EUROPEAN TOUR: EUROPEAN GOLF has a brand new star - smiling Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, who yesterday completed a pillar-to-post victory at the French Open in Paris.
Even with former number ones Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood chasing him, the 25-year-old, who five years ago was caddying for his brother in the event, stormed to a four-shot win.
Larrazabal, who came through 36 holes of qualifying to make it to Le Golf National, entered the tournament 481st in the world and even described himself as "the 150th-best player here".
But, leader from the moment he opened with a 65, he clinched the massive €666,660 first prize with a dramatic and inspired closing 67. As a result the European Tour rookie will play his first major at next month's British Open, has secured a place on the circuit for the next two years and is even in the top 20 of the Ryder Cup race.
Until his win he was not even in the top 100.
Larrazabal, rated a 200 to 1 shot before the start, finished on 15 under par with Montgomerie, in easily his best display of the year, runner-up and Westwood, third in the US Open two weeks ago, dropping to joint fifth after going in the lake on the last.
The young Barcelona golfer joined Westwood's ball when he was thrown in by some of his compatriots - then threw his shoes in as the celebrations continued.
"I don't know how it feels - it's fantastic," he said. "I really played great golf and my putter was great all week."
It was only the 17th Tour event Larrazabal had played, although his past experiences do include The Masters at Augusta - again as a caddie for his brother Alejandro, British amateur champion in 2002. Until this achievement he was only the fourth-best-known golfer in his family, as both parents were internationals.
His father, Gustavo, made him work on a fish farm before turning professional to get an idea of what hard work is like and learn the value of money. He should never have to go back to it.
His previous-best finish was 15th and he had never come within eight strokes of the winner. But now he charges from 128th on the Order of Merit into the leading 10 and up more than 300 places on the world rankings.
Larrazabal, who played all week without a driver in his bag on the firm and bouncy course, started the final day three ahead and remained firmly in the driving seat with three birdies in his first five.
A double-bogey seven on the ninth cut his advantage from five to two, but he promptly birdied the next two and after taking six down the long 14th ignored the dangers of the water to birdie the next two again.
"I lost my concentration a little bit on nine, but I told myself 'You're still leading, try to concentrate again'. That I did," he said.
Montgomerie, giving his bid to safe his Ryder Cup place a huge boost with a €444,440 cheque, took second from the Dane Soren Hansen, with a 40-foot closing birdie putt. "That's a big step in the right direction," said the Scot. "Forgive me for not knowing the winner's name, but he has a great future ahead of him the kid. Good luck to him. The flags were no gimmes on the last four and he played them in two under."
Westwood missed a succession of crucial putts and commented: "After the first five holes just about everything I tried turned to rubbish. What can you do? "
Two British Open spots were up for grabs off a mini-money list running for the past eight weeks and Larrazabal joins the Australian Scott Strange, winner of the Wales Open, in claiming those.
Larrazabal continues a sequence of shock winners of the event started by Malcolm Mackenzie in 2002. Since then Phil Golding, Jean-François Remesy (twice), John Bickerton and Graeme Storm have put their names on the trophy, but none was as big a surprise as this. The Spaniard is the first qualifier to win a European Tour event since Michael Campbell at the 2005 US Open. Ireland's Peter Lawrie finished two under following his 71.
