DROITWICH golfer John Bickerton finished joint 58th in Lancome Trophy at St Nom La Breteche in Paris.

He finished on 287 after rounds of 70, 71, 75 and 71.

Germany's Alex Cejka, meanwhile, begins his quest for a US Tour card this week with the safety net of a two-year exemption in Europe beneath him.

Cejka claimed his first European Tour win for seven years in the Lancome Trophy, carding a closing 68 for a two-shot win over Spain's Carlos Rodiles, with France's Jean-Francois Lucquin and Argentinian Angel Cabrera sharing third a shot further back.

The victory was Cejka's first on the European Tour since 1995, when he won three times including the prestigious Volvo Masters, and finished sixth on the Order of Merit. And the timing was perfect as the 31-year-old travels to California this week for the first stage of qualifying for the US Tour.

"I'm very happy in Europe and having a two-year exemption now is very handy, but I want to give it a try," added Cejka, who collected the first prize of £150,000.

"I want to try it three times, I missed out by two or three shots last year, and if I don't do it after three attempts then maybe I can never make it.

"But this win is more important. It's unbelievable. It doesn't feel like seven years. I had a lot of chances through the years, sometimes finishing second or third, but there was always somebody ahead of me.

"It's cruel sometimes but I have been working hard and been patient. I knew it would come eventually. I'm very happy. I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight."

Saturday's high winds had brought 19 players within five shots of the lead and no fewer than eight different players led or shared the lead over the front nine in the final round. Cejka led on his own when he birdied the second only to drop a shot at the next, but after a birdie on the sixth the 31-year-old was never out of the lead again.

A birdie at the 10th took him clear of the field at 11 under, and as his rivals faltered over the closing stretch, another birdie on the 16th gave him the luxury of a two-shot cushion for the first time.

Cejka, who recently switch-ed clubs and coaches and is now coached by former tour pro Heinz Peter Thul, safely found the 18th green and had the luxury of three putts for the win, but needed only two to seal it.

Ian Woosnam had been looking to warm up for the defence of his World Matchplay title at Wentworth this week with his 30th tour victory, but could not reproduce the form that saw him fire a sparkling 65 on Saturday.

His approach to the ninth span into the water that separates the green and that of the 18th, and by the time he found the same pond from the 18th tee, his chance had gone with dropped shots at the 14th and 17th.

In the end the Welshman had to settle for an eight-way share of 13th alongside compatriot Mark Pilkington.