Cevaer celebrates his second European Tour victory. Picture: Barry Goodwin

Frenchman Christian Cevaer was a surprise winner of the European Open at The London Club, near Ash, on Sunday.

The 39-year-old world No.449, whose only previous European Tour victory came in the 2004 Spanish Open, edged out joint runners-up Steve Webster (England), Gary Orr (Scotland) and Alvaro Quiros (Spain) by one shot after a final round two-over par 74.

That left Cevaer, the joint third-round leader, with a seven-under-par total of 281 and earned him a cheque for £300,000.

"This is a fantastic day for me," he said. "I am ecstatic to come out on top.

"What a great surprise it was to see the big leaderboard when I was coming up the hill at the 18th and that I was the only guy on seven under.

"I knew 18 was a tough hole and I am proud to get the job done."

Cevaer, who had missed six cuts in 11 previous starts this season, parred the 18th to clinch victory in front of the 30,000 final-day crowd.

Warwickshire's Webster, who led in the clubhouse after a final-round 71, doubled his earnings for the season with his cheque for £134,000 while Quiros had looked set to secure the title until a wild drive on the 18th saw him finish with a bogey.

Tenterden's Benn Barham was unable to build on his good performance at the PGA Championship the previous week. Barham missed the halfway cut after rounds of 73 and 76.