Scotland’s Jamie Mann grabbed the opportunity to qualify for next month’s DP World Tour Mallorca Open by clinching a massive victory in the Faldo Series French Open last night.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
With second and third also winning Challenge Tour spots, the event at Le Golf National attracted a high-class field but it was the Portuguese-based 18-year-old who nicked it by one shot ahead of long-time leader Maxime Lam (France) while England international Arron Edwards-Hill (Chelmsford) was a further shot back in third.
The players had to deal with high winds and heavy rain and the conditions contributed to an exciting finish. The top 14 were separated by just six shots.
“I’ve certainly had a good few days,” said the teenager, who can now start planning for his trip to southern Spain and the Son Muntaner Golf Club in three weeks (Oct 20-23).
“There has been a lot to take in but I just can’t wait to get to Mallorca. I’ve played in a few pro events but obviously nothing like this.”
Mann, who will be supported in Southern Spain by his mum and dad who live on the Algarve near Vilamoura, has struggled with an injury this year but in 2021 showed his class by qualifying for the matchplay stages of last year’s British Boys in second place and represented Northumberland in the county finals won by Gloucestershire last season.
And he certainly showed what he is capable of at the Ryder Cup venue yesterday as he got to five under for his closing round after just 11 holes.
Starting his second round two back of halfway leader Lam, a birdie at the first gave him just the boost he needed, sticking a short iron to just two feet before draining one from 40 feet at the fourth.
And then he fired it even closer at the seventh, almost holing out for an eagle.
His putter then got red hot around the turn, starting at the eighth, where he sank a 20 footer, followed by a 15-footer at nine and then a 35-footer at 11. That got him into the lead and Mann admitted he kept a close eye on what was happening around him.
“I do like to keep a close eye on the scoreboard if I can and even though the last five holes were playing really tough, I guess the pressure of knowing a place in a DP event was on the line started to tell. That said I didn’t hit many bad shots and the rain started to get really heavy.”
A “poor wedge” did cost him one shot on 14 but on 15 an aggressive birdie putt led to a three-putt and he dropped back to three under par.
Two groups behind it was starting to look good for Lam, who turned in 35 (-1) and then a birdie on 15 appeared to have given him a significant advantage as, up ahead the Scot was one of the many to fall victim to the brutal 17th. He left a four iron 20 yards short before pitching to six feet and then missing his par putt.
Mann parred the last before following the scores from the clubhouse and he watched as Lam dropped four shots on 16, 17 and 18 including a double bogey at the last which thrust the Scottish teenager back into the lead.
In total he would have to wait just over an hour for confirmation the potentially life-changing victory was his.