Jean van de Velde survived cruel trial by action replay yesterday when he lost the French Open title but in compensation he won back his playing rights on the Tour, not to mention a €388,880 cheque which earned him a place in the Open at St Andrews next month.

The 39-year-old Frenchman, who so ingloriously blew his chance of victory with a triple-bogey seven after wading into the Barry Burn at Carnoustie to find his ball and squandering a three-shot lead in the 1999 Open, was one ahead of his compatriot Jean-Francois Remesy going to the last at Le Golf National yesterday.

Uncannily he again found a watery grave off a hooked tee shot and Remesy squeezed to a 583,330 repeat of his 2004 victory with a double-bogey six in the play-off.

Van de Velde sent his second soaring over the lake and the green into reeds and beyond, had to take a penalty shot and once more suffered the ignominy of a triple-bogey seven after his recovery found a fried egg lie in a bunker.

It was a French farce that ended with laughter and then tears as both men rued the ragged finale to their titanic duel.

Remesy, with the green at his mercy in the play-off, flopped his pitch short into the drink but his next, after a penalty drop, pulled up seven feet away and two putts did the trick for the man who ended a 35-year wait with France's first home win in the event 12 months ago.

Van de Velde, who has twice undergone surgery on his right knee following his Carnoustie nightmare, went into action 197th in the money list and despite yesterday's disappointment he earned a place in the British Open next month, winning one of two direct-entry spots via a mini-money list run over the past seven weeks.

Best of the Irish was Stephen Browne who finished on 287 after firing a final round 74. Paul McGinley finished two strokes behind Browne after a disappointing 75 with Peter Lawrie on 292 and Gary Murphy on 293.

Guardian Service