Phllip Price claimed the John Jacobs Trophy for the first time having been runner-up on the Staysure Tour Order of Merit in 2018, he finished at the top of the 2019 rankings after the final event in Mauritius. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PHILLIP Price won the John Jacobs Trophy for the first time after topping the 2019 Staysure Tour Order of Merit.

Price held off his four challengers for the No. 1 spot in the final event of 2019 – the MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius.

South African James Kingston was the main danger and was looking set for the win he needed to overhaul Price, at the start of the third and final round, on Sunday.

Price moved up to a share of third place during Sunday’s final round, having slipped briefly at one point on the back nine to just outside the top 10 finish, which would guarantee him the crown.

A burst of three birdies in three holes from the 12th looked to have put the result beyond doubt for Price, as Sandelin surged past the field to go one clear of Kingston.

But the 2002 Ryder Cup hero then dropped shots at the 15th and 16th before a birdie four at the dramatic final hole at Costance Belle Mare Plage lifted him inside the top five and a total of 2,888 points on the Staysure Order of Merit

Price was the most consistent player during the year. Last year the Welshman finished second on the season-long rankings behind two-time John Jacobs Trophy winner Paul Broadhurst.

But the 53-year-old went one better in 2019 to win the trophy – finishing 361.6 points ahead of Kingston in second place.

“To be No. 1 after 19 tournaments is really important to me,” said Price. “I’ve never won an Order of Merit of any type. I wanted to be number one, not number two or three, so I’m delighted.

“I finished second last year to Paul Broadhurst, which was nice – but it didn’t feel great. But to be No. 1 and have the trophy is extra special.

“Coming into the final three weeks I was leading the Staysure Tour Order of Merit, but I knew there were a lot of points to play for at the events.

“Barry Lane won (Madagascar), then Peter Fowler won (Seychelles), and James Kingston was leading after 36 holes this week and he could’ve passed me if I hadn’t finished inside the top 10.

“It’s a massive relief and I’m delighted to be Staysure Tour No. 1,” added Price.

“I needed to play quite well. I managed to make quite a few birdies early on and kept a buffer between myself and the players outside the top 10 and in the end Jarmo won.

“It was nice to birdie the last and celebrate. It always nice to make a nice putt and punch the air, realising I’m No. 1.”

Price needs top 10 to win John Jacobs Trophy

Price, who famously beat Phil Mickelson in the Sunday singles at The Belfry 17 years ago to help Europea defeat the USA, won the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, at Ken’s London Club, in August – one of 12 top 10s during the year.

Lancashire’s David Shacklady, who won twice in September at The Sinclair Invitational and Paris Legends Championship, finished third on the Staysure Order of Merit.

Frenchman Jean-Francios Remesy and Australian Peter Fowler, winners of the Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship and the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles, respectively, claimed fourth and fifth place on the season-long rankings.

Berkshire’s Barry Lane, who needed a second win in three weeks on the Indian Ocean swing, finished sixth overall, with Peter Baker, from the West Midlands in eighth.

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie finished 11th in his rookie year.

•To see the final Staysure Order of Merit click here.

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JEAN-François Remesy carded a bogey-free six-under par first round of 66 to lead the MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius by two strokes.

The Frenchman, who won the inaugural the Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship at Trevose, in June, put himself in pole position to claim another Staysure Tour title after a blemish-free round.

The two-time French Open winner’s opening round included six birdies, to lead the season-finale at Constance Belle Mare Plage.

Remesy ended last week’s MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles with a round of 66.

And he began the ninth edition of the MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius, the last event of the three-event final series MCB Tour Championship, with another 66.

The three-time European Tour winner showed no sign of struggling in the Mauritius heat as he birdied three of his opening six holes.

That included back-to-back gains at the third and fourth. His putter, like the weather, remained hot as he began the back nine with another birdie to move to four-under.

With four holes left to play, he extended his advantage with a gain at the par five 15th before a final birdie of the day at the last to sign for a bogey-free round and take the lead at the European Tour Destinations venue.

“I’m happy to be in Mauritius and happy to play on a golf course that I’ve known for many years,” said Remesy.

“I’ve been playing decent for a couple of weeks and I’ve continued my goal of hitting the fairways and greens, and finally I made a few birdies today which made for a good score.

“I’m playing really well, which is great. I can now focus on the next two days. Hopefully I have a bit more luck on the greens.

“I’ve been changing all my grips on my clubs because it’s hot, trying to find a solution to playing in the heat, and it was good today. Those changes make a big difference to recorded a round of 66, 69 or even a 70.

“We know the par fives are reachable, but they are tricky, really tricky, so you need to hit the fairway.

