Mackenzie wins maiden tour title

Malcolm Mackenzie held on to win the French Open in Versailles for his first ever European Tour victory at the age of 41.

The Englishman recovered from a shaky finish, and three dropped shots in succession, to win by one shot from the South African Trevor Immelman.

The Britons Kenneth Ferrie and Ian Woosnam, and Dane Anders Hansen, finished in joint third place on 12-under par.

MacKenzie had a very nervous beginning to his round, dropping shots on both the first two holes.

He recovered to birdie the third and fifth holes however, and he had picked up two more shots by the 14th to move to 16-under par and the verge of success.

A dropped shot followed on the next hole however and a poor tee shot on the short 16th saw Mackenzie quickly drop another.

With the pressure visibly growing Mackenzie fell back to 13-under with a dropped shot on the 17th but saved the best till last at the final hole.

A brave second shot over water to the heart of the green gave Mackenzie the chance to take two putts for tournament victory.

Talking soon afterwards about the attitude to that shot from him and his caddy, Mackenzie admitted: "We did go for it.

"It's the best two iron I've ever played in my life."

With delight etched on his face, he added: "It's taken me twenty years to win but I've done it at last. I can relax now."

Immelman will be highly delighted with his week's work, as will Ferrie who fired a 69.

Of the others Jose Maria Olazabal fell out of contention with a final day 74, and a total of 11-under par, while Colin Montgomerie finished his average tournament with a 74 for a finish of four-under par.

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