Lowry claims joint third in Japan

Shane Lowry claimed the biggest cheque of his professional career and his best finish since his Irish Open victory when he tied for third behind Italy's Edoardo Molinari in the €1.5 m Dunlop Phoenix Tournament on Sunday.

Molinari claimed his fourth win of the season and his third in his last five starts when he made a four footer on the second play-off hole to beat Sweden's Robert Karlsson after both players had tied on 13-under 271.

Lowry closed with a four under par 67 to share third with Hirofumi Miyase on seven under par and earn 11.6m yen (around €88,000).

"I played well today but Robert did too," said Molinari who went into the final round with a one-stroke lead over Karlsson and shot a five-under 66 to the Swede's 65. "We pulled away from the rest of the field and had a good battle in the playoff which I was happy to win."

On the final playoff hole, Karlsson missed a 12-foot birdie attempt before 28-year old Molinari closed out his victory in steady rain at the Phoenix Country Club.

Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa shot an even-par 71 to finish in a tie for 20th on one-under with Fiji's Vijay Singh tied for 31st on two-over after a closing 74.

Lowry birdied his first two holes, bogeyed the par three third but then birdied the eighth, 13th and 18th for his first top 10 as a professional.

Since the claimed the Irish Open as an amateur in May, the Esker Hills 22 year old's best finish was tied 28th in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai three weeks ago.