Cejka secures title as Woosnam falls away

There has always been a jauntiness to the stride of Alex Cejka but none more so than after he birdied the 16th hole here yesterday. With his lead extended from one stroke to a two-stroke cushion, the danger of the famous par-three 18th receded considerably and Cejka, who controlled his game beautifully over the back nine, duly won the Lancome Trophy. It was a tidy effort enhanced by the fact that he had not won for seven years.

In 1995 Cejka won three times, including the prestigious Volvo Masters, to establish himself as a worthy successor to Bernhard Langer in German golfing circles. It did not quite work out that way and only a fortnight ago Langer was still proving himself to be a high calibre competitor as a member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team.

Once it was Cejka's turn to hit at the last hole he wasted no time in putting the ball on the green. His long approach putt went four feet past the hole but then he made the par-putt for a 68 that included four birdies and just one early bogey. At 12 under, he won by two strokes from Spain's Carlos Rodiles.

"It does not feel like it is seven years since I won," said the Czech-born Cejka. "But then sometimes it feels like 25 years. I have had a lot of chances and it can be cruel to finish second or third. But I have worked hard and I knew it would come." It was at Saint Nom that Cejka got engaged four years ago. "Paris is always special and this is a special tournament."

The dangers at the 18th include a pond on the right hand side of the green, which Ian Woosnam found for the second time in the round as it also boarders the ninth green. The Welshman bogeyed the last for an untidy finish that included a three-putt dropped shot at the 17th.

A round of 72 was not what Woosie was looking for as he defends his World Match Play title this week. Starting the day one behind, Woosnam never managed to find momentum and nor did Nick Faldo or Sergio Garcia. Faldo took a double bogey at the ninth and finished with his second 74 of the week. It was a tournament of two halves for the six-time major champion: nine under for Thursday and Saturday, six over for Friday and Sunday. And Garcia, who made up four shots in the last four holes to win a year ago, quickly fell back with two early bogeys.

Mark Pilkington, from Wales, came in with a 62, a new course record over the particular composite course in operation here but had too much ground to make up.

It was Cejka's birdie at the 10th that put him in front for good and despite the odd wayward drive he was never caught. The 31-year-old was second in his last start at the German Masters and sixth at Crans the week before that so this win was coming.

The timing was perfect as Cejka goes to the first stage of the US Qualifying School next week. "It makes it look like I want to leave Europe," Cejka said. "But I am happy here. It is just that I want to try it and see what happens. Now having an exemption here will help."