Bjorn Snags Dunlop Phoenix
Denmark's Thomas Bjorn won the $1.9 million Dunlop Phoenix tournament Sunday, beating Spanish teen-ager Sergio Garcia on the fourth playoff hole.
The two had tied at 14-under 270 for 72 holes.
Both Bjorn and Garcia parred the first three extra holes before Bjorn won with a birdie at the par-5 18th. Garcia parred the final hole.
For his first victory in Japan, Bjorn received $377,000.
Trailing Garcia by three strokes after 12 holes over the 6,856-yard, par-71 Phoenix Country Club course, Bjorn birdied three of the final four holes en route to a closing 4-under 67.
The 19-year-old Garcia also shot a 67.
Japan's Shigeki Maruyama had a 65 and was third at 271. Greg Norman of Australia fired a 63 and shared fourth place with defending champion Lee Westwood of England (64) and Joe Ozaki of Japan (69) at 276.
Bjorn, who won the European Tour's Sarazen World Open last month, picked up valuable world ranking points. He came into the event ranked 55th and his goal was to reach the top 50 by the end of the year, thus securing a berth in next April's Masters.
"This should get me into the Masters," Bjorn said.
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