Austrian Markus Brier was coolness personified as he claimed his second European Tour title with a comfortable five-stroke victory over Ireland's Graeme McDowell who shared second place at the China Open.

The 38-year-old overnight leader, who had his first win at his home open last year, made the most of the improved weather at the Silport Golf Course to shoot five birdies and a single bogey for a final-round 67 and total of 10-under-par 274.

Despite the absence of the swirling winds that had caused havoc in earlier rounds, no one was able to put any pressure on Brier, and McDowell, South African Andrew McLardy, and Australian Scott Hend shared second on five-under.

"It feels great," Brier said after picking up his cheque for €250,000. "You always think you can win at home because you know the conditions and it's comfortable, but this a big step for me to prove that I can also win abroad."

McDowell, 27, who was the only player to break par for all four rounds, willl take home a cheque for €111,500 from the event. Although he was disappointed not to provide more of a challenge to Brier on the final day, he felt he could still take plenty of positives from his first tournament since ending the Johnny Walker Classic in a tie for 60th place at the beginning of March.

"I would have liked to have put Markus under a bit of pressure," he said. "I didn't quite hit it close enough and kept leaving myself 15 to 20 foot putts instead of ones of 10 feet. I just couldn't get it going in the right direction.

"But I hit the golf ball lovely today so I can't really complain.

"To have five weeks off and come straight back with a good finish, that's pretty pleasing."

Ireland's other two contenders Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy both finished on six-over par.

Brier, whose two European challenge tour wins also came at his home Fontana course in Vienna, started with a par at the first before sinking birdie putts from 10 and six feet at the next two holes.

A wayward drive left him behind a tree in the long rough at the fourth and he missed a 20-footer to save par, but Hend, who had also birdied the second, was failed to sink his birdie putt to share the lead.

Brier found his putting touch again for birdies at the eighth and ninth with Hend, a former US Tour player, matching his score at the ninth to stay in touch.

After Hend had bogeyed the first two holes after the turn, however, there was no pressure on Brier and he parred his way to the 18th where he signed off with a birdie flourish.

Hend also birdied the last to finish with a par 71 and a share of second with McLardy, who shot a 70, and McDowell, whose round of 69 was his best of the tournament.

McLardy's compatriot Richard Sterne chipped in for an eagle at the last to take sole possession of fifth on four-under. Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who led after the first two rounds, and Australian Peter O'Malley were joint sixth.

Sweden's Steven Jeppeson showed that good scores were finally going to be possible on Sunday when he set a new course record with nine birdies in an eight-under 63.

Prayad Marksaeng looked on course to match Jeppeson when he picked up six shots by the 11th but the Thai was unable to make further inroads and finished with a 65 and a share of eighth, the top Asian finisher.

Brier's victory at the $2 million tournament was the first for a European Tour player in the last four events co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

Liang Wenchong and Zhang Lianwei were the best of the seven Chinese players to make the cut, finishing at five-over for a share of 31st.