Havret in vintage mood

It did not look a fair fight - world number three against world number 320. But it was the rank outsider Gregory Havret who pulled off a remarkable play-off victory over the US star Phil Mickelson in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond yesterday.

And the 30-year-old's reward was not only a cheque for €740,000, almost four times the previous biggest of his career just last week, but also a place in the British Open at Carnoustie starting on Thursday.

Nor was it a bad weekend for Graeme McDowell. Ireland's top finisher carded an excellent 67 for a total of nine-under-par 275, five shots off the pace. He ended up tied 11th and took home a cheque for €78,845.

Darren Clarke too produced a great finish, a 66 his best round of the four days, leaving him tied for 19th and highly encouraging with Carnoustie just days away.

Peter Lawrie lost a little ground when carding 71 for 283, as did Paul McGinley, whose 72 left him on 284.

Even after seeing the last of a three-stroke lead disappear when he bogeyed the 16th Mickelson appeared back on course for his expected victory - the 34th of his professional career, but first outside the US since 1993 - when he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the next.

But he bogeyed the last after a poor drive and overhit third, then did exactly the same when they went into sudden death.

Havret, whose one previous Tour win in nearly 200 starts was at the 2001 Italian Open, was himself bunkered in two, but he splashed out to within six feet of the flag and when he made the par was showered in champagne by his compatriots Thomas Levet and Raphael Jacquelin.

"It's just a dream - I can't say more," said Havret, whose nerve was tested in a different way only a month ago when he faced a bull in a Spanish bullring during a bizarre soccer match on a friend's stag party.

His three-under closing 68 was far from the lowest round of his career, but it was certainly the sweetest.

Havret took the trophy with a 14-under-par total of 270, while Mickelson, who was 1 to 25 favourite with five holes to play, still moves up to world number two ahead of Jim Furyk, but clearly has work to do on his driving before he tries to deny Tiger Woods a hat-trick of Open crowns.

When they went into their play-off it still did not look an even contest. Havret had lost his one previous play-off on the circuit, while in the US Mickelson's record was seven wins and one defeat - to Jesper Parnevik seven years ago.

But Havret fully deserved his success and a week after the disappointment of losing out on an Open spot to the Swede Pelle Edberg by virtue of a worse last round in the European Open after they had both finished third he is into Europe's top 10 this season.

Third was twice-winner Ernie Els, who came roaring into contention by playing eight holes around the turn in six under. The South African was then only one behind but bogeyed the 16th and though he remarkably birdied the 455-yard 18th for the fourth day in a row it was not enough.

Joint fourth were Luke Donald after a 64, Els's compatriots Louis Oosthuizen and Richard Sterne and also Edberg, who eight days ago had never finished higher than ninth in a Tour event.

Mickelson has had only one top-10 finish in 14 appearances at the Open, missing out on the play-off between Els and the winner, Todd Hamilton, by one shot at Troon three years ago.

He would have gone into the event in better spirits than ever if he had taken the title here and not looked so shaky off the tee.

"Greg played very solid golf and I played very erratic golf," he said. "I made birdies and bogeys (three of each in the last six holes), he played steady and ultimately that won out.

"When he plays solid like that not only does he deserve to win, but he makes himself very tough to beat."