MUNICH, Germany -- Nick Dougherty shot a final-round 64 to win the BMW International Open by one stroke on Sunday, although he was nearly upstaged by one of the most rare shots in golf.

The 27-year-old Englishman finished at 22-under 266, and wound up holding off Rafa Echenique after the Argentine produced a double eagle -- a 2 on a par-5 hole -- on the 18th hole to complete his 10-under 62.

"I have been playing well recently, but things have often seemed to be going against me," Dougherty said. "I thought my time had come, but then within a minute the news came through from the 18th green and I thought, 'Oh no, not again."'

Third-round leader Retief Goosen of South Africa finished third, four strokes behind Dougherty, after a final-round 71 at the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (65), Felipe Aguilar (66), Grame Storm (67) and David Drysdale (69) finished another shot back at 17-under 271.

Dougherty looked as though he would win easily when he made his ninth birdie of the day at the 15th to take a four-shot lead over the rest of the field. But that advantage lasted only a moment, because about half a mile away a large German crowd that had gathered around the 18th green witnessed Echenique's remarkable shot.

Echenique, ranked 157th in Europe this year and struggling to win enough money to keep his tour card, holed a 3-iron from 243 yards out for the double eagle that took him to 21 under and instantly turned the pressure back on Dougherty.

He kept his nerve, making par on each of the last three holes, and tapped in on the final green to add to his previous victories at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2007 and the Caltex Masters in 2005.

Dougherty began the final round three shots behind Goosen and one back of local hero Bernhard Langer, two players with a combined four major titles during their careers.

Dougherty apparently wasn't impressed. He birdied his first three holes and remained at the top of the leaderboard the rest of the round.

Langer, who will be 52 in August, saw his bid to become the oldest winner on the European Tour fizzle as he settled for a share of ninth place after shooting 72.

With the victory, Dougherty also earned a spot in the British Open off a mini-Order of Merit that has been running since the Italian Open at the start of last month.

"I want to say thank you to all the people who have helped me through some tough times," Dougherty said. "I have a great team around me and it's great to be back where I feel I belong."

Three behind at the start of the round, Dougherty kicked off with three straight birdies to draw level and after five holes was two in front.

Goosen did come back to sneak in front with a fine eagle on the long ninth, but Dougherty was back on terms with a birdie there and was never caught from the moment he began the back nine with a birdie to the two-time U.S. Open champion's bogey.

Further birdies came at the 13th and 14th and from over the back of the next green he made a 20-footer for another -- the one that proved the decisive blow in the end.

Rory McIlroy threatened to become part of the title battle when he had an eagle and three birdies around the turn to be up to fourth only three shots behind, but the 20-year-old slipped back to 15th.

European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie completed a full year without a single top-10 finish with a 76 that dropped him to joint 66th of the 71 players. This coming week, however, he will return to the French Open, where he was runner-up to Spanish qualifier Pablo Larrazabal.

At least he left Germany with one good memory. His third round included an ace on the short eighth, thereby extending his own Tour record number of holes-in-one to nine.

Two British Open spots were up for grabs this week, and Sweden's Johan Edfors grabbed the other one.

European Open champion Christian Cevaer, who began the week in second place in the mini-Order of Merit, missed the cut and was pushed out by Dougherty. There are also British Open places available at the upcoming French and Scottish Opens, however.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press and PA Sport. All rights reserved.