Dougherty blows chance in Milan

But England's Nick Dougherty knows that the trophy could, and probably should, have been his. And it is not the first time this season he could say that.

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The 24-year-old from Liverpool was three ahead with nine holes to play at Tolcinasco and looked set to be the one to benefit from the event being cut to three rounds because of earlier rain delays and the threat of thunderstorms.

But after grabbing an eagle on the opening hole and reaching the turn in 32, Dougherty bogeyed the 12th and 17th and parred the other seven to lose by one.

It came less than two months after he was one ahead with three to play at the Singapore Masters - the tournament where his only Tour victory came two years ago - only to double bogey the next two holes.

"Yes I'm disappointed, but I just played badly," conceded the man who was Luke Donald's playing partner at the 2001 Walker Cup and a protege of Nick Faldo in his younger days.

"I struggled with my game. I just didn't have the shots and couldn't keep the ball in play. It just wasn't there technically and that's the most disappointing side, to be honest."

Asked if it became more difficult to get over the line when chances go begging Dougherty replied: "Not really. It makes it more disappointing, but I don't think it makes it harder.

"If anything you learn from the experience, so you feel you should be better. I'll be back and hopefully I'll be winning one of the big ones at home and it won't seem so disappointing then."

One of those big ones is the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth at the end of the month.

A year ago he was joint leader after the first round and second to David Howell at halfway, but shot 74 in the third round and then a closing 78.

It was the start of an awful spell in which he missed his next 10 halfway cuts - his next pay cheque did not come until October - and after lying eighth in the Ryder Cup table his dream of a debut in Ireland faded away.

At least Dougherty is back contending for titles again. He was a runner-up in New Zealand in December, fourth in Singapore, second at halfway in Portugal at the end of March and first-round leader in the Spanish Open two weeks ago.

But winning is what he arrives looking for and he does not want the search to go on much longer.

Fernandez-Castano, meanwhile, could hardly believe he had won.

The 26-year-old was six adrift with nine to play, but came home in a spectacular 30 with an eagle and five birdies to sign for a 65 and 16-under-par total he still thought was two strokes too many in the chase for the £193,163 first prize.

Brier, winner of the China Open last month, caught him with birdies on the 16th and 17th, but Dougherty, the player whom Fernandez-Castano expected to beat him, instead handed him the chance to win, and he took it with an approach to five feet in sudden death.