Publications
Partners
Hamburg - England's Jordan Smith claimed the first title of his fledgling European Tour career on Sunday, beating defending champion Alexander Levy of France in a play-off at the European Open in Hamburg.
Smith had been two shots ahead overnight but he needed a birdie at the last on Sunday to force a play-off with both players tied at 13 under par.
He then survived on the first trip back down the 18th when Levy missed a close-range birdie putt to win.
Back down the 517-yard par-five last hole they came and this time Smith, 24, birdied to take the title and get his hands on the giant trophy as well as the winner's cheque in the two million-euro ($2.4 million, 1.8 million) event.
Smith, a former Walker Cup player who turned professional in 2014 and was top ranked on the Challenge Tour last year, shot a one-under-par 71 featuring four birdies and three bogeys.
Levy had a second successive 69 on Sunday after play was suspended due to the threat of lightning in the morning on the Green Eagle course.
He led by a single shot as he stood at the 18th tee, but when Smith holed a 10-foot birdie putt to join the Frenchman at the summit, he was forced to tap in a tricky par putt just to force the play-off.
Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh and Johan Edfors of Sweden, two players ranked outside the top 350 in the world, finished tied for third place on 11-under.
South Africa's former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, the highest-ranked player in the field at world number 21, shot a final round of 69 to finish in a tie for 12th at eight-under.
Further back, US Ryder Cup player Patrick Reed ended on six under par.
Leading European Open scores after Sunday's final round at the Green Eagle Golf Courses in Hamburg (GBR/IRL unless stated, par 72, (a) denotes amateur):
275 - Jordan Smith 70-67-67-71, Alexander Levy (FRA) 67-70-69-69
Smith won at second play-off hole
277 - Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 70-66-73-68, Johan Edfors (SWE) 71-67-69-70
278 - Jens Fahrbring (SWE) 68-68-70-72, Zander Lombard (RSA) 70-72-69-67, Adrian Otaegui (ESP) 71-66-70-71
279 - Richie Ramsay 70-68-71-70, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 72-70-72-65, Ashley Chesters 68-67-72-72, Luca Cianchetti (a) (ITA) 71-67-71-70
280 - Stephen Gallacher 68-70-72-70, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 67-71-73-69, Alexander Knappe (GER) 74-69-70-67, Nacho Elvira (ESP) 69-70-73-68
281 - Julian Suri (USA) 66-72-69-74, Sebastian Heisele (GER) 72-70-69-70, Jamie Donaldson 69-71-71-70
282 - Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 69-74-70-69, Lee Slattery 69-73-71-69, Sebastien Gros (FRA) 70-71-70-71, Chris Hanson 70-72-70-70, Ryan McCarthy (AUS) 70-69-68-75, Trevor Fisher Jnr (RSA) 70-68-71-73, Patrick Reed (USA) 68-71-70-73, Richard Sterne (RSA) 70-71-66-75, Danthai Boonma (THA) 71-71-71-69
