Ryan Hietala defeated David Branshaw on the first extra hole of a sudden death playoff at the Nationwide Tour's Cox Classic at Champions Run in Omaha Sunday afternoon.

The two had tied at 19-under 265 to force the playoff, the fourth time the Cox Classic was decided in a playoff. Both players found the fairway at the extra hole. Branshaw hit a pitch from the rough to within five feet, but missed.

"David played fantastic and to see his five-footer miss. You never root against anybody, but I can't believe it," said Hietala, who hasn't had a Top 10 finish since his last victory at the 2005 Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

Hietala took the $126,000 top prize. His PGA and Nationwide Tour career earnings now total $492,704.

"There's no lead large enough," said Branshaw, who had a three-shot lead going into the day. "I just hate to lose. I don't know if it was a learning experience. I held back a lot and didn't take many chances."

Skip Kendall shot the low round of the day and his lowest of the year to finish in a tie for third with Garth Mulroy and Alex Prugh at 16-under. Six players tied for sixth at 15-under.

The golfers battered par all week and helped by the heat, the course battled back. Branshaw bogied 10, 11 and 12, missing his par putt to fall to minus-20.

Vance Veazey was behind a tree on the par 4, 15th hole. He got out, but it was still in the rough. Then he had to make a six-footer for double bogey to fall to minus-16.

After a great save on his approach at 17, Hietala had an eagle putt. He missed the eagle, but got the birdie to move to minus-19.

Branshaw's putt for par at 16 missed and suddenly he was tied for the lead. Hietala missed the green at 18, but his chip was close enough for a tap-in par and he was in the clubhouse at minus-19.

Branshaw had a chance to retake the lead at 17, but his birdie putt missed right. Then at 18, a bad drive for Branshaw, his approach ended up at the bottom of the green and his birdie putt to win was nine-feet short.

Branshaw made the par putt to finish at 19-under and tie Hietala, so it was on to a playoff.

Eighteenth hole again, Branshaw, over the green in two, had a nice chip back to within the five feet. Hietala's approach putt for birdie wound up a foot short, but he tapped it in for par.

Branshaw had to make his par putt, but he pulled it, giving Hietala the victory.

Final Round
Purse: $700,000
Yardage: 7,145; Par: 71
(x-won on first hole of playoff)

x-Ryan Hietala, $126,000 64-62-70-69--265
David Branshaw, $75,600 64-64-64-73--265
Skip Kendall, $36,400 66-70-68-64--268
Alex Prugh, $36,400 66-64-71-67--268
Garth Mulroy, $36,400 64-65-70-69--268
Ricky Barnes, $21,175 70-66-68-65--269
Jeff Klauk, $21,175 67-66-70-66--269
Casey Wittenberg, $21,175 69-67-66-67--269
Gary Christian, $21,175 66-70-65-68--269
Bill Lunde, $21,175 68-64-68-69--269
Vance Veazey, $21,175 64-66-65-74--269
David McKenzie, $13,300 65-67-73-65--270
Nick Malinowski, $13,300 71-64-69-66--270
Greg Chalmers, $13,300 69-65-69-67--270
Brendan Steele, $13,300 68-69-66-67--270
D.A. Points, $13,300 63-68-70-69--270
Greg Owen, $13,300 70-65-66-69--270
Mike Wendling, $7,964 67-70-69-65--271
Brendon De Jonge, $7,964 68-68-69-66--271
Blake Adams, $7,964 69-64-72-66--271
Hunter Haas, $7,964 69-69-67-66--271
Miguel Angel Carballo, $7,964 70-67-67-67--271
Bryce Molder, $7,964 66-66-71-68--271
Madalitso Muthiya, $7,964 69-67-67-68--271
Spencer Levin, $7,964 66-67-69-69--271
Chris Thompson, $7,964 66-72-64-69--271
Chris Anderson, $5,600 72-66-68-66--272
Fran Quinn, $4,680 68-68-71-66--273
Ryan Vermeer, $4,680 68-69-70-66--273
Brian Smock, $4,680 67-71-67-68--273
Jeremy Anderson, $4,680 68-67-69-69--273
Dave Schultz, $4,680 65-69-69-70--273
Scott Gutschewski, $4,680 68-68-67-70--273
Chris Parra, $4,680 67-68-67-71--273
Oskar Bergman, $3,920 68-69-72-65--274
Will Dodson, $3,920 70-67-70-67--274
Martin Ureta, $3,920 68-68-69-69--274
Steve Wheatcroft, $3,430 69-67-72-67--275
Lee Curry, $3,430 68-67-72-68--275
Marc Leishman, $3,430 68-68-68-71--275
Colt Knost, $3,430 65-67-67-76--275
Jon Turcott, $2,842 71-66-71-68--276
Anders Hultman, $2,842 70-68-70-68--276
Fabian Gomez, $2,842 68-66-72-70--276
Andy Bare, $2,842 69-65-70-72--276
Henrik Bjornstad, $2,842 69-66-68-73--276
Chris Kamin, $2,511 64-74-74-65--277
Charles Soule, $2,511 66-70-71-70--277
Matt Weibring, $2,511 68-69-70-70--277
Matt Hansen, $2,511 70-66-70-71--277
Aron Price, $2,345 70-67-73-68--278
Patrick Damron, $2,345 71-67-72-68--278
Daniel Summerhays, $2,345 70-66-73-69--278
Esteban Toledo, $2,345 67-69-72-70--278
Jarrod Lyle, $2,345 70-67-69-72--278
Bubba Dickerson, $2,188 69-68-74-68--279
Scott Parel, $2,188 70-67-74-68--279
Roger Tambellini, $2,188 69-69-71-70--279
Brian Guetz, $2,188 67-66-73-73--279
Peter Tomasulo, $2,100 69-68-73-70--280
Tee McCabe, $2,065 67-70-75-69--281
Shawn Wills, $2,013 66-69-78-75--288
Todd Fischer, $2,013 67-71-74-76--288