HSBC CHAMPIONS LOG DAY 5: Hour-by-hour how the drama unfolded

SERGIO GARCIA is the new HSBC Champions champion. The Spanish star beat all-day leader Oliver Wilson of England at the second hole of a dramatic title play-off after both had finished 14-under for the tournament at Sheshan, Shanghai.

It was heartbreak for Wilson, the young Englishman who has played the Ryder Cup, but never won a tournament. He must wait on for that honour, whilst Garcia becomes the new Number two in the world ranking.

When the delayed Round 3 was completed on Sunday morning, Wilson had threaded his way through the pack to edge into the lead ahead of an ominously strong following group including Geoff Ogilvy, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Adam Scott.

It was always going to be a serious test of nerve for Wilson, especially playing alongside wily old campaigners Mickelson and Ogilvy, who certainly play hard. But he survived the pressure all day and and looked well set when he led going to the last - until Garcia landed a dramatic birdie putt on 18 while Wilson was waiting to tee-off there.

It meant a sudden-death play-off - appropriately between two European Tour players in the first event of the "2009 European Tour" - The Race to Dubai.

So here we go with our final matchday log. The Log is again split into segments, and this is how the whole dramatic final day unfolded, from first to last. Read to the end for the play-off...

HOUR 1) 07.30 TO 08.30: So it's Oliver Wilson in pole position as they enter the home straight. They start promptly at 7.30 - and immediately defending champ Phil Mickelson lets his intentions be known.

Starting from the third, the Wilson-Mickelson-Ogilvy group soon took shape, with Wilson's lead disappearing by the fifth. Mickelson, who started 10-under, birdied the third to Wilson's par, then parred the fourth - against the odds - while Wilson took bogey.

So inside three holes this morning, Mickelson has wiped out a two-stroke deficit. There was a vivid illustration of Wilson's task at the fifth, where he and Mickelson both found the rough off the tee, but it was the American who scrambled it better. He made his par, while Wilson could not sink it in regulation.

Now the leaderboard has a two-way split between the six contenders. Wilson, Mickelson and Ogilvy on 11-under, Garcia, Stenson and Scott on 9-under.

Just off the radar, Prayad Marksaeng, the leading Asian contender all week, is still playing extremely steady golf. He's sharing seventh place with Sweden's Peter Hanson on 8-under. The only other man with a faint chance is England's Paul Casey at 7-under having played seven which includes two birdies and two bogeys.

Much more consistent, but leaving his charge just too late, the leading Chinese player, Lin Wen-tang has had five birdies in his 12 holes so far, which is good enough for him to lead a bunch of players at 6-under.

HOUR 2) 08.30 to 09.30: The tension is showing all around now. Geoff Ogilvy drops a shot at the short sixth where he finds water - and there's more drama at the seventh, where Phil Mickelson's strong start has a first hiccup.

Wayward off the tee, he survived with only a bogey for damage after a brilliant recovery shot to the green for a single putt.

That dropped him back to 10-under but Wilson was not clear, because up ahead, Sergio Garcia is on the move. He birdies seven, then repeats the trick at eight to join Wilson on 11-under.

Henrik Stenson is determined to have a say as well. He birdies eight to make his first move of the day - so now it's Mickelson, Ogilvy, Stenson all 10-under. Sweden's Peter Hanson is now within two of the lead. His third birdie of the round puts him 9-under after nine.

Wilson needs to show the big guys that he can cope with the pressure - and he does just that with a birdie at the par-5 eighth. Now he's back in the lead... or is he? Moments later another birdie by Garcia means he and Wilson remain locked together, now on 12-under.

Now it's Mickelson, Ogilvy and Stenson 10-under and Hanson on 9-under. Adam Scott slips back into the nearly-men at 7-under, along with Paul Casey, Prayad Marksaeng, Peter Lawrie and Charl Schwartzel.

Wilson sets himself a wonderful chance to birdie nine, but hashes the short putt and the other contenders breath again. Garcia had reached the turn with three straight birdies, and his attempt at another at 10 only missed by a whisker.

HOUR 3) 09.30 to 10.30: So the leaders are through the turn, and even though the crowds are not so vast as yesterday, there are plenty of people taking advantage of free entry to cheer them on.

The group of six who started the day out front thought it was between them to fight for the title - but now there's a slight change among the contenders. Adam Scott has slipped back into the pack, to be replaced by Peter Hanson. A jumbo putt at 12 puts him in the frame at 10-under to join Mickelson and Stenson.

It's a great time for Swedish golf. Robert Karlsson became the new European champion last weekend... Henrik Stenson led the first two rounds here and is still in the shake-up... and now Hanson steps into the scene. With Stenson and Hanson on the leaderboard and Karlsson battling along in 11th place 6-under, it's a good job it's not a team World Cup!

We always try to include readers' views in our daily log - and here's one from Rudy Yniguez, following the tournament in the USA. He asked us about TV times in the States for the final round and added... "It's a great tournament - the European Tour rules!" Well they've certainly put on a show here - and could even have a winner because there's now only Mickelson and Ogilvy of the non-Euro players in the top seven.

Hanson's magic continues with a chip in for eagle at the par-4 - now's tied for the lead with Oliver Wilson, Geoff Ogilvy and Sergio Garcia at 12-under. Then it's Stenson and Mickelson on 10-under - and keep an eye out for Paul Casey at 9-under after 12 with plenty of birdie chances ahead.

There's an early end to the day for those who were first out in the fourth round last night. Camilo Villegas, now a full member of the European Tour, ends a moderate week with a 67 to end on 3-under. His playing partners also ended a relatively disappointing personal tournament with ecent scores - Trevor Immelman ends with a 69 for 1-under, Mikael Lundberg with a 68 for 2-under.

Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen and Lin Wen-tang keep a tidy group, each home in 69 each 4-under apart from Kaymer at three. Darren Clarke's week ends with a 79 - he's broken 300 by one at 11-over.

Meanwhile, back in the front-end action some hard-luck stories. Both Garcia and Hanson see birdie putts elude them in frustrating fashion. Garcia's long putt at 13 crept up to the edge of the hole and refused to drop as it sneaked an inch past. Hanson's at 14 cruelly lipped out.

HOUR 4) 10.30 to 11.30: What a fantastic finish in prospect! The final group has five holes to play, and any one of seven players could still win!

There's a top three of Oliver Wilson, Sergio Garcia and this morning's party-crasher, Peter Hanson, all 12-under. Then come Henrik Stenson and Geoff Ogilvy, both 11-under after Ogilvy  dropped a vital shot at the unlucky 13th. Oh yes... then there's a certain Mr Mickelson, sitting at 10-under with Charl Schwartzel.

And as if right on cue for the climax, the sun appears at Sheshan for the first time since yesterday morning. If this is in your time zone - or even if it's not, don't go away for the next hour or so!

The dramatic action is moving by the minute now. Hanson birdies 16 and takes the lead on 13-under. Moments later Garcia birdies 14 to join him in the lead - then moments after that Wilson hits back with a birdie at 14. The lead situation has changed three times in as many minutes!

There was a play-off for the title last year, which Phil Mickelson won. It looks as though there could be a play-off again - but will Mickelson be involved? He has a deficit of three strokes now with only four to play.

Now it looks certain he won't figure at the final curtain - a double-bogey six at the 15th is surely the end of the glory road for the defending champion. He found the woods off the tee, hacked it out only inches and ended dropping back to 9-under.

But don't forget Henrik Stenson. In the top six from the very start, he's just a stroke off the pace again after a birdie at 16.

Hanson's now the clubhouse leader. His round ends at 13-under with a 66 today - a terrific effort. Now all he can do is sit at the 18th and wait for the others to come through.

The end is in sight - and it's Wilson who makes the move with a tricky curling birdie putt at the 16th. Two to play and he leads by one from Hanson who has finished and Garcia who is playing the 18th.

HOUR 5) 11.30 to 12.00: OK - this is it! Oliver Wilson is 14-under about to play the last, one stroke up on Peter Hanson, who has finished, and Sergio Garcia who is playing 18. Geoff Ogilvy is 12-under about to play 18, Henrik Stenson 11-under playing 18.

Those are the only contenders now. Charl Schwartzel finishes 10-under, and Prayad Marksaeng 9-under - a good week's work for two of the less-fancied contenders.

Wilson, who has never won a tournament, but has finished second seven times, is one decent hole from breaking his win-less hoodoo.

He's in the light rough of the tee - but watch out because up on the green Garcia has a decent putt for birdie. Peter Hanson is taking no chances about a possible play-off - he is straight out on the practice ground keeping warm.

Phil Mickelson's round was wrecked by a double-bogey at the 15th - the champ will have to hand back his trophy, but who will it be to?

It won't be Hanson now, because Garcia has sunk a 6ft birdie on the last. He's in at 14-under and now the pressure really is on Wilson, the only man who can stop the Spaniard stealing the title in such dramatic style.

Mickelson ends 9-under, Stenson 11-under, Ogilvy, with a birdie at the last, 13-under. But still drama to come on the 18th green where Wilson left his lay-up only on the fringe of the putting surface. His first putt sailed past the hole by 10ft leaving a horrible pressure putt to save even a play-off place.

The English youngster kept his nerve on the most important putt of his life - perhaps with more to come yet today ! - and the ball dropped into the hole.

The play-off will be up and down the 18th for as many times as necessary.

THE PLAY-OFF: 12.00 to 12.45 LOCAL TIME (GMT +8): Oliver Wilson, leader for 17 holes, versus Sergio Garcia, who stole the title from the Englishman's grasp with a birdie at the 18th. It's a par-5 hole, 538-yards, and that's where the play-off will be until there's a winner.

And suddenly it's Garcia in the stronger position. Wilson's first drive went in the rough - as his previous one had 20 minutes earlier in regulation play. Garcia, in contrast, hit the perfect tee-shot at the perfect moment.

Wilson can only choose the safest route possible - because there's water guarding the green. Garcia must choose whether to take the bold route and go for the green in two.

Garcia has time to make his option because Wilson must play first - and while he's done well to get it out of the rough it's not quite the angle he would have chosen. Garcia plays it safe - same distance away. It's a pitch and putt contest now!

Garcia first and he's left it 18ft short of the hole. Then Wilson - same line and a maybe crucial six feet closer. Garcia's putt has a wicked curl, is the right length, but just a fraction off line. He closes out for a par-5.

Now Wilson can take all the time in the world if he wants over a putt for his first-ever title. It's 12ft, and Garcia has given him the line - which has a serious swing.

Wilson follows the line well enough, but it's an agonising six inches short. They've both taken par, and it's back down to the 18th tee.

Garcia perfect again - Wilson in trouble again, narrowly missing the water over which the drive must go. Garcia plays safe again to short of the green - Wilson rescues his chances by leaving himself the chance of a decent approach chance. It's another pitch and putt contest, just as the first play-off hole had been.

Wilson first - and he's landed it on the same line just a couple of feet closer than he had been on the previous attempt. Garcia's goes past the flag to the back edge of the green.

Wilson has the same read as before, gives it a better chance but it slides by the edge. Now Sergio for it... slowly, slowly, slowly to the edge of the cup. Will it drop? Yes!

SERGIO GARCIA IS THE 2008 HSBC CHAMPIONS WINNER!