Norman Wins Frech Open in Runaway
PARIS — Australian Greg Norman shot a final round 67 for a 20-under total of 268 to win the French Open golf championship at St. Cloud by a runaway 10 strokes.
Britain’s Ian Mosey, the joint first round leader on 66, finished wit a 69 for 278, and another Briton, Sandy Lyle, last year’s top European money winner, was third on 279 after a 68.
Britain’s Garry Cullen (66) was on 280, with Australian Stewart Ginn (71) and Britain’s Brian Barnes (67) on 281.
It was the 25-year-old Norman’s seventh major victory since he took up the game at the late age of 17, his first on the continent and his first national Open title. He is due to defend the Martini International title at Wentworth, England, starting on Thursday.
Norman, whose winning margin was two strokes outside Guy Wolstenholme’s record European Open winning margin in the 1963 tournament at Royal Dublin, became the fifth Australian to take the French title after Kel Nagle, Bruce Devlin, Alan Murray and David Graham.
He played on ten tournaments last year because of back trouble but recovered to finish second three times and third four times on his home circuit before coming to Europe.
Four ahead of Britain’s Maurice Bembridge at the start of the day, he had moved ten ahead of the field when he went to the turn in a five under par 30.
The blonde Norman won $12,540 to move into second place behind British Open and United States Masters champion Severiano Ballesteros of Spain in the European prize money list with more than $15,000.
Norman eagled the long third hole from three metres and followed-up with birdie threes from a metre at the fourth and at the fifth. He holed from six metres for a two at the eighth.
More birdies came at the 10th and 14th, but he dropped strokes at the short 11th and 18th.
Norman said, “the way I was playing I could have finished with two 63’s, although I wasn’t aware I was in line to beat Guy Wollstenholme’s record when 12 ahead with six to go. I’ve been playing real well since the Australian Open but I tired a bit over the last five holes.”