Schwartzel secures Spanish title

Young South African Charl Schwartzel won a test of endurance as well as skill to become Spanish Open champion in Madrid.

After three days interrupted by rain, all the leaders at Centro Nacional had to play the bulk of their third rounds as well as the closing 18 holes on the final day.

And a 15-foot eagle putt on the long 16th proved decisive as the 22-year-old from Johannesburg captured his second European Tour title by one shot from Indian Jyoti Randhawa.

Schwartzel shot rounds of 68 and 67 to take the £226,150 first prize with a 16-under-par total - and then paid tribute to the man at his side.

Caddying for him for only the third time was Ernie Els' former bag-man Ricci Roberts, and Schwartzel said: "He has helped quite a lot - he is very confident and that gives me a little edge.

"It feels good. People said I'd won on the European Tour before but in South Africa (the 2005 dunhill championship) - I said I could do it in Europe too and it was just a matter of time before it all clicks in.

"The three shots on the 16th were probably the best three I had hit all week. It's not a tee shot to laugh at with water all down the left, but I hit it perfectly and then had the perfect three-iron yardage."