Padraig Harrington came eighth after a best-of-the-day 64 at the Vivendi Cup in Pars proving a timely run of form ahead of next week’s Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort.
The joint lowest round of the Irishman's season came too late to put him in contention for his first win in over two years, but it served as a huge boost to his confidence.
“I'm obviously happy,” said Harrington. “The week before a big event is all about seeing where your game is at and what needs working on.
"I struggled putting earlier in the week (he made the cut with nothing to spare) and it was sharp today, so I don't have as much to work on.
"I am excited to get there and ready to go."
England's John Parry - a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup - became the third rookie to win on this season's European Tour. A Challenge Tour graduate like Rhys Davies and James Morrison, the 23 year old from Harrogate won the Vivendi Cup 2010 at Golf de Joyenval in Paris by two shots from Swede Johan Edfors.
Parry, 116th on The Race to Dubai entering the event with the top 115 keeping their cards at the end of the year, fired a closing 70 to take the €204,160 top prize with a 17 under par total of 271.
He had not finished higher than ninth in any previous tournament - and in Austria last week held the halfway lead and then fell away to 20th.
Parry said: "I felt nervous and just tried to control my emotions. I felt I was playing well, though, and my concentration was good.
"I was trying to get to 20 under and I think I could have done it if I had holed a few more putts."
With a one-year European Tour exemption now under his belt he added: "At least I know now what I am going to play in. It takes the pressure off.
"I thought I was good enough to win - it was just putting it all together."
One in front when he resumed, Parry was caught early on by former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin, but after three birdies and a bogey on the front nine he turned two in front.
Another birdie at the tenth was to prove his last of the day, but nobody could sustain a challenge to him and, although he bogeyed the short 17th after finding sand, Edfors did the same and then went into another bunker at the last.
Joint third were Sandelin, Danes Søren Kjeldsen and Mark Haastrup, France's François Delamontagne and Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen.
“I'm obviously happy,” said Harrington. “The week before a big event is all about seeing where your game is at and what needs working on.
"I struggled putting earlier in the week (he made the cut with nothing to spare) and it was sharp today, so I don't have as much to work on.
"I am excited to get there and ready to go."
Paul McGinley finished in Paris on 9 under after a third round 70 and now heads to Wales in his role of Ryder Cup Vice Captain for Colin Montgomerie
Gary Murphy finished two over par after a round of 75.
