Golding wins to end 20 year wait

Britain's Philip Golding hung on to win the French Open by one stroke on Sunday, ending a 20-year wait for a European Tour title.

Golding repeated the feat of compatriot Malcolm Mackenzie at last year's French Open with a surprise win at the age of 40, firing a three-under-par 69 to end on 15-under-par 273.

The first prize of 290,000 pounds ($335,000) was only 7,000 pounds less than Golding earned in his first 19 years on the European Tour, including a record 16 visits to qualifying school.

Golding survived a nerve-jangling finish in which he held off a determined challenge from fellow-Briton David Howell, who finished second.

The winner played the last nine holes knowing one of the tournament favourites, Justin Rose, had set a target of 13 under following a sparkling 65.

Rose, though, cursing an amateur photographer on Saturday for costing him a double-bogey by clicking his camera on his downswing, had to settle for a share of third place on 12-under with Golding's playing partner, Australian Peter O'Malley.

Golding began the final round with a slender one-stroke advantage but showed no sign of nerves as he bounced back from a bogey on the tough short second.

Four birdies by the 14th earned him a two-shot lead before he dropped his second shot, again at a par-three with a tricky flag position, the 16th.

Howell, by then his only realistic rival, put on the pressure by birdieing the last, but Golding changed his career in dramatic fashion by hitting the par-five island green in two and taking the two putts he needed for victory.

"I'm really proud of myself for keeping going because I could have packed everything in after so many tries at tour school," said Golding.

"It's a real monkey off my shoulders. I've persevered and today kept going by reminding myself what this was all about. Malcolm (Mackenzie) was my inspiration and now people will look at me and say if he can do it, so can I."

Even after his cool and determined display for a player who's best finish on the European Tour money-list of 119th came last campaign, Golding had one more trial to go through.

He, Howell, O'Malley, Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell and Frenchmen Marc Farry and Francois Delamontagne, were chosen for the European Tour's first random drug tests and had to supply samples carried out by the French Ministry for Sport following their rounds.

The results, expected in two weeks, whether positive or not, will not affect the French Open outcome.

"The European Tour does not have a competition conditions list yet," said Tour tournament director David Probyn.

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