Damien McGrane secured his first European Tour title with an impressive nine-stroke victory at the Volvo China Open yesterday.

The 37-year-old Irishman seemed to thrive in the wet and windy conditions at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club as he carded a one-over-par 73 in the final round to ease to an emphatic win.

Peter Whiteford secured his first top-10 European Tour finish. The Kirkcaldy rookie, 27, posted a one-over 73 for a one-over aggregate of 289 and shared eighth place. Whiteford, who has made nine cuts in the 11 events he has played in so far this season, started the final day tied for 21st, but with scores soaring in the horrendous conditions, the Scot managed to clamber up the standings.

He spilled a shot on the opening hole but bounced back with birdies at three and 10. Despite a double-bogey five at the short 12th, Whiteford parred in to pocket a cheque for almost £15,000.

Paul Lawrie, the former Open champion, was the next-best Scotsman in a share of 20th on 293 after a 75, while Thailand-based Simon Yates finished a stroke further back on 294.

The leaderboard was littered with bogeys as McGrane's competitors struggled to adapt to the conditions and by the turn he already held a commanding four-shot lead.

"Every player that plays on the European Tour wants to win a tournament and now I have won the world is my oyster," said McGrane.

He had a steady run on the front nine, dropping just two shots on the second and eighth, while playing partner Oliver Wilson, who had started the day three strokes off the lead, saw his challenge fade with five bogeys in his first six holes. He ended up sharing second place with fellow Englishman Simon Griffiths and Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France.

The turning point for McGrane was on the par-five ninth when, with his third shot, he hit a seven iron just short of the green. He then chipped on nicely and the ball rolled towards the hole, struck the pin and went in for a birdie.

That gave McGrane a four-stroke lead at the turn and he never looked back, carding a birdie on the 11th and a bogey on the last. "It was possibly the defining moment for me," he added. "To win golf tournaments you need a defining moment and possibly that was mine. It is an amazing feeling to win my first tournament"