Bangkok: Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Johnnie Walker Classic on Sunday after a last-round head-to-head struggle with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn.

Jimenez carded a final day four-under par-68 on the Alpine Golf and Sports Club course to deny Bjorn, who shared second place with India’s Jyoti Randhawa.

Randhawa secured his share of second place with a closing eight-under that included two eagles and five birdies.

Bjorn led for the opening three rounds and remained level with Jimenez until the final few holes when the Dane twice found water with his drives. He took a bogey at each hole.

The Spaniard’s two-shot victory at 17-under put him firmly in the running for a spot on this year’s European Ryder Cup team.

The win was Jimenez’s 11th worldwide and his second European Tour victory in six starts, close on the heels of his 2003 Mallorca Classic success last October.

Jimenez is also the first Spaniard to win the Johnnie Walker Classic in the 12-year history of the tri-sanctioned Asian, European and Australasian Tour event.

Meanwhile, American Shaun Micheel, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, New Zealand’s David Smail, Briton Simon Yates and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, shared fourth place on 14-under.