Maiden in Portrush for Donaldson

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Jamie Donaldson ended his long wait for a first European Tour title as he shot a final round of 66 to win the Irish Open by four shots.

Despite no fewer than 32 top-10 finishes in his career, the Welshman had never previously managed a victory in 255 Tour starts heading into this week's event.

But he finally opened his account at Royal Portrush, holding his nerve in impressive style down the stretch as he closed out what was, ultimately, a convincing triumph.

Donaldson, the only man in the field to shoot four sub-70 rounds, birdied his last two holes to finish on 18-under-par, four clear of playing partner Anthony Wall, Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay and Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello who shared second place.

Donaldson's brilliant closing 66 was only one off the low round of the week and after securing victory he told Sky Sports: "I'm buzzing and I'm so happy to have won on this course - I don't think we have played a better one on the European Tour."

Reminded of his long wait to break through, he added: "It's just been a case of keeping going. I knew that what I was doing was right. It feels a bit surreal to be honest. I don't think it will sink in till later."

The week also contained his first hole-in-one on the circuit and it began with him shooting 62 at Sunningdale to qualify for The Open at Royal Lytham in just over a fortnight.

Early on it was Sweden's Mikael Lundberg (65) who threatened most to grab the title away from overnight leader Donaldson.

From six back he covered the first 10 holes in a spectacular eight under and led by two, but he could not keep it going on the back nine and bogeys at the 16th and 18th meant he eventually finished joint-fifth alongside England's Mark Foster.

With the local "Big Three" of Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke finishing 10th, 16th and 39th respectively the main Irish hope was 2007 winner Padraig Harrington - he was only two behind when he teed off, but a disappointing 70 dropped him to joint seventh.

Donaldson chose not to look at leaderboards all day and it was only once he had reached the final tee that he asked caddie Mick Donaghy - new on the bag this week - for the position.

The news was good. He was two ahead and that became four when Wall, bunkered off his drive, bogeyed and Donaldson put the icing on the cake with his long birdie putt on the final green.

He had earlier had three in a row from the second, then came back from a bogey at the short 11th with three in the next four holes and after dropping a shot at the 16th - he was the one in sand there - he closed with two more.

Wall's bogey at the last was disappointing, but to be in a tie for second was remarkable given that he had gone out of bounds and taken a triple-bogey eight at the second.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and South African Richard Sterne - who finished 18th and 44th respectively - clinched two places in the Open Championship after topping a mini-money list that had been running on the European Tour.