Tri-colours flying high as Remesy wins French Open
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2004 Open de France | Wrap | 28 Jun 2004
For the second week in succession a Frenchman has taken a European Tour title in his homeland and for the first time in more than thirty years, a Frenchman has won his national title.
Jean Francois Remesy’s win in today’s final round of the French Open at the Golf National near Paris has moved him to fourth on the European Tour money list which, when you consider his previous best season was 38th in 2002, is quite an improvement. To win your national title at forty years of age however, has put the icing on what has already been a breakout year. It was Remesy’s second win on the European Tour following his 1999 win at the Estoril Open.
Just three weeks ago he had finished third at the Wales Open just a day after his 40th birthday so for the late developing but talented man now resident in the Seychelle Islands, June of 2004 is having a month he will remember for quite some time.
Last week yet another Frenchman, Philippe Lima had taken out his second title in the space of two weeks when he won the joint-sanctioned Aa St Omer Classic for him to graduate to the full European Tour and now with Remesy’s win and the likes of Thomas Levet and Christian Cevaer, Raphael Jacquelin and Gregory Havret also doing well, French golf is arguably at an all time high.
Remesy shared the lead after round two with Ian Woosnam but then drew ahead by three over the Australian Richard Green heading into the final round. A shaky double bogey got his round underway on day four but his closest challengers, Green and Woosnam also faltered early. Remesy birdied the second and then bogeyed the third but with no-one really looking like threatening his lead, he steadied to eventually run out the winner by seven over Green and the ever present Nick O’Hern, who for the sixth time this season has recorded a top six placing. O’Hern has finished 4th, 3rd and 2nd in his last three starts and has moved to 12th on the money list with just over 700,000 euros.
Jonathan Lomas and the fast finishing Graeme McDowell shared fourth with Woosnam and yet another Australian, Peter O’Malley 6th. O’Malley, after a slow start to the season seems to be finding the consistency he is renowned for, this being his fourth consecutive top twenty.
Robert Allenby perhaps strangely playing this event, was 14th after a very slow start on Thursday, with Peter Fowler and Jarrod Mosley 29th.
The European Tour now moves to Ireland for the European Open where Phillip Price is to defend his title.
