Jaidee eases to Open de France success

Thongchai Jaidee eased his way to an eighth European Tour success after winning the Open de France by four shots on Sunday.

The Thai was a picture of consistency during the weekend’s action in Paris, as he produced back-to-back rounds of 68 to finish on 11-under-par for the tournament – four shots clear of nearest challenger Francesco Molinari.

Jaidee, who did not record a bogey during his final two rounds, has also become the oldest ever winner of the event at 46-years-old, as he was 58 days older than Miguel Angel Jimenez, who claimed the title in 2010.

The victory also means Jaidee has won on the Tour for the third successive season, following his triumphs at the Porsche European Open in 2015 and the Nordea Masters one year previous.

Rory McIlroy was the highest ranked player in the field in Paris, but he struggled to mount a serious challenge during the final day, as he carded a level par round of 71 to finish in third position on six-under, one clear of Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello.

Brandon Stone, Alex Noren, Callum Shinkwin and Richard Sterne all finished in the top 12, meaning they have qualified for this month’s Open Championship, which is due to get underway at Royal Troon on July 14.

Tagged European Tour, Open de France, Thongchai Jaidee