Austria’s Wiesberger wins French Open

Bernd Wiesberger has won the biggest title of his career at the French Open, producing a mid-round birdie barrage that blew apart a top-class field.

The 29-year-old Austrian started the last 18 at Le Golf National on Sunday alone in third, three shots adrift of leader Jaco van Zyl.

A quiet start by him was followed by an hour’s suspension of play due to thunderstorm activity and when Wiesberger resumed, sparks began to fly.

Five birdies in six holes from the fourth propelled him into a four-hole lead over the field going around the turn and he never looked like being caught after that.

He punched the air in triumph when a 15-foot birdie putt went in at the last to give him a 13-under total of 271, three strokes clear of England’s James Morrison, who took second after a 67.

It was the third European Tour title of his career, the two others both coming in 2012 and sets him up nicely for a crack at the British Open in St Andrews in two weeks time.

Two shots further back came South African van Zyl, who had taken a two-stroke lead into the final round, but could only manage a 73.

Former world No.1 Martin Kaymer of Germany placed fourth after a 70 left him six shots adrift of Wiesberger with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello in fifth two further shots back.

Kaymer, the 2009 French Open champion and a former world number one, got to within three shots off Wiesberger going down the back nine, but he left himself with too much to do over the tough four-hole closing stretch.

It was a disappointing day for local hope Victor Dubuisson, who started the day level with Kaymer at four shots off the pace, but dropped a shot at the first before taking a triple-bogey seven at the seventh which ended his hopes.

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