A champagne shower from his friends and a kiss from his girlfriend was the reception awaiting Gregory Bourdy after he crushed the hopes of crowd favourite Rory McIlroy to become the first Frenchman to win the UBS Hong Kong Open yesterday.
Fellow French golfers Jean-Francois Lucquin, Christian Cevaer and Raphael Jacquelin stormed the 18th green to douse Bourdy in bubbly after he knocked in another par in a safe round of 67 to maintain the two-stroke lead he started the day with, and win the tournament.
'This is amazing. There are so many reasons to celebrate. Today is my mother's birthday, my girlfriend is here and I have made it in the Race to Dubai,' he said after his 19-under-par 261 gave him a two-shot victory.
The champagne spray was a relief for Bourdy, who was unaware that McIlroy was on the charge and had closed the gap to just one stroke.
The Hong Kong victory meant he was bound for Dubai - and not home to Bordeaux - to play in the European Tour's season-ending tournament. Bourdy had needed to finish in the top two at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
His top spot was much to the disappointment of the large gallery willing McIlroy to come from behind. But the 20-year-old Ulsterman ran out of heroics and finished second for the second consecutive year. The only difference this time was that there was no play-off.