So there was not a chance of him missing his final putt from three feet for a birdie at the last, after a long-iron and perfect 100-yard pitch shot. Only Pinero could trump that spectacular flourish but, after making birdies at the 12th and 14th to draw level at 19 under, the Spaniard took three putts at the 17th to fall one behind.

With McGinley glued anxiously to a television screen in the media centre, anticipating yet another play-off, Pinero just missed the 10-foot birdie putt he needed to force extra time. "I knew how he felt," said McGinley. "I told him that he didn't lose it. I won it. There is a big difference between the two and I wanted him to know that."

He also had an answer for those who will study the field and suggest that he had little to beat. "I had to shoot the lights out to do it," said McGinley. "Anyone who thinks it is easy has only to look at the scores some of these young players are capable of. There is no such thing as a weak field these days. You had to be 13-under par to get a place in the top 10.

That was where Higgins finished with his 73 to win £4,555, with Raymond Burns, who had 70 for 278, taking 22nd place on 278 (10 under) to win £2,812. Ronan Rafferty had a third successive 69 for 279 to earn £2,365 for a share of 24th place.