Sweden's Niclas Fasth yesterday won his second play-off on the European Tour this season to seal victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship here.

Fasth, winner of the New Zealand Open in February in a play-off, defeated Argentina's Angel Cabrera on the third extra hole after the pair had finished tied on 14 under par at Gut Kaden.

The former Ryder Cup player rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to take the £378,000 first prize after Cabrera had missed from a similar distance.

Cabrera, winner of the BMW Championship at Wentworth in May, was denied the chance to go top of the Order of Merit as a result, but had the consolation of a cheque for £250,000.

"It's fantastic, by far my biggest victory," said Fasth, who finished second behind David Duval in the 2001 Open to secure his place on Europe's victorious Ryder Cup side at The Belfry.

"I really had to fight for it. I didn't have the greatest day, I was really struggling on the greens but I hung in and hung in and fought well to get the play-off. I was really proud.

"We played great in the play-off. It was more excitement than I needed but it was great of course.

"I thrive on the pressure, it was the same in the Ryder Cup. It's a good thing to have when you get into these situations once in a while. I obviously play better with the pressure on."

With 36 holes being played yesterday due to Thursday's wash-out, Cabrera looked like securing victory in regulation when he birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th to move three clear of the field.

But a poor approach to the last led to his only bogey of the day in a closing 67, and opened the door for the chasing pack.

Fasth took full advantage with birdies of his own on the 14th, 15th and 17th, and saved par superbly from a greenside bunker on the 18th to card a 68 and force extra holes.

The pair returned to the 18th and twice parred the tough 468-yard dogleg before firing in superb approaches which were so similar in length it required a tour official to determine which player was furthest away.

Cabrera's putt was never on line but Fasth made no mistake.

Former Open champion John Daly had stormed home in 30 with four birdies and an eagle in six holes from the tenth but the American's superb 65 was only good enough for a share of third with Scot Stephen Gallacher (69) on 12 under.

Daly was left to rue a problem with his putter which he noticed on the first hole of his opening round. An insert in the face of the club came loose but he was not allowed to change it during his round and struggled to an opening 74.

"If I could have putted it could have been different," said Daly, who fired the lowest round of the week with a 64 on Saturday.

"I had one chip in and four gimmes out there.

"The 64 and 65 were the two days I didn't have to putt. I put another grip on the putter at lunchtime to get a bit more feel on it but I've just got to get home and get mine the way I like it."

Gallacher admitted playing 36 holes had left him exhausted. "Put it this way, I'll be glad to see my bed tonight," said the 30-year-old, nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher. "I was up at 4.30am and I'm shattered.

"I shot 68-69 the last two rounds but it just wasn't good enough. I set myself a target of 68-67 and thought I needed to get to 14 under to win it.

"You know the last four holes can go any way and if you have a decent finish you are in with a shout but I just birdied one of them."

Gallacher won his first tour title in the Dunhill Links Championship last year but had failed to record a top-ten finish in 2005 until yesterday.

He said: "I had a bad Open, missing the cut at St Andrews, and was really disappointed last week. I did a bit of hard practice with my mates and this is what happens. It just clicked.

"The year is still young and we still have some big tournaments to play. It definitely gives me a bit of confidence going into the rest of the year."

Germany's Bernhard Langer, with his 15-year-old Stefan as his caddy, finished in a four-way tie for fifth on 11 under alongside England's Graeme Storm, Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Welshman Bradley Dredge.

Hereford's David Park finished ten shots behind the winner, on 284, after his final round of 76 followed rounds of 72, 68 and 68.