Frenchman Joël Stalter claimed his maiden European Tour victory in the Euram Bank Open in the Austrian Alps with fiancé Flora on the bag as he survived teeming rain to win. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JOËL Stalter overturned a four-stroke deficit to win his first European Tour title at the Euram Bank Open in the Austrian Alps.

The Frenchman finished two strokes ahead of Staffordshire’s Richard Mansell in the dual-ranked European Tour and Challenge Tour event.

Victory was even sweeter for Stalter, as he shared his success with his fiancée Flora, his caddie for the week.

Stalter, whose only other win came at the Swedish Challenge, in 2016, said: “Winning here… I can’t really put it into words.

“I have been in this situation a few times and was never able to really push through.

“My girlfriend was on the bag this week. She has done an incredible job. She kept me going. She’s definitely part of my success today.

“It was a horrible day in terms of the conditions. It was tough for everyone,” said the 28-year-old, who beat Wiltshire’s Ben Stow and Wales Oliver Farr in a play-off in Sweden, four years ago.

“The course played probably 1000 yards longer,” said Joel. “But my girlfriend had her smile on and just kept me going. We just had fun

“I was playing really well and I just really enjoyed it, even though it was a tough day.

“I didn’t know I was leading until the 13th hole. Then I took my chance and really pushed through.

“I feel like today is a tribute to the last two years of getting slapped in the face a lot. I just kept pushing and believing.”

Leader’s nerves over closing holes

STALTER admitted he “felt nervous” over the last two holes of the final round, as he and Flora were soaked by the rain falling against the spectacular backdrop of the Austrian Alps.

“I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could. It’s what we train for,” said Stalter, who lost his European Tour card in 2017 after graduating from the Challenge Tour following his maiden win.

“All the tough days… this is what makes up for it. I just tried to stay in my game and do my best. Obviously it worked out well.”

Stalter started the day chasing 54-hole leader and fellow Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist.

But he moved ahead after a birdie on the 10th – his second of the day – after his compatriot played the front nine at Golf Club Adamstal in four-over par.

A bogey on the 14^th hole brought him level with Mansell, who was playing in the final group.

But Stalter responded immediately with a birdie on the 15th. And a nervous wait followed as he parred his final three holes, setting the clubhouse target at 14-under.

Mansell, making just his second European Tour start after debuting at last week’s Austrian Open, made a costly bogey on the 16th.

And that gave Stalter his first European Tour victory after battling the teeming rain. The win earned him a cheque for €76,823.

Luiten left to rue costly 10 on par five

SCIOT-SIEGRIST finished in third place alongside Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand and Germany’s Alexander Knappe.

Another Frenchman – Julien Brun – shared sixth place with South Africa’s Garrick Higgo, and pre-tournament favourite Joost Luiten.

The Dutchman, with six European Tour wins to his name, was left to rue the five dropped shots when he took 10 on the par five seventh in Friday’s third round.

Last year Mansell was winning regularly on the PGA EuroPro Tour, earning him seven starts on the Challenge Tour, earning his card for 2020 by finishing 64th on the Race to Mallorca.

The former Novo Southeastern University NCAA champion said: “If you had asked me at the start of the week – would you take a second place finish on your own? Yes.

“But with four holes to play when you’ve got a one-footer to tie the lead, or if you could just birdie the last, it’s difficult to swallow.

“But I’ll be back again. I know I’ll have more chances, said the 25-year-old from Beau Desert Golf Club.

“This week has given me a lot of confidence going forward. I’m happy with where my game’s at so we’ll see what happens next.

“I am good enough. I think I’ve always known that. I’ve just been waiting for a result.

“Now I’ve got that I just have that confidence, so I can go ahead and play freely now. I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

It was a good weekend for Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, despite finishing with a one-over par 71.

An opening round of 66, backed up by a pair of 68s, left. him in a share of 13th place and earned him €6,661.

•After the Austrian Alps, the European Tour moves to Close House, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North East of England, next week for the Betfred British Masters.

It is the first tournament of the new six-event UK Swing which forms a substantial part of the reshaped 2020 Race to Dubai.

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Anton Karlsson picked up his maiden European Challenge Tour win after finishing three shots clear in the RAM Cape Town Open, at Royal Cape Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGESnto

ANTON Karlsson came from three shots behind to win his maiden European Challenge Tour title at the RAM Cape Town Open.

The Swede carded a three under par round of 69 for a 14-under par total in difficult scoring conditions at Royal Cape Golf Club.

That was enough to jump ahead of a packed leaderboard and record a one-shot victory over South African Garrick Higgo.

Karlsson maintained the momentum from a bogey-free eight-under par 64 in his third round.

The 26-year-old Upsala GC pro reeled off six birdies in seven holes from the seventh hole to move to the top of the leaderboard, before holding off a late charge from Higgo to secure his first victory on the satellite circuit.

“It was one of the toughest days of golf in my career with the conditions,” said Anton Karlsson. “It feels amazing to come out on top and to play some really good golf.

“My only aim this morning was to go out there and win. I was three shots back and I knew I was playing well after a 64 yesterday.

“It was really windy out there, so I knew I just had to be patient and do my thing.

“The opening holes were playing tough and I ended up in the wrong places,” said the Swede, who has lost his European Tour card twice having successfully come through Qualifying School in 2016 and 2018.

“But I really got it going after that, and from the sixth hole it was probably the best stretch of golf I’ve ever played,” added Karlsson.

“It got a bit exciting at the end. I hit every shot as I intended down the 18th hole, but then raced my putt by a little further than I would have liked.

“But it’s always nice to hole a putt to win.”

Higgo started the day six shots behind overnight leader Daniel van Tonder.

But the 20-year-old recorded the best result of his fledgling Challenge Tour career after a five-under par 67 on Sunday.

Higgo finished in second position on 13-under, three shots clear of Sussex’s Toby Tree, who made the most of his decision to forego a place in the field for the European Tour’s Vic Open.

Instead the former England amateur international travelled to familiar territory in South Africa, and signed off with a 71 to secure a top three result.

Hampshire’s former Amateur Champion Harry Ellis, Lincolnshire’s EuroPro Tour graduate Jordan Wrisdale, and Frenchman Damien Perrier, finished one shot further back in a tie for fourth.

Overnight leader van Tonder settled for seventh place, alongside Allen John and Gloucestershire’s EuroPro Tour graduate Mitch Waite on eight-under.

Karlsson, who had four top 10s in his debut season back in 2016, moved into second position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings with his maiden win.

The runner-up in the 2018 KPMG Trophy is just 85 points behind last week’s Limpopo Championship winner JC Ritchie, with Wilco Nienaber occupying third place after the opening two events.

The Challenge Tour now travels to Fancourt Golf Estate, George, for the Dimension Data Pro-Am, which gets under way from February 13-16. See the entry list here.

•For final results in the RAM Cape Town Open click here.

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