Maiden tiitle for Lucquin

Teenager slips up twice on 18th as Frenchman wins maiden title

Last updated: 7th September 2008

jean francois lucquin

Lucquin: Maiden title victory

European Masters
Final Leaderboard
GB & Ire unless stated
-13 R McIlroy
-13 JF Lucquin (Fra)
Lucquin wins at second extra hole
-12 C Cevaer (Fra)
-12 J CLement (Sui)
-12 MA Jimenez (Spn)
-12 G Orr

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A dramatic play-off gave Jean-Francois Lucquin his maiden title as youngster Rory McIlroy twice threw away his chances on the 18th green of the European Masters.

McIlroy missed a five-foot putt on the 18th green in regulation that would have given him the title and that error meant a play-off between the Northern Irishman and Frenchman Lucquin.

Again McIlroy missed a putt for the title as they played the 18th again in the first play-off hole, but second time around he missed from barely a foot to effectively hand his challenger the win.

Lucquin had two putts for the title but needed just one as he completed a birdie three and with it the title.

Rough round

Starting the day with a four-shot cushion at the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy struggled from the start with two bogeys in his first three holes, although he recovered with a birdie at five.

Miguel Angel Jimenez led the charge with a 67 as the chasing pack closed right up on the 19-year-old with several in with serious chances, but despite the tension the youngster showed great character to get back to the top.

Birdies at 12 and 15 put McIlroy in front and after Lucquin had carded a flawless 67, McIlroy then needed just a par on 18 to become the third youngest winner in European Tour history.

However, he missed his five-footer on the final green and the two men returned to the 18th tee for the play-off, which came down to McIlroy again hovering over a putt for the win.

His effort just shaved the left hand side of the hole as again he missed his chance, and on his next tee shot McIlroy pulled it into the rough.

Error

He recovered to find the green and his initial putt went to just over a foot - but a lapse in concentration then saw the youngster miss again for a bogey five.

Lucquin therefore had two putts for the trophy but he needed just one as a birdie three gave him his maiden success and saw the champagne flow.

"I don't know I have no words to explain what I'm feeling right now," Lucquin told Sky Sports just after his win.

"I knew on 18 that I have a chance for a play-off.

"Rory had a chance in the first hole of the play off and I don't know what happened on the second hole - he missed it and gave me the chance to finish it and I did.

"My coach told me I had a chance this week I was focused on my swing and on my routine and thankfully it has worked."