A smiling Robert Rock finally ended a near 10-year winless drought to capture the BMW Italian Open in Turin.

Rock, 34 carded a final round 67 to win by a stroke with a 21-under par tally on the Royal Park course.

A Tour winner at last - Robert Rock wins 2011 BMW Italian Open. (Photo - European Tour)

The bearded Englishman now heads to Thursday’s starting U.S. Open in the best form possible with victory in his 209th Tour event.

However Rock had put himself under pressure at the 17th when he carved his tee shot into trees right off the fairway but then in a manner that would have done Seve Ballesteros proud he saved par.

Rock managed to find a gap in the trees, just barely missing one, and then cleared a water hazard to find the fairway from where he got up-and-down from 100-yards out for a tournament winning par.

He then found the green in regulation at the par five 18th and two putted for his first victory after three second place finishes and all in 2009.

It was two years ago when Rock lost an Irish Open play-off to then amateur Shane Lowry of Ireland.

But in near 10 years on Tour, Rock has carved out a handsome living earning Euro 3m in prize money.  He added a first prize Euro 225,000 cheque to that amount. 

“It’s fantastic to finally win my first event here at the BMW Italian Open and it’s one of my favourite golf courses now since they changed to this venue,” he said.

“I was expecting to play well this week but clearly not expecting to win.”

Sweden’s Thornbjorn Olesen claimed a share of second place with a blistering 10-under par 62 that included an outward nine of 29.

Joining Olsen on 20-under par was England’s Gary Boyd who birdied the last in a score of 66 to knock Scotland’s Peter Whiteford into fourth place at 19-under par.

Whiteford had started the final round three shots behind Rock and produced a bogey free display that included four birdies in five holes mid round in a 66.

It’s Whiteford’s third top-10 result in the past three weeks and his £65,722 for his Italian Open finish means he’s now pocketed £193,116 in those three events.

“It’s been a good well and played really well under the ‘cosh’ down the stretch,” he said.

 “I had 21-under in mind as the winning total and I gave myself a big chance and I couldn’t have asked for more.

“It’s just disappointing I found the ‘hay’ down the last and take par as I would have liked to have got to 20-under par, and at least be able to stand around and see what happens.

“But I’ve now had three top-10s these last three weeks and that’s unlike me, completely.

“Normally, it’s a couple of missed cuts but then the form is there and I am playing lovely.”

The Italian pair of Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero were heading off to catch a private jet to Washington D C after sharing eighth place on 16-under par.