GIRONA, Spain -- Thomas Levet became the first Frenchman to win five European Tour titles on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 68 to win the Spanish Open by two strokes over Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay.

John Daly, who is serving a six-month suspension from the PGA Tour, closed with a 69 for his best round of the tournament. He tied for 31st at 3 under.

Leading Zanotti by one stroke, Levet had a birdie at No. 15 and added another at No. 17 to finish at 18-under 270. He dedicated the victory to golf great Seve Ballesteros, who is battling cancer.

"I always think about Seve," Levet said. "He is having a hard time at the moment."

Zanotti finished with a 65 on the same course where he got through qualifying school to get his Tour card only six months ago.

"This is more pressure," Zanotti said. "It was my first time in this situation and I am very happy."

Defending champion Peter Lawrie (69) and Thomas Bjorn (66) finished tied for third at 14 under.

Daly, a two-time major champion, is playing in Europe for a month and hopes his play will continue to improve at the Italian Open.

"I've struck the ball pretty good and only made two long putts all week, but in the last two rounds I hit a lot (that) I thought I had made," he said.

When Levet was asked what he most admired about Ballesteros, whose record 50 victories on the circuit included three Spanish Opens, he replied: "His fight, and that's what I did today."

He needed to. Two ahead overnight, he found himself two behind after four holes with playing partner Stuart Davis bursting out of the traps -- appropriately enough for a man sponsored by the Nottingham greyhound track -- with three successive birdies.

Davis, a Tour rookie despite being 35, fell away to 15th place with a 78, but Zanotti, Lawrie and Bjorn then came on strong. Zanotti, a 25-year-old South American, had never previously posted a top-10 finish on the circuit, but he had nine birdies in a best-of-the-day 65.

It was not enough, though. From one in front with four to play, Levet sank an eight-foot putt at the long 15th and then birdied the 460-yard 17th as well.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press and PA Sport. All rights reserved.