New Zealand's Michael Campbell won the Irish Open on Sunday, beating Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Sweden's Peter Hedblom in a playoff.

　　Campbell birdied the first extra hole after a 145-yard, 8-iron approach brought him to within a foot. Bjorn, who finished tied second at the British Open last week, missed his 25-foot birdie attempt, while Hedblom missed from 15 feet.

　　The trio finished the regulation 72 holes at 11 under par (277).

　　"I felt very comfortable down the stretch, very much in control of my emotions, which is surprising as I hadn't been among the leaders in a long time," said Campbell, who won in Ireland for the second time after taking the European Open last July.

　　Bjorn and Campbell both carded one-under 71s in the final round, while Hedblom shot a 68 to make it to the playoff.

　　Bjorn had nine straight pars in the middle of the round and Campbell finished with seven straight pars before the playoff.

　　David Lynn, tied for first with Bjorn and Campbell through three rounds, slipped to a 73 and finished tied fourth with fellow Englishman Greg Owen. They were two shots back.

　　Campbell only decided to play in the tournament 10 days ago, barely beating the entry deadline.

　　Hampered by a shoulder injury earlier this year, he missed a string of cuts on the US Tour.

　　"Also, the fact that I didn't like the courses in America contributed to my average play in America. I feel very comfortable here," said Campbell, whose mother and father watched his victory.

　　Bjorn refused to comment on Sunday, exactly a week after he blew a late two-shot lead at the British Open to finish behind American Ben Curtis. Earlier in the week, he said that winning the Irish Open wouldn't have made up for the disappointment at Royal St George's.

　　Campbell was asked if he had sympathy for Bjorn.

　　"Not today, because I was out there to win," he said. "But last week I felt sorry for him. It's amazing when you see a friend going for his first major. I felt sick inside watching the last nine holes.

　　"The best thing he did this week was play. If he had been at home he would have had too much time to think about things."

　　Hedblom made his charge with a second straight four-under-par round.

　　He birdied three straight holes from the 14th, then parred the final hole from 25 feet to make it to the playoff.

　　Hedblom lost for the second time this year in a playoff. Kenneth Ferrie beat him and Ireland's Peter Lawrie at the Spanish Open in Tenerife.