Fitzpatrick retains European Masters title in play-off

After missing out on selection for Europe's Ryder Cup team Matt Fitzpatrick successfully defended the European Masters title.

Matthew Fitzpatrick and his caddy Alastair Matheson celebrate with the trophy after winning The Omega European Masters.

Matt Fitzpatrick won the European Masters for a second successive year after overcoming Lucas Bjerregaard in a play-off on Sunday.

Overnight leader Fitzpatrick picked up a birdie on the 18th to draw level with Bjerregaard, who had produced a brilliant seven-under round to rise to the top of the leaderboard.

But after joining the Dane on 17 under for the tournament, Fitzpatrick - who held a two-shot lead at the start of the day - produced another birdie as the players replayed the last hole, snatching the victory from Bjerregaard.

The 24-year-old became the first player since Seve Ballesteros to win the event in back-to-back years, with the Spaniard having triumphed in 1977 and 1978.

Fitzpatrick's win - his first of 2018 and the fifth European Tour title of his career - also sends a message to Europe Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn after he was overlooked for a wildcard last week.

Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera found water at the last when needing a birdie to get a share of the lead, the resulting bogey meaning he finished two shots adrift of Fitzpatrick and Bjerregaard.

Nacho Elvira was a distant fourth on 12 under, Daniel Brooks was a further shot back in fifth while Hideto Tanihara and Wu Ashun tied for sixth.