German Martin Kaymer won the French Open Alstom at Le Golf National today and again left England’s Lee Westwood waiting for his first win since September 2007. The pair were in a play-off after finishing on 13 under, Westwood following a joint best-of-the-day 65.
But on the first extra hole the former European number one, runner-up to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi last year, went into the lake fronting the 18th green, then played a poor pitch from the drop zone.
Kaymer had only just made it over the water with his second from the rough and, with two for it, holed an 18-foot par putt.
His third European Tour title takes him back into the world’s top 20 and earned him €666,660.
Westwood, who took home €444,440, was still pleased with his week’s work.
“A 65 was the score I had in mind,” he said. “I’ve played well this year without finishing anything off and the first three rounds here I struggled.
“Then Billy (caddie Billy Foster) gave me a putting tip and I showed quite a lot of bottle down the stretch.”
He packed seven birdies into his first 13 holes, but a bogey six down the long next was to cost him dear ultimately.
Kaymer said: “This is obviously very special for me. I had some good chances, but finally I won it, so it’s good.”
With a closing round of 67, Gareth Maybin (six under) led the Irish challenge in a share of 10th place while Damien McGrane (five under) and Peter Lawrie (four under) also finished strongly.
Darren Clarke finished on three under and Shane Lowry picked up the first cheque of his professional career, pocketing €16,800 after finishing in a tie for 50th place.
Collated final round scores & totals
(Gbr & Irl unless stated,
Irishin bold, par 71)
271Martin Kaymer (Ger) 62 72 69 68 (Kaymer won at the first play-off hole), Lee Westwood 68 68 70 65
274Ian Poulter 72 69 66 67
275Peter Hanson (Swe) 65 70 70 70, Anders Hansen (Den) 69 72 68 66
276Paul Waring 66 70 68 72, Soren Hansen (Den) 68 71 72 65, Richard Green (Aus) 68 67 70 71, Kenneth Ferrie 70 68 71 67
278 Gareth Maybin69 71 71 67, Scott Strange (Aus) 65 72 71 70, Danny Willett 68 71 70 69
279Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71 69 69, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 74 69 69, Damien McGrane70 72 69 68, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 66 72 73, Colin Montgomerie 69 74 65 71, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 67 72 71 69, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 65 67 70 77, Graeme Storm 69 72 67 71
280Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 69 71 71 69, Nick Dougherty 66 76 69 69, Peter Lawrie71 71 71 67, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 73 70 71 66
281Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 70 71 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 75 68 70 68, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 67 73 73 68, Phillip Archer 69 73 67 72, Seve Benson 70 67 68 76, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 70 72 71 68
282Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 67 72 71, David Horsey 72 71 68 71, Darren Clarke73 69 68 72, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 70 72 69 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 75 68 74, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 67 73 74 68
283Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 67 71 68 77, Gary Lockerbie 68 75 70 70, Steve Webster 69 65 74 75, Gary Orr 73 70 67 73, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 70 70 69 74
284David Lynn 69 74 69 72, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 72 71 65 76, Paul Broadhurst 73 69 71 71, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 72 71 70, Paul Lawrie 67 74 71 72, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 70 72 71 71, Mark Foster 69 74 70 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 68 74 72 70
285David Drysdale 67 76 71 71, Shane Lowry69 72 71 73, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 66 73 72, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 70 70 73
286Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 69 72 71, Miguel Angel Martin (Spa) 72 71 73 70, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 72 69 75, Ross McGowan 69 72 74 71
287Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 70 77 70, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 67 75 71 74
288Marc Warren 68 72 71 77, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 70 72 75, Benn Barham 68 74 73 73, Jamie Donaldson 69 71 68 80, Alastair Forsyth 72 69 76 71, John Bickerton 65 77 75 71, Barry Lane 70 71 74 73
289Steven O'Hara 71 72 70 76, Philip Golding 71 72 73 73
290Thomas Levet (Fra) 67 73 75 75
291Robert Rock 70 70 76 75, Oliver Wilson 72 69 71 79, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 69 71 71 80
292Pablo Martin (Spa) 71 72 72 77
293Hennie Otto (Rsa) 74 67 73 79, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 68 75 75 75
295Sam Little 67 75 75 78, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 69 73 77 76
296Paul Nilbrink (Swe) 73 69 79 75
