Alex Cejka wins in Paris

Germany’s Alex Cejka today claimed his first European Tour victory for seven years in the Lancome Trophy.

Cejka carded a closing-round 68 at St Nom La Breteche for a 12-under-par total of 272 and two-shot win over Spain’s Carlos Rodiles, France’s Jean-Francois Lucquin and Argentinian Angel Cabrera sharing third a shot further back.

Ian Woosnam’s brilliant third-round 65 had put him just one off the lead at the start of the day, but the

Welshman could only card a one-over 72 after twice finding the water that separates the ninth and 18th greens.

The victory and first prize of £150,000 was a timely boost for Cejka, who flies to California in a few days time for the first stage of qualifying for the US Tour.

Saturday’s high winds had brought 19 players within five shots of the lead and no fewer than eight different players led or shared the lead over the front nine in the final round.

Cejka led on his own when he birdied the second only to drop a shot at the next, but after a birdie on the sixth the 31-year-old was never out of the lead again.

A birdie at the 10th took him clear of the field at 11 under, and as his rivals faltered over the closing stretch, another birdie on the 16th gave him the luxury of a two-shot cushion for the first time.

The Czech-born German, who won three times in 1995 to finish sixth on the Order of Merit, safely found the 18th green and had the luxury of three putts for the win, but needed only two to seal the win.

Lancome Trophy leaderboard

1 CEJKA, Alex GER 18 -12 64 68 72 68

2 RODILES, Carlos ESP 18 -10 67 69 72 66

T3 LUCQUIN, Jean-François FRA 18 -9 69 72 68 66

T3 CABRERA, Angel ARG 18 -9 69 68 71 67

T5 LEVET, Thomas FRA 18 -8 67 69 73 67

T5 POULTER, Ian ENG 18 -8 68 71 70 67

T5 BRAND JNR., Gordon SCO 18 -8 68 69 70 69

T5 GARCIA, Sergio ESP 18 -8 67 70 70 69

T5 EALES, Paul ENG 18 -8 68 69 69 70

T5 TINNING, Steen DEN 18 -8 70 70 67 69

T5 DREDGE, Bradley WAL 18 -8 68 67 70 71

T5 KARLSSON, Robert SWE 18 -8 68 69 69 70