ANDALUCIA, Spain, March 18, 2012 (AFP) - France's Julien Quesne, the world number 322, won the Andalucia Open on Sunday to claim his maiden European Tour title at the age of 31.
Quesne, who graduated from last season's Challenge Tour, carded a final round eight under par 64 for a four-round 17 under, 271 total, winning the title by two shots from Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who finished with a 68.
Spain's Eduardo De La Riva, the second- and third-round leader, finished in third place after a final round 70, a round scarred by a bogey at the last.
"It's the best day of my life," said Quesne, whose previous best had been a tie for 16th at the 2010 Madrid Masters.
Quesne birdied four of the last five holes, his approach to the 18th leaving him a five-foot putt which he holed as he closed with a course record-equalling 64.
"It's not easy because you have Manassero, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Pablo Larrazabal, they all played good, so I just tried to play shot after shot and do my best," added the French player, the European Tour's 400th different winner.
"I knew that if I holed the putt at the last I'd have a good chance. I'm very happy. It's very quick for me to win this year."
Quesne birdied both par fives on the front nine and hit birdie putts at the eighth and ninth to turn in 32.
After five consecutive pars he sunk a 12-footer at the 14th, rolled in a 15-footer at the 15th and two-putted from 60 feet at the 16th.
England's David Lynn failed to build on a 30-foot eagle at the fifth as he finished fourth, one ahead of South African Hennie Otto and Quesne's compatriot Raphael Jacquelin.
Tournament host Jimenez, aiming to become the oldest winner in European Tour history, finished in a share of seventh after a 71.
Leading and selected final round scores at the Andalucia Open at the Aloha GC, Andalucia, Spain on Sunday (GBR/IRL unless stated, par 72):
271 - Julien Quesne (FRA) 68-72-67-64
273 - Matteo Manassero (ITA) 64-73-68-68
274 - Eduardo De La Riva (ESP) 67-69-68-70
275 - David Lynn 70-68-68-69
276 - Hennie Otto (RSA) 67-71-68-70, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 70-68-69-69
277 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 69-68-69-71, Shane Lowry 71-72-67-67, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 69-71-71-66, Mark Foster 69-70-69-69
278 - Phillip Price 69-72-66-71, Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 70-72-66-70, Borja Etchart (ESP) 71-71-66-70, Simon Khan 70-69-66-73, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 73-65-71-69
279 - Graeme Storm 70-69-69-71
280 - Alex Haindl (RSA) 68-71-70-71, Robert Rock 69-69-70-72, Marcel Siem (GER) 69-71-67-73
281 - Damien McGrane 69-68-71-73, Soren Hansen (DEN) 73-68-71-69, Darren Fichardt (RSA) 69-71-67-74, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 68-69-71-73, Bradley Dredge 74-67-68-72, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 69-70-72-70
282 - Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (FRA) 69-72-68-73, Anthony Wall 67-77-70-68, Andrea Pavan (ITA) 70-69-70-73, Tommy Fleetwood 68-69-72-73, Oliver Wilson 71-67-74-70, Ignacio Garrido (ESP) 69-71-70-72, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 70-74-70-68
Selected:
284 - Keith Horne (RSA) 73-70-69-72
285 - Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 72-69-71-73
286 - Mike Weir (CAN) 68-73-72-73