With just three holes to go, Paul McBride was just one shot off the lead and eyeing up a maiden Alps Tour victory, but in the end had to settle for a tie for sixth alongside fellow Irishman Robert Moran.
McBride had thrust himself into contention with a blistering back-nine 29 in round two, but despite an early final-round birdie, a double bogey on the third left him an uphill task. One more birdie on the front got him back to level-par at the turn, but once again it was his inward nine where he’d catch fire.
Four birdies in the first six holes got him back to within one shot of the lead, but a bogey on the par-5 16th proved costly, as would a closing double which dropped him back to -10.
Moran had opened with a 66 to sit one off the first round lead, but a one-over 73 on day two meant victory was likely out of reach. He closed out the week with a five-under 67, however, joining McBride on -10 and climbing up to ninth in the Order of Merit.
Michael Young shot a disappointing final-round 75 to slip back to -3 and a tie for 34th.
France’s Damien Perrier ran out the winner on 14-under-par, with the Netherlands’ Vince Van Veen and France’s Benjamin Kedochim tied for second a shot back. In a two-way tie for fourth place at 11-under were Italian duo Jacopo Vecchi Fossa and amateur Luca Memeo.
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