AGADIR, Morocco, March 25, 2012 (AFP) - Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey, who had been nine shots off the pace after the first round, won his fourth European Tour title on Sunday with a three-shot victory at the Trophee Hassan.
Hoey, 33, carded a final round 65 to finish on a 17 under par 271, three better than Ireland's Damien McGrane who had led at the end of the third round completed earlier Sunday.
Wales's Jamie Donaldson, yet to win in nearly 250 European Tour events, went to the turn in 28 and looked on course for the Tour's first 59.
But he eventually claimed a share of third after a course record 61 gave him a 275.
Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who had shared the third round lead and needed to win to claim a place in the Masters, hit a disappointing final round 72 for a total 276.
Hoey, who defeated celebrated compatriot Rory McIlroy to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last years, is now inside the top 15 on The Race to Dubai and back in the hunt for a Ryder Cup debut later this year.
Asked about the Ryder Cup, the former British amateur champion said: "I've not really been thinking about it, but I'm obviously in contention."
Manassero's disappointing final round was good news for Ernie Els.
It meant the South African, joint third with a round to go in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida, could make the top 50 and qualify for the Masters by finishing third rather than second.
Leading fourth round scores in the European Tour Trophee Hassan at the Golf du Palais Royal on Sunday (GBR/IRL unless otherwise stated, par 72):
271 - Michael Hoey 74-67-65-65
274 - Damien McGrane 65-68-71-70
275 - Robert Coles 73-70-65-67, Jamie Donaldson 72-68-74-61, Phillip Price 68-66-72-69
276 - Matteo Manassero (ITA) 69-70-65-72, Keith Horne (RSA) 69-70-70-67, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 68-70-71-67
277 - Hennie Otto (RSA) 69-69-70-69, James Kingston (RSA) 70-67-70-70, Ignacio Garrido (ESP) 69-71-69-68, Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 70-65-70-72, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 74-68-67-68
279 - Robert Jan Derksen (NED) 68-69-70-72, Craig Lee 73-68-70-68, David Horsey 72-70-71-66
280 - Anthony Wall 69-73-69-69, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 70-68-73-69, Richie Ramsay 68-70-73-69, Andy Sullivan 72-72-68-68, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 72-69-66-73, Shane Lowry 73-68-71-68, Matthew Baldwin 70-68-68-74, Bradley Dredge 74-68-66-72
Selected:
281 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 71-66-75-69, Branden Grace (RSA) 74-67-67-73, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 75-68-70-68
282 - Jbe Kruger (RSA) 75-68-71-68
286 - Kim Do-hoon (KOR) 76-65-72-73
291 - Garth Mulroy (RSA) 73-65-77-76, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 74-70-71-76
292 - Andrew Dodt (AUS) 73-71-72-76