SUNDAY JULY 6, 2014 – ALSTOM OPEN DE FRANCE
• His tenth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 257th European Tour event.
• Moves to €931,395 in The Race to Dubai.
• Would move to just outside the top 15 Official World Golf Ranking from 20th.
• His first European Tour victory since the 2013 Alstom Open de France.
• The first time during his European Tour career he has won in consecutive European Tour seasons.
• This victory beats his previous best 2014 European Tour best performance of tied fifth in the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship. (His previous best 2014 European Tour stroke play performance was tied sixth in the Irish Open).
• His first successful defence of a European Tour title.
• His second victory comes in his ninth appearance in the Alstom Open de France.
• Has now two victories in the event and was also fourth in 2004.
• Has now won €1,262,892 from his nine appearances in the event.
• Began the final day eight behind the 54 hole leader, Kevin Stadler. This is the largest final day comeback of the 2014 European Tour season, beating the seven of Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship.
• Began the final day eight shots behind the 54 hole leader, Kevin Stadler. This matches the largest final round deficit made up in the history of the Alstom Open de France by José Rivero in 1987 and Paul Broadhurst in 1995.
• His eight shot final round comeback is the largest on The European Tour since Rafael Cabrera-Bello, won the 2009 Austrian Golf Open.
• Becomes the 28th different player to win on The European Tour this season, from the 29 events played.
OTHER FACTS
• Becomes the 18th winner this season that has made up a final round deficit to win.
• Becomes just the second player from Northern Ireland, following Darren Clarke (14), to reach ten or more European Tour titles.
• The first player to successfully defend the Alstom Open de France since Jean-Francois Remesy (2004-05).Since the event became part of The European Tour in 1972, becomes the fifth player to win the event in back-to-back years. They are: Peter Oosterhuis (1973-74), Seve Ballesteros (1985-86), Sir Nick Faldo (1988-89), Remesy (2004-05) and McDowell (2013-14).
• Becomes only the second player from Northern Ireland to successfully defend a European Tour title. The first was Darren Clarke (1999-2000 English Open).
• Becomes the first player to successfully defend a European Tour title since Stephen Gallacher (2013-14 Omega Dubai Desert Classic).
• The fifth player to successfully defend a European Tour title this season. They are: Charl Schwartzel (Alfred Dunhill Championship), Miguel Angel Jiménez (Hong Kong Open), Louis Oosthuizen (Volvo Golf Champions), Stephen Gallacher (Omega Dubai Desert Classic) and Graeme McDowell (Alstom Open de France).
• The five successful defences equals the most in a single European Tour season, set in 2000.
• The 36th different player to successfully defend a European Tour title.
• His 13th win as a professional.
• The 51st Northern Irish victory in European Tour history.
• Moves €17 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.
• Gains a place in the 2014 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, 2014 WGC – HSBC Champions and 2015 Volvo Golf Champions. (Already exempt for the 2014 Open Championship).
• Moves to 1,381,140 in The European Ryder Cup Points Table.
• Moves to 136.93 in the Ryder Cup World Points List.
