PLAYERS: Orlando magic

Another European drought ended on Sunday night as Sergio Garcia landed the Players Championship after a play-off with Paul Goydos.

Last July Padraig Harrington brought to an end to the wait for Major honours when he pipped Garcia at Carnoustie. Then the Spaniard's putter failed to fire over the closing holes, at Sawgrass it finally did as he joined Sandy Lyle in the winner's circe, 21 years after the Scot triumphed in Florida.

Faced with a seven-footer to force the American to make a par and claim the biggest win of his career, Garcia duly obliged and Goydos was unable to hold his nerve. In extra holes Goydos' tee shot at 17 found the water and the European fired his wedge to a few feet from where, for once, it did not matter that he missed.

Garcia began the final round three adrift and was four behind after a bogey at the 1st. However some steady play was followed by a birdie at the 7th and three more at 11, 12 and 14 - the last from around 40 feet - to offset a couple of bogeys at the short 8th and 13th.

The putter failed to work at the long 16th, when a short one for a four did not even touch the hole, but two excellent putts at the next and the up-and-down at the last proved to be just enough to make the sudden death.

Goydos was in inspired form for much of the day and led by three when he pitched in at the 10th but successive dropped shots at 14 and 15 saw his lead cut and, despite a rock-solid birdie at 16, he was unable to stay clear of Garcia on five under at the tricky last.

Jeff Quinney found three birdies over the back nine to also rocket into contention but the American found sand at the 18th and his bogey left him one shot out of the play-off.

Bernhard Langer threatened during the early part of the day to land a stunning victory at the age of 50 but three bogeys around the turn dropped him back and he then saw four more shots disappear from the 15th.

For the win Garcia lands 300 Fantasy Golf points, double the usual amount given the importance of the tournament, while American duo Goydos and Quinney both picked up 200 for their efforts.

The Spaniard, always an enormous asset to any Ryder Cup line-up, also moved up from 16th to third on the world points list behind Lee Westwood, who missed the cut here, and Henrik Stenson, who tied for 10th.