.

"I was all over the place on the back nine, and on 18 in the play-off it looked like it was curtains. But I made a very good putt.

"I have always had faith in my putter and today it carried me through, thank goodness.

"I didn't hit the ball nearly as well as I did the first three days, but I hung in there and never gave up.

"I am so glad that Scotland invented the game because I love links golf and the fans are the most knowledgeable in the world."

Romero, who won the Scottish Open four years ago, added: "I would have loved to have won again in Scotland but the wind made it tough going.

"Loren started with a big advantage, but I knew when I caught him after he made a couple of mistakes it was far from over."

Romero earned €154,223 for his runner-up finish.

The Irish challenge was blown to smithereens in the gales and rain on Saturday afternoon. Des Smyth, who had started the day on three under par, was washed away with a 12-over-par 82. A level par 70 yesterday left him nine over, which earned him €12,000.

Mark McNulty finished on the same mark after weekend rounds of 79 and 74, while Eamon Darcy was a shot better off on eight under after 78 and 72. He won €14,700.

Defending champion Tom Watson shot a second-successive 74 to finish eight over, while Englishman Gordon J Brand finished as the top European in 10th place.

Brand, one of only four players to break par when he carded a 69, was runner-up to Greg Norman in the 1986 British Open at Turnberry.

Another Englishman, Bob Larratt, had a hole-in-one at the fourth to win 171 bottles of wine - one for every yard.