South Africa's James Kingston won the Mercedes-Benz Championship title on Sunday beating Denmark's Anders Hansen in a sudden-death play-off.

Both men had finished on 13 under par 275 for the tournament, but it was the 43-year-old South African who held his nerve at the first extra hole to claim his second European Tour title.

The victory, his first since the 2008 South African Open, was a welcome relief for Kingston who had missed the last four cuts.

He became the oldest winner of the European Tour season thanks to a four foot par putt on the first extra hole after Hansen had gone over the green into a bunker, splashed out but lipped out from six feet.

Kingston had shot a closing 69 to Hansen's 67.

"A week ago I didn't even know I was in the event," the South African said in a press release.

"I got in through last year's rankings so to come out and win a championship like the Mercedes-Benz Championship on a golf course like this makes it more special.

"I would probably have spent a few more days at home this week but it shows how things can change.

"I spoke to the lady who does my travel arrangements and she asked what I was doing. I said I wasn't playing and she replied: ?What do you mean? You're in?. I didn't know at that stage.

"One minute you don't think you don't even think you are playing and the next you win it. It's like the South African Open. I was injured a couple of days beforehand and didn't think I could play and I went on to win that. Two wins and both of them unexpected."

Joint third were England's Simon Dyson, Swede Peter Hanson and another Danish player, Soren Hansen.

All three would have been in the play-off with a closing birdie.

Dyson, winner of the Dutch Open last month, had the best chance, but left his 20 foot attempt just short.

Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher could have gone third on The Race to Dubai by finishing fourth and first respectively, but neither did enough.

Westwood's 68 gave him a share of eighth place while Fisher was four strokes further back in a tie for 18th.