Julien Quesne wins Open D’Italia Lindt

Julien Quesne of France fired a closing round of 67 to win the 70th Open D'Italia Lindt at Golf Club Torino by a single shot over Ireland's David Higgins and Steve Webster of England.

Julien Quesne wins Open D'Italia Lindt (Getty Images)

Julien Quesne of France fired a closing round of 67 to win the 70th Open D'Italia Lindt at Golf Club Torino by a single shot over Ireland's David Higgins and Steve Webster of England.

The Frenchman began the final day four shots behind Australia' Marcus Fraser, but the 33-year-old completed an impressive back nine of 31 to set a clubhouse total of 12-under-par.

Quesne picked up birdies at the 10th, 11th and 15th. He then chipped in from short of the 17th and birdied the last for good measure.

Meanwhile, further back on the course, Fraser was faltering. He three-putted on the 15th then missed the green on the short 16th and that led to another bogey. In the end, Fraser closed with 74 to end the week in a tie for fourth.

It was Steve Webster and David Higgins who took a share of second place. Both closed with 68s to finish only a shot behind Quesne. It was a second European Tour victory for Quesne who has moved to 41st on the Race to Dubai.

"I am surprised to be here. The flags were very difficult all week so it was very difficult to make birdies and easy to make some bogeys," he said. "It was also really special to have my family with me - they make me stronger when they are with me and it is an amazing feeling to be able to celebrate here with them. I have had a great season this year - it has been a very consistent season with six top tens before this week and now it has become an amazing season. I can now play so many of the biggest events at the end of the year and try to finish as high as I can on The Race to Dubai."

Higgins' good finish was an important one. It has raised him to 111th on the Race to Dubai with the top-110 following the Perth Invitational securing playing rights for 2014. If he can earn enough money in the next few weeks, he could avoid a 14th trip to qualifying school.

70th Open D'Italia Lindt Golf Club Torino, Turin, Italy Sep 19-22, purse €1,800,000, par 72

1   Julien Quesne (Fra)   70   68   71   67   276   €250,000 T2   David Higgins (Irl)   67   69   73   68   277   €130,280 T2   Steve Webster (Eng)   67   69   73   68   277   €130,280 T4   Felipe Aguilar (Chi)   69   66   72   71   278   €59,025 T4   Fredrik Andersson-Hed (Swe) 73 67 71   67   278   €59,025  T4   Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)   65   71   70   72   278   €59,025 T4   Emiliano Grillo (Arg)   70   72   68   68   278   €59,025 T8   Seve Benson (Eng)   68   70   72   69   279   €29,775 T8   Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 71   69   71   68   279   €29,775 T8   Marcus Fraser (Aus)   66   71   68   74   279   €29,775 T8   Hennie Otto (RSA)   71   67   70   71   279   €29,775 T8   Alvaro Quiros (Esp)   71   67   73   68   279   €29,775 T8   Romain Wattel (Fra)   71   72   66   70   279   €29,775

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?