KUALA LUMPUR - TAIWANESE golf veteran Lu Chien-soon has topped a dramatic return to professional golf on Saturday by winning the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia.

Lu, 50, beat Antonio Lascuna on the second extra hole to win at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

He should have won on the first play-off hole but missed a four foot downhill putt.

The victory is the continuation of a remarkable comeback by Lu who only started playing again this year after an eight year lay-off caused by back problems.

'I really felt I was going to win this tournament during the third round. I felt very confident even in the play-off. I am really happy,' said Lu.

Lu held a one shot lead at the start of the day but slipped back with bogeys on two, four and five. He was two strokes behind Lascuna at the turn but rallied with birdies on 13, 17 and 18. Lascuna also birdied the last.

Lu closed with a final round of one-under-par 71 for a four-round aggregate of 11-under-par 277.

Lascuna, from the Philippines, came in with a 69 for his second runner-up finish of the year on the Mercedes-Benz Tour. -- AFP