The 38-year-old has spent much of the last decade in the golfing wilderness after winning the Madrid Masters in 2009 and almost making it on to Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup team the following year.

He lost his place on the European Tour in 2011 and despite successful trips to the qualifying school in 2015 and 2017, he has not finished in Europe's top 150 since 2010.

"I think I'm going to have to go now and have a nice big glass of red wine and think about what's next." – Ross McGowan

But he put all that behind him in Brescia, holing a spectacular bunker shot on the 16th and then making a 20-foot putt on the par-5 last for two late birdies that handed him a closing 71 and a one-shot victory over countryman Laurie Canter and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at 20 under.

"I'm very happy, not happy with the way I played particularly but I got the ball in the hole which in the past has been my nemesis, so it was nice to be able to do that this week," he said.

"I didn't really foresee this, my form hasn't been great. But I felt like I was playing better, definitely around the greens.

"I think I'm going to have to go now and have a nice big glass of red wine and think about what's next."

Joachim B Hansen was withdrawn from the event before the final round after his caddie tested positive for coronavirus, with the Dane himself returning a negative test result.