Søren Kjeldsen has won the Open de Andalucia de Golf 09 by three shots after a terrific tussle with David Drysdale over the closing holes at Real Club de Golf de Sevilla.
After only one win in his first 309 European Tour events, Dane Kjeldsen has now made it two in his last nine.
Four months after capturing the Volvo Masters at Valderrama, the diminutive 33 year old returned to Spain and triumphed in Seville. But it was far closer than the score suggests.
Level with three to play Kjeldsen went into the lake with his second to the long 16th and had to make an 18 footer to stay on terms.
Click here to listen to Nick Dye's interview with winner Soren Kjeldsen
He then holed from even further for a brilliant two at the 226 yard 17th and, with Drysdale failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker, there was a two shot gap coming to the last.
Kjeldsen, who three putted the last for bogey, picked up €166,660 and now heads to Augusta for his the Masters Tournament debut at his highest ever position in the world - just outside the top 40.
Kjeldsen, who on his last start was seventh at the World Golf Championships - CA Championship in Miami, said: "I'm not happy with the way I hit the ball and I knew I had to hole good putts.
"To be honest, I was very nervous all day. I knew it was going to be a tough day and it was.
"But I never lost patience and belief. I felt like I was giving it away after a horrific shot on 16 but I had to grit my teeth and it was great to make that putt there and play 17 the way I did."
Edinburgh golfer Drysdale, third in Johannesburg in January, was trying for his first Tour victory in 166 starts, but after finding more sand with his closing drive he hit his second into the water and double bogeyed.
"I'm a bit gutted about that," said Drysdale, who closed with a 74 for 11 under par.
"It was quite a good battle and it's just a shame not to hit any decent shots when I really needed to.
"I hit poor tee shots on 16, 17 and 18. When you have to hit the fairways I started missing them."
After ten visits to the Qualifying School, however, his runners-up cheque for €111,110 should spare him a return at the end of the season.
Kjeldsen’s closing 72 was ten more than his career best, course record third round, but it was much windier and colder and there was some rain to contend with too.
It became a two horse race when Scot Alastair Forsyth and Welshman Rhys Davies, three behind at the time, took seven and six respectively on the 428 yard 14th.
That allowed England's Graeme Storm and Italian Francesco Molinari to share third place on ten under.
Click here to listen to Nick Dye's interview with winner Soren Kjeldsen
Click here to listen to interviews from the Open de Andalucia de Golf 09
Click here to view Video Highlights from the Open de Andalucia de Golf 09
