CELTIC Manor Wales Open bound Dane Thomas Bjorn returned to winning ways yesterday, two years on from his heartbreaking capitulation in The Open at Sandwich.

Bjorn won the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters at the Forest of Arden, dramatically holding his nerve during a three-way play-off with England's Brian Davis and David Howell.

It was the sweetest of victories for Bjorn who, until yesterday, had failed to recover from his shattering Sandwich reversal when he lost out to rookie Ben Curtis after leading by three strokes with four holes to play.

After a dramatic final day, Davis bowed out of the play-off after making bogey on the 18th, and when Bjorn and Howell played it again, Howell failed to get up and down after finding the sand.

Bjorn held his nerve with two pars to claim the £283,330 winning purse after all three players had ended four rounds on six under par, one ahead of Saturday night leader Michael Campbell. And on the eve of the Wales Open, Bjorn admitted his return to winning ways could not have come at a better time.

He explained: "There have been some tough times and this is important for me.

"I've learned a lot about myself and have been very hard on myself, but I had a wonderful attitude this week and took the good and bad with a smile.

"I have had some tough times but this was my sweetest win.

"Some of my biggest letdowns have come on British soil (he lost to Ernie Els in the final of the HSBC world matchplay in 2003 with £1million up for grabs) and it's great to do something right."

Colin Montgomerie, also Wales Open bound, and Blackwood's rejuvenated Bradley Dredge finished tied for 24th on two over par while 2006 Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam finished one stroke better in joint 21st on one over par.

The top Welshman was Stephen Dodd, who finished tied for 11th thanks to a sparkling final round of 65.