Home favourite Marcel Siem was on course for a fairy tale victory as he took a commanding lead midway through the final of the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play.
The German is currently 125th in the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex and has been speaking in recent weeks of needing a good finish to the season to keep his playing privileges on the European Tour.
He would allay any fears with a win over the Beckenbauer Course at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach and was three up at the turn against Adrian Otaegui.
The Spaniard entered the final 28 under for his first five matches with 31 birdies and an eagle but nine straight pars saw him fall behind to Siem, who is seeking a fifth European Tour win and first since the 2014 BMW Masters.
Siem was fired up from the off and hit an approach to eight feet on the first, pointing at the hole as he made the putt to go one up.
Routine pars from both players followed on the second and third but Siem put his tee-shot on the par three fourth to 15 feet and rolled home the putt to bring a fist-pumping celebration and a two-hole lead.
A poor tee-shot and third put the pressure on as Otaegui made a par on the fifth but Siem holed a clutch putt to maintain his advantage before missing a six-footer on the next that would have sent him three up.
The par three seventh was halved in pars before Siem put his third to concession range after laying up on the par five next, with Otaegui making another par after being blocked out by trees following his tee-shot.
The next was then halved in pars and the duo entered the back nine with Siem in the driving seat.
In the 3rd/4th play-off, Alejandro Cañizares was one up against Johan Carlsson after ten holes.
Swede Carlsson eagled the third with a par enough to take him two up on the fourth before the Spaniard won the sixth and seventh with pars and birdied the ninth.
He would allay any fears with a win over the Beckenbauer Course at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach and was three up at the turn against Adrian Otaegui.
The Spaniard entered the final 28 under for his first five matches with 31 birdies and an eagle but nine straight pars saw him fall behind to Siem, who is seeking a fifth European Tour win and first since the 2014 BMW Masters.
Siem was fired up from the off and hit an approach to eight feet on the first, pointing at the hole as he made the putt to go one up.
Routine pars from both players followed on the second and third but Siem put his tee-shot on the par three fourth to 15 feet and rolled home the putt to bring a fist-pumping celebration and a two-hole lead.
A poor tee-shot and third put the pressure on as Otaegui made a par on the fifth but Siem holed a clutch putt to maintain his advantage before missing a six-footer on the next that would have sent him three up.
The par three seventh was halved in pars before Siem put his third to concession range after laying up on the par five next, with Otaegui making another par after being blocked out by trees following his tee-shot.
The next was then halved in pars and the duo entered the back nine with Siem in the driving seat.
In the 3rd/4th play-off, Alejandro Cañizares was one up against Johan Carlsson after ten holes.
Swede Carlsson eagled the third with a par enough to take him two up on the fourth before the Spaniard won the sixth and seventh with pars and birdied the ninth.
