JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- England's Mark Foster claimed his first career victory Sunday in incredible style after only the second six-man playoff in European Tour history at the Dunhill Championship.
Foster missed putts on the 18th hole and first hole in sudden death which would have given him the title at Houghton. But the 27-year-old from Worksop did not blow his third opportunity as he eagled the second playoff hole to beat Trevor Immelman, Paul Lawrie, Bradford Vaughan, Anders Hansen and Doug McGuigan.
The only other six-man playoff came 13 years ago in the Atlantic Open when Stephen McAllister beat Anders Sorenson, Richard Boxall, David Williams, Stephen Hamill and Ronan Rafferty.
Hansen was the first man eliminated when he could only manage a par five on the first extra hole, the 18th, while Vaughan and Lawrie made birdies.
Immelman then birdied after leaving his eagle chip inches short, and Foster had almost the same putt he had on the 72nd hole for an eagle and the title.
The result was the same, narrowly missing on the left, but he made a birdie before McGuigan missed from six feet to join Hansen on the sidelines.
That left the foursome to play the 18th again.
Immelman chipped to within three feet to make almost certain of his birdie while Lawrie and Vaughan still had chances to also birdie.
Foster was not to be denied this time and rolled in his long eagle putt to go one better than last year when he finished tied for second behind Justin Rose.
Earlier Lawrie was the first to set the clubhouse target at 15 under with birdies at three of his last four holes to finish the round with a 5-under-par 67.
Immelman then had an eagle on the 18th, just seven days after making birdie on the 72nd hole and first hole of a playoff to win the South African Open.
Foster had a good chance to break the deadlock but saw his birdie putt slide past the hole, before McGuigan two-putted from just off the green to join the tie.
Hansen then matched Immelman's eagle on the 18th but Vaughan missed from six feet with a birdie putt which would have given him the title.
