India's Arjun Atwal won a playoff to clinch his second Malaysian title after also winning in 2003 [AFP]

Atwal, the 2003 Malaysian champion, surged up the leaderboard with a final round of eight-under-par 64 to finish on 18-under 270 for the tournament.
 
Hedblom, the overnight leader, missed a chance to win the tournament outright when his birdie putt on the 18th hung on the lip of the hole, leaving him with a final round score of one-under 71.

Atwal, 34, needed only a par at the par-three second extra hole to win the first prize of $340,000 after his rival three-putted.

"It is an amazing feeling," Atwal told reporters.

"I don't know how to put it into words. To come here and win this title twice now is incredible.

Both players struggled to par the first playoff hole, the par-five 18th, after Atwal found a bunker with his second shot and Hedblom drove into the water.

"It was a good defence," said Hedblom.

"You are never happy when you lose and I thought I had a good chance to win.

"I am proud of myself for the way I defended my title and the putts I holed coming in."

Other scores

Briton Simon Dyson carded a three-under 69 on the final day to share third place with Australian Kane Webber (65) on 271, with Italian Francesco Molinari a lone fifth on 272 after his final round 65.

South African Charl Schwartzel, Indian Jyoti Randhawa, Argentine Daniel Vancsik and Briton David Lynn tied for sixth on 15-under 273.

Ryder Cup player Darren Clarke, who moved into contention on Saturday with a 67, settled for joint 10th place with Sweden's Johan Edfors after closing with two-under 70 for 274.

The $2 million Malaysian Open is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

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