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Englishman Storm shoots 66 to win 101st French Open

Graeme Storm of England tees off from the third hole during the French Golf Open in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

Graeme Storm chalked up the maiden win of his professional career at the French Open on Sunday, leaving Colin Montgomerie to once again count the cost of his poor putting.

The 29-year-old Englishman produced a fine closing round of five-under 66 to overhaul a five stroke deficit on joint overnight leaders Soren Hansen of Denmark and Simon Khan of England.

Hansen took second place, one stroke back from the winning seven-under total of 277, after a final 72 with Dane Thomas Bjorn (69), Damien McGrane of Ireland (65), Khan (72) and Montgomerie (70) having to settle for a share of third.

"I am gobsmacked at the way I played," said Storm, who worked for a while in a cream cake factory to finance his struggling playing career.

"I saw Damien McGrane's score and I had to believe I could shoot a similar score and I managed to do it. Obviously I've shot lower scores but that was possibly the best," he said.

Montgomerie has gone from bad to worse this season culminating in missed cuts at his last two tournaments and a bout of flu which hit him after his US Open failure.

But a change of caddie this week and a return to the Golf National, one of his favorite courses, provided a much-needed spark.

Prowling just off the lead for the first three days of the 4 million euro (US$5.4 million) tournament, Montgomerie grabbed the outright lead for the first time with back-to-back birdies going around the turn.

He dropped one at the 12th after pushing his drive right into heavy rough, but drew level at seven-under with new leader Storm, who had birdied the 13th and 14th, thanks to a fine chip for birdie at the par-five 14th.

But over the tough closing quartet of holes, the former European No.1 missed two short par putts at 15 and 16 while the rock-steady Storm parred his way home.

Hansen recovered from a poor start to his final round with birdies at the 14th and 16th to get within one shot of the lead, but he missed a 10m putt at the last to force a playoff with Storm.

It was the second time in two years that an unheralded Englishman had won the French Open.

"This will change my life to be honest. I am in The Open," Storm said.
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