Rumford gains first European Tour win

Brett Rumford reclaimed his playing privileges on the European Tour with victory in the St Omer Open in northern France today.

Australian Rumford carded a final-round 67 for a 15-under-par total of 269 and a five-shot winning margin over Leeds' Ben Mason with Italy's Federico Bisazza four shots further back in third.

Rumford, the 25-year-old from Perth who lost his card last year and missed out on regaining it by one shot at the qualifying school, collected the winner's cheque for £46,901 and an even more valuable one-year tour exemption.

It also means he can fulfil his best-man duties at his elder brother's wedding in November, which would have clashed with the qualifying school.

Rumford led from start to finish after a course-record 64 in the first round and began the final day three shots clear.

Mason immediately reduced the deficit with a birdie on the first and after Rumford had birdied the third, the young Yorkshireman closed the gap to a single stroke with birdies on the fourth and fifth.

However, Mason bogeyed the eighth after Rumford had picked up a shot at the previous hole, and the Australian then enjoyed a vital slice of luck at the ninth.

After pushing his drive, Rumford pulled his second shot to within three inches of the out of bounds up the left-hand side of the hole, but was able to escape with a par five.

He made the most of his good fortune with a birdie from close range on the next to stretch his lead to four shots and was never threatened from then on.

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