FINAL LEADERBOARD (GB&I unless stated) -18 M Brier (Aut) -15 S Hansen (Den) -14 S Dyson -13 R Green (Aus) Selected others: -10 G Murphy -5 C Montgomerie, M Roe + 3 P McGinley

Brier led from start to finish, closing with a 68 for a 18-under-par 266.

He finished three strokes ahead of Denmark's Soren Hansen and four in front of England's Simon Dyson.

Colin Montgomerie briefly threatened when three straight birdies got him to within a shot of Brier but he came home in 43 to crash out of contention.

The Scot, who began the day six shots back, slumped from 12 under after 58 holes to five under after 72. His back nine included two double-bogey sixes and three other dropped shots.

But the week belonged to the home favourite Brier, who seemed destined to win from the moment he aced the 145-yard 11th on Thursday.

Although he had twice won the Austrian Open as a Challenge Tour event, this victory made him the 10th first-time winner on the full tour.

There were some wobbles early on Sunday when he bogeyed the 2nd and 3rd but he regained his composure, chalking up birdies at the 9th and 11th.

[Brier] is a worthy winner - and third is nothing to be laughed at Simon Dyson

Hansen, however, remained a threat. The Dane's run of four successive birdies from the 8th took him alongside Brier, but he finally fell out of contention with a bogey on the 16th.

A delighted Brier said: "I am just happy to have achieved what I have been trying to do for seven years.

"It is good to be in the history books. Hopefully my golf will step up now."

His playing partner Dyson bogeyed the 3rd after missing the green and then had 12 straight pars before a birdie three at the 16th saw him finish on 14 under.

The 28-year-old Yorkshireman, a maiden winner in Indonesia in March, was gracious in defeat.

"I'm very disappointed. I struck the ball beautifully tee to green but did not hole a thing all day," he said.

"I'm very disappointed I haven't won because the way I played I should have.

"But I'm pleased Markus has won it. He is a really good lad. He has played lovely and putted fantastically - he has certainly got these greens.

"He's a worthy winner - and third is nothing to be laughed at."

Australian Richard Green finished fourth on 13 under after he set a new course record of 63, while Irishman Gary Murphy carded a 65 for 10 under and fifth place - his highest finish since July 2003.