Screaming Parisian golf fans were ready to hand Thomas Levet the 2018 Ryder Cup captaincy after he captured the French Open title in Versailles.
Levet, 42 was first drenched in champers and then jumped into water guarding the 18th in winning a sixth Race to Dubai success with a final round 70 to win by a shot with a seven under par tally on the National course.
Thomas Levet soaked in champers after winning French Open. (Photo - European Tour).
The Frenchman’s victory, the first in two years, caps a great two months for French golf after the announcement France, and the National course, will play host to the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Levet, who is ranked 352nd in the world, collected a Euro 500,000 first prize cheque and n the course where, in seven years time, he is expected to be a Ryder Cup vice-captain.
The last time Levet won, the 2009 Spanish Open, he dedicated success to the now late Seve Ballesteros, and on his occasion he dedicated victory to his three children.
As well, Levet singled out his mother who was unable, due to illness, to attend a French Open for over 20-years.
“Winning the French Open is like winning a Major for me,” he said.
“But I just tried to play my game and hang on at ever hole and tried to put a bit of pressure on everyone else.
“It was just amazing out there playing in front of some many French fans, and imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like in seven years time when we are going to have 6,000 more people on the golf course.
“But it was just crazy out there and the noise the people made was terrific.
“They were singing ‘Allez, allez, allez and ‘captain, ‘captain’ at me thinking about the Ryder Cup already.
“And I felt like a rider at the Tour de France leading up one of the mountain stages.
“So tell your friends that for 2018 France is ready.”
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen blew the chance to send the event into a play-off but missed a two-foot putt at the last, and in the company of Levet, to share second place with England’s Mark Foster.
Olesen carded a final round 74 to share second place with England’s Mark Foster (70) on six under par.
But there was joy for Olesen, as his No. 169 world ranking, earned him a place in next week’s Open Championship as Foster’s ranked lower in 210th spot.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer overhauls Rory McIlroy to go back to World No. 3 by finishing fourth after a 73 a four under par score.
MEANTIME –
Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros is the first casualty from this week’s Barclay’s Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
Quiros gave up his seat on a special charter flight that arrived into Inverness last night (SUN) due to a reoccurrence of a wrist injury.
The current World No. 26 is hoping he will be fit enough to take his place in next week’s Open Championship.
