46 YEAR OLD JIMENEZ WINS IN FRANCE.

46 year old Miguel Angel Jiménez became the oldest-ever winner of continental Europe's oldest golf title in Paris in the same week as another,"oldie" 49 year old Gary Wolstenholme won his first Professional tournament on the Europro tour.

The Spaniard captured the Alstom Open de France at Le Golf National by beating compatriot Alejandro Cañizares and Italian Francesco Molinari in sudden death after his second shot found water.This was unfortunate as he was two shots clear on the final hole of regulation play.

Jiménez had his second chance when Cañizares went into the same lake twice at the first extra hole and Molinari,found the bunker off the tee.Molinari was then forced to lay up on the par four and found the greenside bunker with his approach.His bunker shot finished 20 feet past the flag but he amazingly holed it for a bogey 5.Jiménez still had work to do when he missed the green, but a 15 footer for par gave him the title and the first prize of €500,000.

The first prize lifts the Malaga golfer all the way from 17th to 5th in The Ryder Cup race and brings his worldwide wins to 20.

It was another good tournament for World No10 Rory McIlroy.He came up only one shot short of the play off after a 7 birdie finishing round of 66.His 10 under par finish left him in 4th place and earned him €150,000.

Michael Hoey matched McIlroy's final round of 66,which moved him up into a share of 11th on 6 under par and level with Damien Mc Grane.The pair collected €49,020 each.

Gareth Maybin made a great comeback after he opened with a first round of 3 over par 74.He hit back with scores of 69,70,69 to finish 32nd on 2 under par and was rewarded with €22,312.

Peter Lawrie completed his four rounds on level par 284.He won €17,400 for a share of 42nd.

ALSTOM OPEN DE FRANCE.

WINNER: MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 71,69,66,67 273 -11 €500,000.

2ND: ALEJANDNO CANIZARES 66,66,73,68 273 -11 €260,565.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 69,69,68,67 273 -11 €260,565.

IRISH SCORES.

4TH: RORY MCILROY 68,71,69,66 274 -10 €150,000.

11TH: MICHAEL HOEY 69,74,69,66 278 -6 €49,020.
DAMIEN MC GRANE 68,71,67,72 278 -6 €49,020.

32ND: GARETH MAYBIN 74,69,70,69 282 -2 €22,312.

42ND: PETER LAWRIE 71,67,75,71 282 PAR €17,400.

MISSED CUT +1 143.

SHANE LOWRY 73,71 +2.
DARREN CLARKE 75,69 +2.

PAUL MC GINLEY 75,70 +3.

SIMON THORNTON 72,76 +6.