VERSAILLES, France, 28 June 2004 — Jean-Francois Remesy held his nerve to clinch the French Open by seven shots at Le National yesterday and become the event’s first home winner for 35 years.
The 40-year-old Frenchman, three strokes clear overnight, double-bogeyed the opening hole but maintained his composure on his way to a closing level-par 71 and a 72-hole total of 12-under 272.
Remesy, who was thrown into the water at the last by his caddie and friends, finished seven strokes clear of Australian left-handers Richard Green and Nick O’Hern, the largest winning margin on the 2004 European Tour by two shots. Green began the final day three adrift of Remesy and closed the gap to two before stumbling over the closing holes.
He double-bogeyed the last for a 75 to slip back into a tie for second at five-under 279 with O’Hern, who had earlier fired a 68.
Tour veteran Ian Woosnam fired a three-over 74 to tie for sixth with Australia’s Peter O’Malley, who returned a 72.
Scott Stretches Lead to Six at US PGA Event
In Potomac, Maryland, Australia’s Adam Scott stretched his lead to six strokes Saturday after 54 holes of the $4.5 million PGA Booz Allen Classic, firing seven birdies in a four-under par 67 third round.
The rising young Aussie star sank a six-foot birdie on the 18th hole to give himself the second-largest lead entering the final round of any US PGA event this year, shy only of David Toms’ seven-stroke edge after 54 holes at Memphis.
Scott withstood blustery conditions to stand on 18-under par 195, six strokes ahead of American Olin Browne and seven ahead of Americans Charles Howell and Arron Oberholser.
Title-Hungry Saiki Nears End to LPGA Drought
In Pittsford, New York, Kim Saiki, seeking her first LPGA title in her 14th tour season, fired a four-under par 68 Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Rochester tournament. It’s the first time the 38-year-old American has ever led after 54 holes.
A bogey-free day left Saiki on 13-under par 203 after 54 holes, one ahead of compatriot Rosie Jones and five strokes ahead of Taiwan’s Candie Kung, who shared the lead with Saiki after the 36 holes at the $1.5 million event. Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, who won the LPGA Championship two weeks ago for her seventh career major title, fired a 71 to share fourth on 209 with France’s Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, Britain’s Becky Morgan and South Korean Mi Hyun-kim.
