McDowell quick off the mark with first victory

Ulsterman keeps his nerve on final hole to win first title after just four starts on European Tour

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, playing only his fourth European Tour event, claimed a remarkable victory in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters here yesterday.

McDowell carded a closing round 67 at Kungsangen, the course he has recently signed a contract to represent and saw for the first time on Wednesday, for a 14-under 270.

A brilliant par at the 18th gave him a one-shot victory over his playing partner Trevor Immelman of South Africa, the £200,000 first prize and a valuable two-year tour exemption.

The former USPGA champion, Jeff Sluman, and the Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad were a shot further back, Sluman bogeying the last when a birdie would have forced a play-off.

"I've never been happier," said McDowell, who used a putter given to him by Darren Clarke to single-putt 12 greens in an amazing final round.

"I'm just so excited about what it means for me in the short term. I don't have to go to the qualifying school, I don't need any more invites and I've got somewhere to play for the next two years."

McDowell spent most of his 23rd birthday on Tuesday waiting for his delayed flight from Manchester to Stockholm, and only had time for nine practice holes on Wednesday, but he began impressively, firing a course-record 64 in the first round – which was then beaten by Per Ulrik Johansson's third-round 63.

McDowell, who bettered Tiger Woods' collegiate scoring average while winning nine events during three years at the University of Alabama and helped Great Britain and Ireland retain the Walker Cup last year, began the day tying for the lead with Sluman and Fasth. A bogey at the 13th dropped him back into a four-way tie, but a birdie restored his advantage.

His drive to the reachable 295-yard par four 15th finished under the lip of a bunker, but his second shot found the lake surrounding the green. He salvaged a bogey and then birdied the next to draw back level with Immelman.

Both players missed good chances to birdie the 17th before McDowell's drive finished under the lip of an 18th fairway bunker, but he recovered with an eight iron to within two feet.

McDowell's victory was one of the quickest in tour history. The Australian Jarrod Moseley won his first event at the Heineken Classic in Perth 18 months after turning professional, but perhaps the most relevant comparison is with Sergio Garcia, who won the Irish Open on his sixth start as a professional in 1999.

VOLVO SCANDINAVIAN MASTERS (Kungsangen GC, Stockholm) Leading final scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 270 G McDowell 64 73 66 67; 271 T Immelman (Rsa) 70 67 67 67; 272 H Bjornstad (Nor) 70 69 66 67, J Sluman (US) 69 69 65 69; 273 C Pettersson (Swe) 68 69 68 68; 274 G Evans 71 69 68 66, A Scott (Aus) 65 74 68 67, M Cort 66 73 68 67, N Fasth (Swe) 67 71 65 71; 275 P Lonard (Aus) 72 69 66 68, D Drysdale 74 68 65 68; 276 A Forsyth 74 70 66 66, W Bennett 66 70 69 71; 277 M Lundberg (Swe) 72 71 68 66, D Carter 71 71 67 68, F Andersson (Swe) 71 66 68 72; 278 R Green (Aus) 74 71 66 67, C Hanell (Swe) 70 68 71 69, D Lynn 67 74 68 69, J Parnevik (Swe) 67 73 68 70, A Mednick (Swe) 72 68 68 70, P Hedblom (Swe) 71 69 67 71, J Donaldson 72 68 67 71, J Haeggman (Swe) 71 70 66 71; 279 C Montgomerie 70 69 74 66, I Garrido (Spa) 67 70 73 69, M Foster 70 68 69 72, M Siem (Ger) 67 72 68 72; 280 B Lane 70 68 69 73; 281 I Pyman 74 70 72 65, S Hansen (Den) 71 71 73 66, T Levet (Fr) 69 73 72 67, S Khan 69 71 73 68, B Rumford (Aus) 71 71 71 68, T Bjorn (Den) 69 72 71 69, C Wi (S Kor) 68 75 69 69, M Lafeber (Neth) 70 71 67 73; 282 R Karlsson (Swe) 71 74 68 69, S Luna (Sp) 68 70 71 73, R Coles 70 71 68 73, O Nordberg (Swe) 74 70 65 73, P-U Johansson (Swe) 70 74 63 75.