Rabat (AFP) - Italy's Edoardo Molinari won his third European Tour title, and first since 2010 on Sunday by defeating Ireland's Paul Dunne in a sudden-death play-off at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco.

Both men finished tied on nine-under par at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam for the four rounds before the more experienced Molinari, 36, triumphed over world No. 241 Dunne, who led by two shots overnight.

The 24-year-old Irishman, who shared the 54-hole lead in the 2015 Open at St Andrews while still an amateur, had been bidding for his first professional win.

Molinari, whose last victory came at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2010, told www.europeantour.com: "It's fantastic. I've been through some very hard times with injuries and bad form.

"To be able to win this week deletes a lot of bad memories and hopefully I can keep going down this road."

Dunne admitted that his final-round score of one-under 72 let him down.

"I felt like there were just so many shots that slipped away from me," said Dunne.

"I'm just a bit disappointed not to come out with the result we wanted but it's a step in the right direction."

Molinari finished his fourth round with an eagle at the 18th to snatch the outright lead but Dunne held his nerve to card a birdie at the last to get to nine under, and take the contest to a play-off.

But with Dunne unable to convert his six-foot par putt at the first extra hole, Molinari rolled in from two feet.

Englishman Paul Waring was alone in third on eight under.