It proved a long weekend of little return for the three Irishmen who had golden chances to clinch the Cannes Open title: Christy O'Connor Jnr, Eamonn Darcy and David Higgins. But it was an amazing success-story for Frenchman Thomas Levet.
While the Irish trio struggled, Levet's cool final putt on the last brought the first French success on home soil since Jean Gairialde in 1969, a year after yesterday's winner was born.
Darcy, who surged into second place to replace his great friend O'Connor on the leader board on Saturday, had to settle for a share of 16th with Higgins.
O'Connor, who had, remarkably for a man about to test the waters of the senior tour, led the field with a 64, fared even worse. His slump of Saturday continued in the strong winds which had bedevilled his third round and he slipped all the way back to 27th.
Both he and Higgins had needed top 10 finishes, too, to gain places in this week's highly lucrative and prestigious Spanish Open in Barcelona. Levet is accustomed to concentrating on that kind of target, having lost not only his European tour card two years ago, but also losing an American card after qualifying for the US Tour three years ago.
But now the 29-year-old Paris professional can bask in a two-year tour exemption after winning by a nervy stroke. He finished with a 73 to be six-under-par, one ahead of experienced New Zealander Greg Turner, Welshman Phillip Price and Sven Struver of Germany. All three were waiting for the possible play-off if Levet collapsed.
However, Levet didn't crumble, even though the chance was afforded him. After ramming in a huge, swinging 35-foot putt on the 17th to go two ahead of the field, the Frenchman made a real meal of the 18th after a bizarre bunker shot failed to clear the sand and landed directly at his feet, and he needed the luxury of bogey in the end to prevail.
"This will change my life and now I can cancel my planned Challenge Tour trip for next week," said a jubilant Levet.
For the Irish three in contention, it seems likely only Darcy will be able to discover in Barcelona this week if his swing has been affected by the dangerous winds which rocked Royal Mougins every day.
He started in joint second place, four behind his playing-partner Levet but lost his hope of winning early, caught out by wrong club selection when airmailing both the first two par-threes. Then he really lost all chance when doubling the 16th through twice going into trees.
"I began the round with a lot of confidence and really thought I could win," said Darcy after a 75 and level-par. "But I soon forgot that when I played very poorly. I just couldn't pull out the right clubs and kept overshooting the greens."
Higgins took some consolation in his first challenge for victory for 18 months. He had slumped badly on Saturday with a horrendous back nine which included a quadruple-bogey eight. By the last few holes, though, he still had a chance of making it to Spain but bogeys when he found trees and important putts missed, cost him that chance. He had to sign for a 71 and level-par with Darcy. "I was more unlucky with the putting than poor," said Higgins. "But I'm pleased my game seems to be back and I know I can compete again after all my injury problems and missed tournaments."
He will go on to the Challenge Tour this week in Rimini, while O'Connor hopes to get a sponsor's invitation to Barcelona.
Darcy and Higgins picked up £3,561 apiece, O'Connor £2,790, while Philip Walton, the only other Irish survivor to the weekend, pocketed £1,710 for a share of 43rd on four-over after a 72.
