England's Ian Poulter took another step towards securing a place in Europe's Ryder Cup team with an impressive victory in the Moroccan Open.

Poulter carded a final round of 70 at Dar Es Salam for a 15under-par total of 277 and a twostroke winning margin over David Lynn, who posted a 67.

Ireland's Paul McGinley finished at eight under par after a final round of 72 but it was another disappointing day for Philip Walton who slumped to a 79 and final total of four over par 296.

The £66,660 first prize lifted Poulter above Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Sergio Garcia to sixth in the Ryder Cup standings while Lynn almost certainly secured his tour card for next season by taking the runners-up prize of £44,440.

Last season's European rookie of the year was never headed after the second round but the most impressive feature of his win was the way he saved par superbly three times on the back nine yesterday as the chasing pack closed in.

A crunching drive with a new Taylor Made driver picked up only last week left him with just 164 yards to the pin and his eight iron never left the flag before settling just three feet from the pin.

Lynn was left to rue a missed eagle putt on the last but had the consolation of almost certainly securing his card for next season after just eight events.

Poulter had begun the day four shots clear of the chasing pack and after early birdies from Swede's Robert Karlsson and Peter Hanson reduced the gap he maintained a four-stroke cushion with a birdie from 30 feet on the second.

Gary Evans was the first to mount a serious charge with a birdie on the fourth and eagle three on the fifth that cut the gap to two before promptly falling away with a double bogey on the sixth after a wayward drive and three putts.

Hanson took up the challenge with his fourth birdie of the day on the eighth to get within three shots but as the birdies dried up it was Lonard and Lynn who threatened Poulter's advantage.

That magnificent eagle on the 10th put Poulter four ahead at 15 under and that appeared decisive, but first Lonard and then Lynn got to 12 under as Poulter was forced to scramble to save par on the 13th, 14th and 16th.

The Worldcom Classic will go into a fifth day after America's Billy Mayfair and Jose Coceres of Argentina were locked in a playoff duel as darkness fell in South Carolina yesterday.

Both players had carded final-round level-par 71s to reach 11 under for the tournament and both recovered from missing the green to hit par fours at the first extra hole.

Coceres looked to have gained the upper hand when pitching to 15ft on the 180-yard par-three 17th while Mayfair was well short of the hole with his tee-shot.

However, the American produced two rock-solid putts to gain his par and Coceres also had to settle for a three after sliding his birdie effort just wide.

Padraig Harrington closed with a 72 to finish on one over par.