Monday, July 3 2006 15:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guyancourt: England's John Bickerton won the French Open golf championship here on Sunday for his second title on the European Tour.

Bickerton, who won the 2005 Canary Islands Open for his first EPGA win, hit a final round 69 for an 11-under-par total of 273 to push Ireland's Padraig Harrington into second spot by a shot.

Bickerton had a scare however. Leading by three with four to play, he hit his approach to the 399-yard 15th into the water and double-bogeyed to see his lead cut to one at 11 under.

He then missed the 17th green to the right but executed a perfect chip to seven feet and then holed a nervy putt for par.

Bickerton, who led on the first two days, teed off on the 18th knowing Harrington held the clubhouse lead at 10 under after birdies at his last two holes.

Playing partner and overnight leader Michael Campbell, also on 10 under, dumped his approach into the lake after coming up six feet short to end his challenge and the 36-year-old Bickerton calmly two-putted from 25 feet.

The huge first prize catapulted Bickerton, who lost a play-off to Niclas Fasth at the Andalucia Open in April, into 10th in the Ryder Cup rankings.