BARRY golfer Stephen Dodd put in his greatest performance last weekend to finish second in the star-studded Dubai Desert Classic.

Ernie Els just pipped the 38-year-old Barry man to the title with a superb eagle on the 18th hole.

Dodd came within one shot of a play-off as the final round ended dramatically with Els sinking an 18foot putt.

The performance comes on the back of Dodd's victory in the Volvo China Open last November, his first European tour title.

The second-place finish earned Dodd close to 100,000 in prize money and moved him up to sixth in the Volvo Order of Merit.

Dodd said: "I'm quite surprised I scored so well. I played quite poorly in the third round, but you just get these days and I holed a lot of nice putts."

Dodd, British amateur champion in 1989, is still only 184th in the world rankings.

He beat his playing partner Colin Montgomerie by two shots and it was almost enough to give him victory.

On the last three greens Dodd sank putts from seven, 12 and seven feet.

It was the third time that Els had won the title following victories in 1994 and 2002.