Kaymer wins French Open after playofff with Westwood

By Norman Dabell

ST QUENTIN, France (Reuters) - German Martin Kaymer won the French Open on Sunday after defeating former European number one Lee Westwood of Britain in a sudden-death playoff.

Kaymer took the 930,000 dollars first prize with a par at the first extra hole after both men had finished on 13-under-par 271, three strokes better than Briton Ian Poulter.

After signing for a three-under 68, the young German fared better at the tough finishing hole at the National in the shootout.

His ball just carried the lake and he was able to chip and putt from 18 feet, while Westwood, who had matched his 72 hole score with a 65, saw his ball slide into the water.

A series of lengthy putts, the longest an 84-footer on the eighth, proved the key in the end to 24-year-old Kaymer's third European Tour victory. Westwood, though, with a similar hot putter as he ran in seven birdies came close to ending a run of four second places in 2008.

A bogey on the long 14th subsequently cost Westwood the chance of outright victory. Kaymer's big chance came even later as he missed a birdie putt of only seven feet on the penultimate hole.

"That was one of my few misses because my putting had been great all week," Kaymer, who had equalled the course record 62 to lead the first round, told reporters. "I made so many putts from everywhere."

Victory takes Kaymer to fifth on the European money list and he is sure to move from 28th place into the world top 20.