Tom Watson was in sparkling form on Sunday

A six-under-par 64 left Watson two behind Mason with the Englishman going up the last.

But a double-bogey six left Mason with a 67 to drop back to 17 under par for the tournament, level with Watson.

That meant a sudden-death play off down the final hole and after two fours at the first time of asking, Watson got down in four with Mason already having played four shots on the second play-off hole.

That gave the golfing legend the �157,800 first prize at the course where he famously beat Jack Nicklaus by one shot to win the 1977 Open Championship, dubbed the "duel in the sun".

FINAL LEADERBOARD (GB&Ire unless stated) -17 T Watson (US) -17 C Mason -16 B Summerhays (US) -16 T Kite (US)

"I consider it a great honour to win this Championship, particularly at Turnberry where Jack and I fought out that great battle all that time ago," said Watson afterwards.

"To be honest, I thought I had lost it. Carl played so great all week, I thought he would finish the job. But he didn't. That's golf, I suppose. It has happened to us all at one time or another."

Mason's consolation was a second place cheque for �105,800 that takes his earnings from three Seniors Tour starts to �142,062, allowing him to jump to first place on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.

"I don't know what to say. I'm gutted," he admitted.

"I'm proud of the way I played but to get that close and then miss out is extremely disppointing, to say the least."

Bruce Summerhays carded a 65 to finish in third place with a 16 under total of 264 and Tom Kite finished fourth at 14 under after a 67.