Phuket, March 4:

South Africa’s Anton Haig won a nail-biting three-way playoff against compatriot Richard Sterne and England’s Oliver Wilson to win his first European Tour title at the Johnnie Walker Classic on Sunday.

The three contenders all finished regular play with a four-round 13-under 275. Haig sent his three-foot putt home for a birdie in the 18th hole to win for the first time in 17 appearances in the European Tour.

The $2.44 million tournament is co-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australian Tours. The winner gets $407,000 and an exemption qualification for the European Tour. Sterne had been holding on to his one-stroke lead with 14-under until a bogey at the 17th hole pushed him back to share the lead with Wilson with 13-under. The pair were joined in the leader’s spot by Haig when he scored a late birdie at the 18th hole.