Open de France: Guido Migliozzi pips Rasmus Hojgaard to thrilling victory at Le Golf National
Guido Migliozzi was 13 strokes off the halfway lead but followed a five-under 66 with a round-of-the-day 62 during a bogey-free weekend, with an incredible birdie at the par-four last earning him a narrow win over Rasmus Hojgaard
By Ali Stafford
Last Updated: 25/09/22 7:18pm
Guido Migliozzi showcased his credentials as a potential candidate for Europe’s next Ryder Cup team with a stunning performance to snatch a dramatic victory at the Cazoo Open de France.
The Italian overturned a five-stroke deficit during a thrilling final round at Le Golf National, firing nine birdies in a round-of-the-day 62 to register a third DP World Tour title and first since 2019.
Migliozzi was one of only two players on the final day to birdie the par-four last, with that incredible finish seeing him end the week on 16 under and a shot clear of closest challenger Rasmus Hojgaard.
Thomas Pieters, George Coetzee and Paul Barjon finished five strokes back in a share of third ahead of Jamie Donaldson, while England's Jordan Smith ended the week in seventh and last week's DS Automobiles Italian Open winner Robert MacIntyre in the group tied-eighth.
Hojgaard started with a one-shot lead and played the par-three second some six shots better than the previous day, rolling in from 55 feet for birdie having made a quintuple-bogey in the third round.
The Dane then chipped in for eagle at the par-five next to briefly go three ahead, a day from bogeying the hole, only to three-putt from inside 10 feet at the eighth and bogey the ninth to find himself level with Coetzee at the turn.
Hojgaard opened his back nine with a birdie to edge back ahead, although Coetzee moved back alongside him on 14 under following a front-nine 34 by rolling in from 20 feet at the par-three 11th.
Migliozzi began on seven under but charged up the leaderboard with five consecutive birdies from the sixth, including one from 35 feet at the seventh, with a run of three more birdies from the 13th briefly jumping him into the solo lead.
Coetzee and Hojgaard both took advantage of the par-five 14th to make it a trip tied at the top, where a brilliant approach from Pieters set up a six-foot eagle to move him within one.
Pieters found water with his approach into the par-four next on his way to a double-bogey, with Coetzee all falling three behind after putting two balls into the hazard and carding a triple-bogey seven, as Hojgaard two-putted for par to remain alongside Migliozzi on 15 under.
Migliozzi followed back-to-back pars over his next two holes with a stunning approach over water into the par-four 18th, resulting in a six-foot birdie to regain the solo lead, which ended up being enough for victory when Hojgaard failed to find a chip-in birdie to extend the contest.
"An explosion of feeling - it has been an incredible day," Migliozzi said. "I love to battle on the golf course and today I received something back. It was a beautiful day of golf."
Barjon, Pieters and Coetzee all bogeyed the par-four last to end the week on 11 under, while Donaldson joined Migliozzi in making a closing birdie to card a two-under 69 and move a big step closer to securing his DP World Tour card for next season.
The DP World Tour season heads to Scotland next for the Alfred Dunhill Link Championship, with coverage live on Thursday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
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