Senior British open: Wiebe trips Langer in playoff

MANILA, Philippines - American Mark Wiebe came through with a tough par on the fifth extra hole, edging German Bernhard Langer and ending a grueling playoff to claim The Senior British Open crown at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England Monday.

A great links shot on their fifth trip to the par-4 18th in the playoff helped Wiebe win the crown as he knocked in a low draw from the left rough that bounced just onto the putting surface for a two-putt par.

Langer, who made a double-bogey on the last hole in regulation that enabled Wiebe to force a playoff, failed to get up and down from short of the greenside bunker, giving the crown to the 55-year-old Oregon native.

Both players finished at 271 with Wiebe rallying with a 66 and Langer, who won at Carnoustie in 2010, settling for an even par 70.

The pair then took two more trips down 18th in a play-off, twice halving in pars in the near darkness, before play was finally suspended, marking the first time in its 27-year history The Senior Open would conclude on a Monday.

At resumption, Langer immediately had a chance of securing victory on the third playoff hole but saw his 12-foot birdie putt stay out. The fourth hole was halved in bogey before Wiebe claimed the senior Claret Jug, and the $318,842 first prize.

It was a dramatic finish to a fine week which saw record crowds flock to Birkdale, as 45,575 people passed through the gates to surpass the previous Senior Open attendance record – set at Royal Troon in 2008 – by more than 4,000.

“I gave it away,” Langer said. “I could bogey the last hole and win. I thought I hit a decent shot in the bunker but it came out too low.”

Corey Pavin, Peter Senior and David Frost tied for third at six-under. Pavin shot a 65, Senior had a 66, and Frost a 70.