Open de France: Nicolas Colsaerts ends seven-year wait for victory
- Published
This was a third European Tour win for Nicolas Colsaerts but his first since winning the 2012 World Match Play Championship in Spain
Open de France final leaderboard |
|---|
-12 N Colsaerts (Bel); -11 JB Hansen (Den); -10 G Coetzee (SA); -9 K Kitayama (US); -8 M Kaymer (Ger), R Ramsay (Sco), G Moynihan (Ire) |
Selected others: -7 C Paisley (Eng); -6 S Brown (Eng); -5 S Horsfield (Eng); -2 J Donaldson (Wal); +1 S Gallacher (Sco) |
Former Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts has won his first title since 2012 at the Open de France.
Despite carding a one-over-par 72 in the final round at Le Golf National, the Belgian finished one shot ahead of Denmark's Joachim B. Hansen.
Colsaerts began the week 114th on the European Tour's Race to Dubai and in danger of losing his card.
"I've been coming here for I don't know how many years, it's been a long road, " he told Sky Sports.
"So many people have supported me over the years, that's why I get so emotional. I went through ups and downs for so many years now."
Recent years for Colsaerts have been a far cry from 2012 when he was selected as a wildcard by captain Jose Maria Olazabal to be part of the European team that pulled off the 'Miracle of Medinah' when they came from 10-4 down to defeat the USA 14.5-13.5.
Now ranked 424th in the world, rounds of 67, 66, and 67 had given him a three-stroke lead heading into the final round, but there was plenty of drama ahead.
His advantage had gone before he chipped in for an eagle three at the 14th to go back in front of Hansen.
But he shot into the water at the 15th to run up a double-bogey six as the Dane was handed the lead.
Yet Hansen faltered with a double bogey of his own at the 17th, allowing Colsaerts to hang on for his third European Tour title and first since May 2012.