Randhawa finishes among top ten

A five-under-par final round of 64 put Jacobson 16-under for the event, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Argentina’s Jorge Berendt and Sweden’s Fredrik Nystrom, with three closing birdies, tied for second place at 14-under.

Welshman Stephen Dodd, Scotland’s Gary Orr and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen finished tied for fourth place at 13-under.

Jacobson, who lost a play-off to Argentina’s Eduardo Romero for the Scottish Open title earlier this year, started the day a stroke behind the three overnight leaders, which included Dodd and Berendt.

A birdie at the seventh put the 28-year-old level with Dodd. A birdie followed at the ninth, then a bogey at the 11th before another birdie helped him regain a share of the lead.

Dodd then handed his Swedish rival the outright lead when he missed a three foot putt for par at the 15th and from there on Jacobson was never headed.

He moved to 16-under with a birdie at the 14th and ended with four straight pars, including a testing putt at the last that just managed to find the bottom of the cup.

“I felt fine out there and it is one of the few times I didn’t look at any leader boards,” said Jacobson, who commenced his career on the European Tour in 1995.

“I just stuck with my game plan and it’s a big relief, a great relief.

“I have been second six times before and to finally win before the winter break is so good. It’s the first time too I will be exempt going into a new year and that’s also a great relief.”

Jacobson’s run of near misses began in 1997 with second place in the Madeira Island Open. He was then pipped by Lee Westwood at the Belgacom Open a year later and twice finished runner-up in 2000. Last year he was forced to settle for a share of second behind Bernhard Langer in the German Masters. (Reuters)