Blondel holds off Eggo to claim second title

Eight years after winning his first title, Blondel was 6 up after the morning round of yesterday’s 36-hole final at L’Ancresse but then had to withstand a remarkable afternoon fightback from Andy Eggo, who birdied four of the first six holes after lunch and narrowed the gap to just a single hole with six remaining.

But the leader was not making any big mistakes and when he holed a putt in excess of 40ft at the 15th for a brilliant birdie of his own, it proved decisive and he went on to win 2 up.

‘It feels amazing to win it,’ said Blondel.

‘Obviously after this morning being 6 up, you know Andy’s going to come back at you.

‘I knew if I played par golf, steady golf, then I should be there or thereabouts, but when he throws three birdies in the first four holes at you, you start thinking is it your day or not?

‘Then it’s a matter, in the middle of the round, of just trying to keep it together really and doing nothing silly. I hit a couple of bad shots, but it’s my fourth final and I know from my other finals that you are not going to play well for all 36 holes, you are going to have some bad holes. Andy had his this morning, I had a couple this afternoon, and then it’s just a matter of hanging in there.

‘Then I holed that one on 15 – that was nice. It was a relief just to get it to drop in.

‘I’m just absolutely delighted,’ he added.