EDDIE Pepperell fired a superb final round of 66 to claim a top-ten finish in the Dubai Duty Free Irish at the K Club yesterday.

After a disappointing third round of 76, the Abingdon professional was never going to challenge for the title won in the end by world No 3 Rory McIlroy by three shots on 12-under-par 276.

However, Pepperell’s six-under-par final round gave him joint eighth place on 283 and prize money of €94,800.

He was in a similar position at the halfway stage, but never got it going in the weather-delayed third round, which was not finished until yesterday morning.

But the Frilford Heath golfer, who lost a play-off for this title in 2015, was quickly out of the blocks in his final round, being three under after seven holes.

A hat-trick of birdies from the tenth hole and another at the 16th put him seven under for the round.

If he had finished with fours at the last two holes, he would have had a 64, the lowest round of the week.

But he bogeyed the 17th and was unable to birdie the par-five last to settle for a 66.