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Newcastle - Soren Kjeldsen held his nerve to become the third Danish-born winner of the Irish Open after a birdie at the first extra play-off hole on the Royal County Down course on Sunday.
The 40-year old London-based player went into the final leading by two shots but saw that disappear after starting his final round with back-to-back bogeys.
Kjeldsen then slipped further behind with a double bogey at the eighth before coming to the last hole and needing a par to join England's Eddie Pepperell (69) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (73) in a play-off.
Kjeldsen then holed a four-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to also end a six-year winless drought in capturing a fourth Tour victory.
And there was the added bonus for Kjeldsen as he secured a place at July's Open Championship, the third major of the season, at St Andrews.
Among the first to greet Kjeldsen was world number one and tournament host Rory McIlroy who had missed the halfway cut.
Leading final round scores:
Kjeldsen wins at first play-off hole
282 - Eddie Pepperell (ENG) 74-72-67-69, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 72-67-70-73, Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 69-70-67-76
283 - Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 71-68-69-75,Tyrrell Hatton (RSA) 73-66-70-74
284 - Danny Willett (ENG) 69-76-71-68, Andy Sullivan (ENG) 74-70-69-71
285 - Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 71-72-70-72,Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 67-76-65-77
286 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 72-74-70-70, Richard Green (AUS) 72-72-70-72, Bradley Dredge (WAL) 72-70-71-73, Anthony Wall (ENG) 72- 71-69-74, Niclas Fasth (SWE) 71-73-67-75, Richie Ramsay (SCOT) 72-67-70-77
287 - Chris Wood (ENG) 70-69-75-73, Jaco van Zyl (RSA) 73-74-68-72
288 - Jbe Kruger (RSA) 73-73-71-71, Luke Donald (ENG) 70-70-72-76, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 73-73-66-76
289 - Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 70-76-74-69, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 71-75-69-74, John Parry (ENG) 72-70-72-75, Darren Fichardt (RSA) 76-71-67-75, Alex Noren (SWE) 73-74-67-75, Byeong Hun An (KOR) 75-71-67-76, Jake Roos (RSA) 75-69-68-77.