“You have to hit very good shots around this course. If you are missing shots then you’re going to be in trouble,” added Remesy, who was a regular visitor to the Mauritius Open, before the venue began hosting European Seniors Tour events.

“It’s better to be leading than to be 10 shots behind, so I’ll take that,” said Remesy. I know the story about how to win tournaments but a lot of the guys behind me know that story as well.

“I’m expecting the guys behind to make a charge and it should make for a fun weekend.”

Two strokes behind Remesy is a chasing pack of four players, including Miguel Angel Martin and James Kingston, who are both searching for their maiden Staysure Tour title.

Defending champion Clark Dennis and the 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie. mtached Martin and Kingston’s 68s, to sit on four-under, with South African, Kingston chipping in for eagle at the 18th hole as he looks to secure a first John Jacobs Trophy, having lost the overnight lead last weekend in the Seychelles.

Lawrie still has a chance to land the John Jacobs Trophy and being crowned Staysure Tour No. 1 by winning the Order of Merit with a victory in Mauritius – but if Phillip Price can finish inside the top 10 the Welsh Ryder Cup winner will take the title for the first time.

Price currently lies in 19th place having carded a first round 71 with three birdies and two bogeys.

The second round at Constance Belle Mare Plage gets under way at 8.30am local time with Remesy teeing it up at 11.15am local time. Mauritius is four hours ahead of GMT.

•For second round scores click here.

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Benjamin Hebert is the highest Frenchman in the field for the French Open at Le Paris National this week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BENJAMIN Hebert is currently the top ranked French player on the Race to Dubai, and he is hoping a maiden European Tour win on home soil at this week’s Amundi French Open can help him break into the top 10 – or better.

The 32-year-old has two second place finishes this season, at the Volvo China Open and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

Hebert said: “It’s my best season so far. I have two second places, but I think I could have been a little bit better.

“Still chasing the first win, but I’ll try to improve every part of my game and I think it could be soon.

“I’m in a good position on the Race to Dubai. Like with my game, I will try to improve this placing and maybe get into the top ten or better.

“This is a very important end of the season coming up, and it’s going to be good,” Hebert added.

“It’s always special to play on home soil, with so many home fans watching. It’s always interesting to learn how to manage this different pressure.

“We’re playing on a great golf course and I just try to enjoy it,” added Hebert, who currently sits in 17^th place on the Race to Dubai rankings as the season enters the final stretch.

He is joined at Le Golf National for continental Europe’s oldest national open by a host of his compatriots, including one man who has already tasted victory this season – Alfred Dunhill Links Championship winner Victor Perez.

The European Challenge Tour graduate will be under a different kind of pressure this week after making his debut in the event last season.

But Perez, who currently lives in Dundee where his girlfriend is studying at the Scottish university, is hoping to keep relaxed and treat the week like any other tournament.

Perez said: “Being a Frenchman it’s important to be here and play in front of the home fans. A lot of French players are having a good season and really looking forward to the tournament.

“Winning a couple of weeks ago means there is a little bit of attention on me, so I think it’s important to come out and play in front of home fans and hopefully have a good week.

“You want to try to enjoy it as much as possible. It’s very easy to put extra pressure on yourself to perform.

“But also you can think about it the other way and really enjoy the fact the fans are here to cheer for you,” Perez added.

“Then it’s just about having a blast and free-wheeling it, I think that’s a better attitude than feeling the extra pressure.”

Romain Langasque – the winner of the 2016 Amateur Championship at Carnoustie – is also aiming to cap off a fine season with victory in front of home crowds at the Amundi Open de France, which is often described as an inland links, with its long grasses and tightly mown, narrow fairways.

Langasque has been edging towards his first European Tour win with three top three finishes.

The 2016 Spanish Amateur Champion, who beat Hampshire’s Scott Gregory in the final, is relishing the challenge posed by the famously testing Albatros Course, which hosted Europe’s victory over the United States in the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Langasque said: “It’s always important to play in front of the French crowd.

“I know this course very well and I think it’s one of the best on the European Tour.

“My first time playing my home open was tough, but now I’m better prepared, and I enjoy it so much, sharing these moments with my family and friends.

“With the weather as well this week I think it will be a tough test again. The 18th is a tough tee shot under pressure because of the bank on the right and the water on the left.

“The second shot is quite tough because of the pressure, you see a lot of water,” added Langasque.

“It’s one of the best finishing holes on Tour and I hope to have my chance down there on Sunday.”

Two Frenchmen have claimed the Open de France at the Ryder Cup venue – Thomas Levet in 2011, and Jean-Francois Remesy, who won back-to-back 14 years ago. Both are now playing on the Staysure Seniors Tour.

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