Elvira dedicated his victory to Spanish golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, who was murdered in 2018.

Harding three-putted the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, to gift victory to Elvira, who had earlier made the same mistake when a closing par would have secured the title at Celtic Manor.

"I thought I had it all pretty much under control and to be honest I got pretty nervous on the last couple of putts on the regular 18," Elvira told Sky Sports.

"I was more calm in the playoff than I was on 18."

Elvira finished the final round on with an even par 71 for a four-day total of 16-under 268.

Finland's Mikko Korhonen (66) and South Africa's Harding (65) had both played their first 15 holes of the final round in six-under par to share the lead with Elvira falling a shot behind after covering his first 14 holes in one over.

"To be honest I was thinking especially during the last nine or 10 holes about Celia Barquin, she passed away a few years ago. I was good friends with her family and this is for her." - Nacho Elvira.

The 34-year-old Spaniard then drove the green on the short par-four 15th to set up a straightforward birdie and holed from 20 feet for another on the 17th to retake the lead, only to three-putt the last from 18 feet.

Asked how his idol, the late Seve Ballesteros, and mentor Jose Maria Olazabal would be feeling, Elvira said: "They are probably putting their head in the ground after the last putt on 18 but I hope they are proud.

"I hope Seve, wherever he is, is proud and I hope Jose Maria is proud as well.

"To be honest I was thinking especially during the last nine or 10 holes about Celia Barquin, she passed away a few years ago," Elvira said.

"I was good friends with her family and this is for her."

Barquin, who won the European Ladies' Amateur Championship in 2018, was a student at Iowa State University when she was found dead on a course in the state in September that year.

Collin Richards pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in August 2019.

Korhonen finished a shot outside the playoff after a costly bogey on the 17th, with England's Callum Shinkwin (67) another stroke back in fourth and Masahiro Kawamura (67) of Japan rounding out the top five at 12-under.

Wade Ormsby was best of the six-strong Australian contingent with a four-under 67 giving him a share of 10th, eight shots off the pace.