SHANE LOWRY showed some of the form that won him the Irish Open at Co Louth earlier in the year by finishing third in the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan.

Lowry, with a final round of 67 for a seven-under-par 277 total was six shots behind Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, who made it a brilliant three wins in his last five tournaments when he overcame last year’s European Tour number one Robert Karlsson of Sweden in a play-off.

The pair had tied on 13-under-par 271 before Molinari, older brother of the better-known Francesco, sank a four-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

The 28-year-old’s previous victories came on Europe’s Challenge Tour, but all three have counted towards the world rankings and he is now just outside the top-60.

He is also back into the top 10 on the European Ryder Cup world points list.

Karlsson failed to qualify for the Dubai World Championship after a season disrupted by a blister behind a retina. He was out of the game for almost three months.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Marcus Both ended his six-year title drought on the Asian Tour by securing a one-stroke victory over Malaysia’s Shaaban Hussin at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open yesterday.

Both began the final round six shots adrift of leader Craig Smith of Wales, but fired a closing five-under-par 67 to finish at nine under overall.

Shaaban needed a birdie at the last to force a play-off but could only finish his final round of 70 with a par to claim a career-high second at the Phokeethra Country Club. Singapore’s Mardan Mamat (67), Shiv Kapur of India (70) and Thailand’s Annop Tangkamolprasert (74) finished a further shot behind, tied for third.

Overnight leader Smith closed with a disappointing 76 and was forced to settle for sixth alongside Will Yanagisawa of the US.