Barry Lane, playing his 499th European tour event and without a win on the circuit for 10 years, stormed to a three-stroke victory in the British Masters at the Forest of Arden.

And now the 43-year-old from Henley is in the running for a second Ryder Cup cap 11 years after his first.

Lane, who because of knee trouble was not even sure he could play until a few hours before he teed off last Thursday, produced a superb closing 66 to grab the £266,660 first prize.

"Outwardly I looked relaxed, but I don't think I was inside," said Lane, who began the final day one behind playing partner Paul Broadhurst.

This was his 252nd start since his last tour success, but thanks mainly to a chip-in eagle at the long seventh and a remarkable birdie on the 431-yard 16th, he cruised home in the end.

The last winner's cheque Lane held aloft was for a million dollars at the 1995 Andersen Consulting world matchplay championship in America, but although this was worth considerably less it meant just as much.

It also qualifies him for a crack at another million-dollar jackpot at the NEC world championship in Ohio in August.

Lane, who lost to Chip Beck in a vital Ryder Cup singles match from three ahead with five holes to play at The Belfry, stood on the 14th tee three clear again and when that was reduced to one a tight finish looked in prospect.

Especially when he drove into a horrid patch of rough down the 16th. The ball could hardly be seen even as he stood over it.

There was a pond in front of the green, but Lane thrashed at it, made the carry and as a real bonus sank a 25-foot birdie putt.

Another came on the long 17th thanks to a fine chip to three feet and it meant he could even afford to double bogey the last. There was never any danger of that - he found the green 200 yards away and two-putted.

Joint second were Argentina World Cup partners Angel Cabrera and Eduardo Romero, who therefore just missed out on becoming the oldest winner in European tour history.

The three-stroke margin, however, meant the 49-year-old did have cause to rue the two-shot penalty he received on Friday after his ball moved as he went to tap-in on the 14th green.

Swede Patrik Sjoland, the halfway leader, was fourth, while local man Broadhurst managed only a 72 and slipped back to joint fifth with pre-tournament favourite Darren Clarke, Dane Anders Hansen and Australian Nick O'Hern.

"I really enjoyed it. On Monday there was absolutely no way I was going to play, but the knee eased off, I had it strapped up, took some anti-inflammatory tablets and here I am.

"I went through a lot. I didn't play well for three years, didn't like travelling as much and lost my motivation, but I kept believing in myself.

"The key was the 16th. It was probably the worst lie I've ever seen and to get it on the green was unbelievable." The shot was less than 100 yards, but Lane felt there was no option but to hit it as hard as he could and see what happened.

"It was a pretty good birdie, I have to say."

Colin Montgomerie's 71 left him 16th and he declared himself pleased with that in his first event since his marriage break-up.

Collated final totals (Gbr and Ire unless stated, par 72)

(x) denotes amateur

272 Barry Lane 70 69 67 66 (£266,660)

275 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 68 70 67, Eduardo Romero (Arg) 67 68 71 69 (£138,965 each)

276 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 65 73 69 (£80,000)

277 Anders Hansen (Den) 69 71 72 65, Darren Clarke 70 73 69 65, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 69 68 72 68, Paul Broadhurst 69 70 66 72

278 Alastair Forsyth 70 70 69 69

279 Stephen Gallacher 69 68 74 68, Kenneth Ferrie 67 73 70 69

280 Paul Casey 72 70 69 69, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 67 72 71 70

281 Paul McGinley 70 72 70 69, Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 69 71 71 70

282 Miguel Angel Martin (Spa) 69 73 73 67, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 67 71 73 71, Colin Montgomerie 72 69 70 71, Ian Woosnam 70 70 70 72

283 Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 69 72 74 68, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 68 75 71 69, Ian Poulter 73 71 68 71, David Howell 66 73 71 73

284 Gary Evans 73 68 75 68, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 68 77 69, Graeme McDowell 73 68 73 70, Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 68 72 72 72, Martin Maritz (Rsa) 69 72 68 75

285 Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 71 72 74 68, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 75 67 74 69, Gary Orr 71 72 72 70, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 70 73 72, Terry Price (Aus) 70 72 68 75

286 Sandy Lyle 70 71 78 67, Thongchai Jaidee (Thai) 73 71 74 68, Sven Struver (Ger) 72 70 75 69, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 75 67 74 70, Richard Green (Aus) 72 70 73 71, Brian Davis 68 67 79 72, Santiago Luna (Spa) 70 68 75 73, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 68 72 72 74

287 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 73 71 74 69, David Lynn 72 71 74 70, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 70 75 71, Rob Rashell (USA) 72 71 73 71, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 70 73 73 71, Anthony Wall 70 69 74 74, Simon Wakefield 70 72 71 74, Lee Westwood 71 65 75 76

288 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 72 72 75 69, Cesar Monasterio (Arg) 69 73 75 71

289 Bradley Dredge 73 70 77 69, David Gilford 72 71 76 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 75 75 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 72 71 75 71, Christopher Hanell (Swe) 71 72 75 71, Stephen Dodd 71 72 74 72

290 Greg Owen 72 72 79 67, Steven O'Hara 73 71 78 68, Mark Roe 71 71 76 72, Henrik Bjornstad (Nor) 76 66 73 75

291 Paul Marantz (Aus) 69 75 75 72, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 74 70 74 73, David Carter 71 72 74 74

292 Peter Baker 72 72 75 73

293 Ivo Giner (Spa) 71 71 78 73

294 Raymond Russell 71 73 81 69, Jonathan Lomas 70 72 78 74, Daniel Gaunt (Aus) 72 71 75 76

295 Philip Golding 73 71 78 73, (x) Gary Wolstenholme 72 72 76 75, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 72 71 75 77

296 Damien McGrane 71 71 80 74, Mattias Nilsson (Swe) 72 72 78 74

301 Andrew Coltart 67 77 81 76