Kerry's David Higgins claimed the best result of his career on the European Tour as he finished joint runner-up to France's Julien Quesne at the Italian Open in Turin.

Higgins, 40, claimed just over €130,000 for finishing alongside England's Steve Webster at Golf Club Torino, with a birdie on the 18th helping him close with a 68 to finish on 11 under par.

Quesne claimed his second European Tour title thanks to a brilliant final round of 67 that had got off to a terrible start.

He began the day four shots off the lead and looked out of contention when he ran up a double-bogey six on the second, but birdied the fourth and sixth and then stormed home in 31.

The 33-year-old picked up shots at the 10th, 11th and 15th before chipping in from short of the 17th green and holing from six feet for another birdie on the last to complete a closing 67.

That set the clubhouse target on 12 under par just moments before overnight leader Marcus Fraser, who was also 12 under, three-putted the 15th and dropped another shot on the par-three 16th after missing the green from the tee. Fraser eventually signed for a 74 to finish joint eighth on nine under.

Club member Francesco Molinari briefly threatened a fairytale victory when he recovered from two early bogeys by holing a bunker shot on the eighth and making a birdie on the ninth, but the Ryder Cup star stumbled home in 39 to finish seven under.

Simon Thornton’s challenge never materialised as he carded a 74 that saw him finish on seven under, while Damien McGrane closed with a 72 to end the week on level par.