Matteo Manassero, The Italian, just 17 years of age, had led the tournament after the first day but was eventually overhauled by Miguel Angel Jimenez and Edoardo Molinari.

He took the title at an event he has played 22 consecutive times by a seemingly-comfortable margin of three shots.

However, it was not all plain sailing for the Spaniard as his title charge was almost derailed on the back nine.

Having built up a lead of six shots over nearest challenger Edoardo Molinari with seven holes to play, Jimenez got into all sorts of trouble on the 14th.

After hitting his Srixon Z-Star golf ball into a bunker from the tee, the world number 38 then failed to find the green with his third shot and missed his putt for par.

This left the door ajar for Molinari, who duly responded with a birdie at 14 and an eagle at 15.

Allayed with a Molinari birdie at 12, this brought the gap down to one and Jimenez's third European Tour title of the year was in serious doubt.

However Molinari, himself seeking to secure his third European Tour crown of 2010, undid much of his hard work by bogeying the 16th.

A Jimenez birdie at 17 then helped him re-establish a three-shot lead which he maintained to the finish.

"That was a lot of misses and Edoardo hit two superb shots to two feet at the [14th and] 15th where I struggled just to make par," Jimenez said.

"But it feels good to win after so many visits to these mountains where not only had I finished second twice but also been in contention many times. So I really wanted to come here and win this tournament."

Meanwhile, Matteo Manassero's third place helped him clinch a European Tour card for 2011.

Playing just his sixth European Tour event since turning professional in May, Manassero picked up a pay cheque for ?125,200 at the Omega European Masters to take him over the qualifying threshold.

The Italian, just 17 years of age, had led the tournament after the first day but was eventually overhauled by Jimenez and Molinari.

Nevertheless, he was more than pleased with his week's work.

"I should now be a full member for the first time on Tour and that was my goal," the Titleist AP2 irons player told the European Tour website.

"I will play my first full season next year. I have opened up many doors that I wanted to open but didn't think I would open them so quickly."

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[Formerly Italy at St Louis]