GUYANCOURT, France, 30 June 2003 — Never-say-die Philip Golding put 20 years of drought behind him here Sunday by winning the French Open.

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.

Golding came to Paris having played 200 European PGA Tour events without a win. Indeed he had previously never finished better than sixth.

He also had the unenviable record of having to qualify for the tour 16 times. But a third round 68 on Saturday gave him a one stroke lead going into the last 18 holes and he coped magnificently with the pressure in what for him were uncharted waters.

England’s Justin Rose had set the early mark in the clubhouse at 13-under when he closed with a 65. For a while it looked like he was in with a chance of holding on as a stiffening breeze shackled the leaders and birdies were hard to come by.

But coming down the stretch first Howell with three birdies in a row from the 12th and then Golding with birdies at the 13th and 14th broke clear from the pack. Both men dropped shots at the par-three 16th and then Howell drew level at 14-under with a birdie four at the last.

Golding, playing two pairings later, needed a birdie to win and he duly complied tapping in for his four after reaching the imposing lakeside green in two.

Johnson Moves One Shot

Clear in Memphis

Sweden’s Richard Johnson took sole possession of the third-round lead in the FedEx St. Jude Classic on Saturday after a two-under-par 69 left him on 14-under 199.

Johnson leads by one shot over former PGA champion David Toms, who shot a 65 to move into contention for his second victory this season.

Fellow Swede Fredrik Jacobson is among a group of four players on 201, just two shots behind Johnson. Joining Jacobson are Tim Herron, two-time US Open champion Lee Janzen and David Peoples.

Ben Crane, who broke through for his maiden PGA Tour win earlier this season in the BellSouth Classic, is alone in seventh on 202.

John Huston, who shared the second-lead with Johnson, slipped to a two-over 73 and is among nine players tied for eighth on 203. Johnson played a steady, if unspectacular round with three birdies and one bogey at the TPC at Southwind.