Noboru Sugai from Japan has won the Senior British Open at Royal County Down.

The Japanese player had taken a six-shot lead into Sunday's final round.

However, that had been whittled down to two strokes by the time the final group came to the final hole.

Despite finding a fairway bunker on the 18th, Sugai, who had led from day one, held on to win from John Irwin of the United States.

Irwin carded a fine one-under-par 70 on a wet final day at the famous seaside course in Newcastle.

Two-times winner of the event Christy O'Connor also returned a final-day 70 and finished in third place.

"It is unbelievable for me to win such a major championship," said the 52-year-old Sugai.

"I was very nervous but fought all the way."

Final scores

281 N Sugai (Jpn) 67 67 73 74; 283 J Irwin (Can) 71 68 74 70; 286 C O'Connor Jnr 73 70 73 70; 287 J Chillas 69 69 77 72; 289 B Vivian (Nzl) 71 72 78 68, S Ebihara (Jpn) 72 71 77 69, K Takahashi (Jpn) 71 69 77 72; 290 J McTear 71 78 71 70, N Job 76 67 75 72; 291 J Bland (Rsa) 71 70 73 77.

292 M Miller 74 72 74 72; 293 J Morgan 72 70 77 74, D Oakley (USA) 76 68 74 75; 294 B Charles (Nzl) 73 72 77 72, M Bembridge 72 73 76 73, P Diniz (Bra) 74 72 74 74, T Watson (USA) 70 69 76 79; 295 K MacDonald 74 70 79 72, N Coles 74 70 78 73, M Gregson 72 71 77 75; 296 M Foster 71 77 78 70, R Metherell (Aus) 75 69 76 76, D Huish 76 70 74 76.

297 R Weir 68 72 79 78; 298 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 77 71 81 69, D Durnian 73 72 81 72, B Verwey (Rsa) 72 71 82 73, A Croce (Ita) 76 70 78 74, D O'Sullivan 77 72 75 74, B Brask (USA) 76 72 75 75; 299 I Stanley (Aus) 75 71 79 74, B Feil (USA) 73 73 79 74, J Bruner (USA) 73 72 78 76; 300 P Ward 76 71 80 73, W McDonald (Can) 75 73 78 80, D Creamer 76 74 77 73, B Jones (Aus) 72 73 77 78.

301 P Kerr 69 77 84 71, T Horton 74 74 79 74, R Carrasco (USA) 71 76 79 75; 302 J Mashego (Rsa) 79 71 82 72, I Mosey 74 75 79 74, G Parlsow (Aus) 72 78 77 75; 303 I Richardson 77 73 79 74, J Grace (USA) 72 72 84 75, B Smith (Aus) 77 70 81 75, W Milne 76 74 77 76, J Fourie (Rsa) 72 74 79 78; 304 T Allen 70 73 88 73, B Shearer (Aus) 76 73 76 79, D Halldorson (Can) 71 75 76 82.

305 A Pierse 80 69 78 78; 307 S Stull (USA) 81 70 83 73; 308 J McDermott 75 76 82 75, V Garcia (Spa) 75 74 83 76, M Edmunds 76 73 79 80, M Steadman 77 73 78 80; 309 S Locatelli (Ita) 75 74 82 78, J Traub (USA) 73 73 84 79; 312 G MacDonald (Can) 76 75 79 82; 319 G Parkhill 80 71 83 85; Disq: M Ferguson (Aus).