The unfancied Spaniard, 27, had started the day one stroke behind overnight leader Westwood, but made three birdies on the back nine to clinch his second European Tour title, belying his lowly world ranking of 119.

Westwood had teed off last along with Gallacher, 37, while Cabrera-Bello was one hole ahead.

The amiable Spaniard, who had shot a blistering 9-under 63 in the opening round, retook the lead on the final day with successive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, but on the 13th Gallacher sank an eagle and Westwood a birdie to join him on 17 under.

The trio remained tied until Cabrera-Bello’s decisive putt on 17. One hole earlier, the Spaniard had scrambled for par after shanking his tee shot into the trees, his ball ending in the sandy void between the fairways, while Westwood would rue a missed birdie chance on 16th, his nine-foot effort stopping short.

The world No. 3 was also found wanting on the 17th, rolling a seven-foot birdie putt inches wide, while Cabrera-Bello was on the par-5 18th.

His final tee shot missed the fairway, but he reached the green edge for three and eventually putted for par.

That meant Westwood, 38, and Gallacher needed to make birdies on the final hole to force a play-off. Westwood’s second shot left him just off the green, but he then played a clumsy chip that stopped 20 feet from the pin.

Now needing to putt to stay in the tournament, the Englishman’s final effort drifted left, while Gallacher fluffed a 12-foot birdie chance, handing Cabrera-Bello the title.

He became the third Spaniard in a row to hold the title after Miguel Jimenez and Alvaro Quiros had triumphed in 2010 and 2011.

Westwood had started the day on 15 under, one shot ahead, while Ulsterman Rory McIlroy and Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who sandwich him in the world rankings, were two strokes behind.

The two Britons had wanted tougher conditions to make the Majlis course bare its teeth following a birdie bonanza on the tranquil opening two days and they got their wish on the final round as swirling gusts of wind buffeted the fairways.

That made for a tougher day around the 7,344-yard course and the leaderboard saw little movement as the final round progressed.

Westwood rolled in a 35-foot eagle putt from the fairway on the second hole, but bogeyed the fifth after fading his tee shot into the rough to go into the back nine one shot ahead.

McIlroy, the leader after two rounds, was three over for the day after the front nine, picking up four birdies on the final nine holes to end on 14 under in joint fifth.

Kaymer struggled, shooting two over for the day to slip off the leaderboard.
 
Mamat romps to Philippine Open victory

Meantime, Singaporean veteran Mardan Mamat coasted to a five-stroke victory in the fourth round of the $300,000 ICTSI Philippine Open on Sunday, putting an end to a six-year winless run.

The emotional 44-year-old picked up his third Asian Tour victory with a closing one-under-par 71 at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club’s East course in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, completing a wire-to-wire victory with an eight-under-par 280 aggregate.

Mo Joong-kyung of Korea threatened briefly before finishing a distant second, signing off with a 74 while top Filipino honors went to Antonio Lascuna who returned a 69 for tied third place with Japan’s Azuma Yano.

However, it was a heartbreaking end to local teen sensation Miguel Tabuena’s tournament, who started the final round one shot back of Mamat but faded badly with an 81 to settle for a share of 11th position.

After tapping in for his lone bogey on 18, Mamat fell to his knees as he celebrated his return to the winner’s enclosure. He later he broke down in tears when asked how he had made it through the barren six years without a win.

“My wife encouraged and pushed me a lot to practice. She said you love the game so much and why must you quit. There was a time when I said it was time for me to be a golf coach but she said not in your dreams.” “It feels great. It’s always good to win a tournament, especially the oldest national Open in Asia,” the delighted Singaporean added.

With his closest challengers Mo and Tabuena starting poorly, a rock solid Mamat raced three shots clear with a birdie on the fourth hole and by the time he turned in 35, he was six shots clear of the pack.

Mo endured a horrendous opening seven holes, going five over par in seven holes before rallying briefly with four birdies in mid-round to pull to within four shots of Mamat.

Chasing a third Asian Tour victory, the Korean rued two poor tee shots which led to his double bogeys on three and seven.

Lascuna finished as top Filipino after a solid round that included four birdies in his outward nine.

It was a nightmarish final day for the 17-year-old Tabuena, who was hoping to become the youngest winner of the Philippine Open.

He turned in 39 with five bogeys against two birdies and his hopes all but vanished with a triple bogey on the 10th following an errant drive into the woods.