Karlsson claimed his second European Tour victory in succession at St Andrews on Sunday, making a birdie on the hole of a sudden death play-off to win the Dunhill Links Championship from Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher after the trio had finished tied on 10 under par.

The £432,000 first prize took the Swede to a sesason's total of £112,980 ahead of Harrington on the Order of Merit list with just four events remaining.

Karlsson, who won the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Germany the week before the Ryder Cup, plans to play one more event before the season-ending Volvo Masters, but Harrington will only compete at Valderrama.

But even if he goes on to win the Harry Vardon Trophy for the first time, Karlsson concedes that Harrington's victories this year in the Open Championship and US PGA Championship mean he will be the true European number one.

"I still rate Padraig's year higher than mine," Karlsson said with sensible modesty.

"If you've won two majors there's no doubt who is the best player this year."

Until his victory in Cologne, Karlsson had gone two years without a victory but qualified for his second Ryder Cup on the back of nine top-10 finishes this season - including eighth in the US Masters, fourth in the US Open and seventh in the Open.

"I felt at ease today after getting that win under my belt and felt very comfortable going out there in the play-off," said the 39-year-old.

"I've birdied that hole three times in a row now and I just fancied my chances when I got that yardage.

"It's a relaxing event and you just want to go out there and have fun and enjoy it, although I wouldn't have said that yesterday. I was a bad boy a couple of times during my 76 at Carnoustie!"

On a day of low scoring in benign conditions on the Old Course, Karlsson and Fisher lit up the final day and set the clubhouse target after matching rounds of 65.

Kaymer held a one-shot lead on the 17th tee but bogeyed the famous Road Hole after coming up short of the green, and then missed a birdie putt for the title from eight feet on the 18th.

And if that wasn't enough, the 23-year-old German then also missed from 12ft for birdie on the first extra hole - after Fisher's hopes disappeared when he drove into the Swilcan Burn - and had to watch with some disappointment as Karlsson made no mistake with his birdie attempt after a superb approach to three feet.

"It's disappointing, especially after having chances on the last two holes to win, but overall it was a really good week for me," said Kaymer, who has won twice this season, including on home soil just two weeks after his mother died of cancer.

"It has been a very special week to play with my brother and father in the team event."

Harrington began the day just two off the lead, but could only manage a closing 71 and again pointed to fatigue as the reason behind his sub-par recent performances.

The 37-year-old, who won just half a point for the second Ryder Cup in succession at Valhalla, said: "It's hard to get away with it on a Sunday when you are not prepared right. I know myself I'm not on top of my game.

"I'll have a battle on my hands for the Order of Merit for sure. It's in Robert's hands now."

From Phil Casey of PA

ALL THE FINAL ROUND SCORES
(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

278 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 67 70 76 65, Ross Fisher 64 76 73 65, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 65 72 73 68 (Karlsson won at the first play-off hole).

280 Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 66 72 72 70

281 Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 70 68 73 70, Anthony Wall 66 76 71 68, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 67 71 75 68

282 Paul Casey 72 70 72 68, Rory McIlroy 68 69 78 67, Soren Hansen (Den) 64 73 77 68, Jamie Donaldson 70 70 75 67, Lee Westwood 68 70 76 68

283 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 72 73 72 66, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 66 74 76 67, Marc Warren 66 73 75 69, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 72 75 68, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 68 70 77 68, Padraig Harrington 67 71 74 71

284 Nick Dougherty 74 71 74 65, Markus Brier (Aut) 66 70 76 72, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 66 74 76 68, John Bickerton 71 72 70 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 71 72 72

285 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 71 75 72 67, Charley Hoffman (USA) 69 72 75 69, Damien McGrane 71 74 73 67, Stephen Gallacher 70 76 74 65, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 69 71 77 68, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 66 77 71 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 68 70 77 70

286 Gary Orr 66 72 77 71, Graeme McDowell 68 75 75 68, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 72 77 67, Peter Fowler (Aus) 68 76 77 65, Miles Tunnicliff 68 74 77 67

287 James Kingston (Rsa) 72 75 72 68, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 73 76 68, Peter Lawrie 70 71 73 73, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 68 73 75 71

288 Garry Houston 69 74 75 70, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 72 74 73 69, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 68 76 73 71, Joost Luiten (Ned) 73 73 75 67, Oliver Wilson 69 76 75 68, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 71 76 71, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 68 74 76 70, Thomas Levet (Fra) 67 74 78 69

289 Alexander Noren (Swe) 73 73 73 70, Robert Dinwiddie 75 74 72 68, Darren Clarke 72 74 72 71, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 68 75 76 70

290 Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 73 75 73 69, Paul Broadhurst 76 69 75 70, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 69 74 73 74, Peter Hanson (Swe) 75 71 75 69, Carl Suneson (Spa) 69 73 78 70, Matthew Millar (Aus) 72 77 71 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 67 76 76 71, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 70 75 76 69

291 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68 75 78 70, David Howell 66 73 80 72, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70 73 76 72, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70 79 71 71, Bradley Dredge 71 73 77 70

292 Lee Slattery 68 75 77 72

293 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 68 76 75 74, Steve Webster 70 76 75 72, Justin Rose 71 74 74 74, Alastair Forsyth 70 77 74 72, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 70 75 76 72

294 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 72 75 73, Sam Little 72 77 72 73