Lee Westwood insisted he had never doubted his ability to win again after claiming his first European Tour title in almost four years in the Valle Romano Open de Andalucia.
Westwood survived a faltering finish to card a final-round 67 at Aloha Golf Club for a 20-under-par total of 268, two shots ahead of compatriot Phillip Archer (65) and Sweden's Fredrik Andersson (66).
The world number 63 looked set for an easy stroll to his 17th tour victory after racing to the turn in 31 and leading by five with just eight holes to play.
But three dropped shots in the next five holes, coupled with eagles on the 16th from Archer and Andersson, saw the Ryder Cup star's lead cut to just one shot.
The 34-year-old responded with a birdie on the 16th to edge two clear and eventually holed from 40ft for par on the 18th to ensure he took the winner's cheque for £113,612.
''It's great to win again, although it looked like it might be a lot easier than I made it in the end,'' admitted Westwood, who was seven off the pace after a first-round 72 before switching putters and playing the last 54 holes in 20 under.
''Winning was very important, it wouldn't have felt good coming off with second or third after getting in such a good position.
''I never really thought about going so long without a win. I've still been playing pretty well and I knew that winning is fickle, sometimes you just don't get across the line first.
''I won so often in the late 90s that if I had a spell where I didn't win, people were always going to highlight it and get on my case about it. But I was never going to get on my own case.''
Westwood began the day with a one-shot lead after a course record 64 in the second round and 65 on Friday, and looked home and dry after birdies at the first three holes.
Two more at the seventh and eighth took him out in 31, and when he birdied the 10th he was five clear and apparently cruising.
''Even then you start playing mind games,'' Westwood conceded. ''You start saying to yourself 'don't blow a big lead.'
''The mind is a complicated thing and I don't want to delve too deep into mine!''
He added: ''I want to be back where I was, in the top 10, and this is a step in the right direction.''
Archer's second place finish is the best of his European Tour career and the 35-year-old from Warrington said: ''I'm very pleased. I had a really solid week and the putter started to get a bit hotter. I thought Lee was miles away so I thought it was a fight for second but I hit a great shot out of the trees on 16 and my eagle went in just as they were putting Lee back to 19 under on the leaderboard."
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