Philip finally strikes gold
The 40-year-old Englishman shot a closing 69 for a 15-under-par total of 273 to triumph by one stroke from compatriot David Howell in what turned into a two-horse race.
In his 201st tour event and after a record 16 visits to the qualifying school the 40-year-old from Luton birdied the final hole at Le Golf National for the massive 416,000 first prize.
"It's a huge monkey off my shoulder," said Golding of his upset win. "It wasn't easy out there. It's been the toughest weekend of my life so far.
"I have really worked hard over the years and I am proud of what I have done, and at 40 years of age. All that money and two years exemption on the tour. The history of the French Open is second to none. It is one of the oldest tournaments on the schedule."
Despite his abysmal record, Golding teed off on Thursday with some form under his belt having made the cut in his last five tournaments.
A blistering 66 to open with was followed by a third round 68 on Saturday giving him a one stroke lead going into the last 18 holes.
His prize money is almost as much as he had earned in the previous 19 years of his professional career.
Justin Rose, who was penalised for tramping on his own ball in Thursday's opening round, finished third alongside Australian Peter O'Malley with Englishmen Simon Wakefield and Brian Davis and Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn in a three-way tie for fourth a further stroke back.
"I was amazed how calm I was," Golding said later. "I was not afraid to look at the scoreboards and I trusted my swing."
Asked what he would be doing this November he joked: "I might go to the tour school and just watch!"
There was one nasty surprise for Golding on what was an otherwise perfect day.
In an initiative by the French Sports Ministry, drug tests were ordered to be carried out at a European PGA Tour event for the first time.
The first three Golding, Howell and O'Malley were ordered to be tested as well as three others chosen at random, including Ireland's Graeme McDowell.
Golding said that he had been taking medication for flu and hay fever over the last two weeks but had the drugs cleared by his doctor.
Tour official David Probyn said that the result would not be changed by any positive tests emerging from France in two weeks time.
He said that the European Tour was currently working with WADA, the world anti-doping agency, to establish a list of banned substances.
"We are working with them for a policy we can adopt as we want to be administrators and rule-makers," he said.
"At the moment there is not a banned list that everyone is clear on for golf. We had to go along with it this week because it is the law of the land here."
The French government has been aggressive in its dope-testing following the 1998 Tour de France cycle race which was rife with illegal drugs Golfers are thought to be unlikely to take the kind of performance-enhancing drugs that are found in more physically taxing sports, but there have been suspicions that beta-blockers are taken to calm the nerves.
Meanwhile Graeme McDowell hit only the second albatross of the European PGA Tour season yesterday.
McDowell reduced the 521-yard par-five 18th on the aptly-named Albatross course to a huge drive downwind followed by a 136-yard wedge bouncing once and into the hole.
He had also eagled the par-five 14th chipping in from 30 feet as he came in with a 69 for an eight-under total of 280, well adrift of the leaders.
"It was unbelievable," he said. "I've got a lucky charm this week. An authentic four-leafed clover. My girlfriend found it for me. It has done me well. First ever albatross."
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