Shanghai, April 22:

Raphael Jacquelin of France led from the start to win the Asian Open by two strokes for his second European Tour victory.

Jacquelin shot a one-over-par 73 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

The victory comes as some

redemption for last week’s China Open, where Jacquelin seized the lead after the second round only to see it slip away.

Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen finished second at eight-under after also shooting a 73, while Australian Scott Hend (75) and Scotland’s Simon Yates (74) were another shot back.

“It is a fantastic moment,” said Jacquelin, whose maiden tour victory came at the 2005 Open de Madrid in Spain after 238 tour starts. Jacquelin picked up three birdies on the front nine. With the changing weather playing havoc with his approaches, he conceded bogies on four of the last six holes.

Hend, who has been nursing a hand injury, drew within striking distance of Jacquelin on

the back nine, but his approach on the par-three 14th was caught by the wind and plunked into the water, leaving him with a double bogey on the hole and effectively ending his charge.

Still chasing his first win of the season, South African Ernie Els shot an even-par 72 to finish joint fifth at six-under, alongside compatriot Richard Sterne, who had the lowest round of

the day at 69. South Korea’s Lee Sung (73), and last week’s Asian Open champion Markus Brier of Austria (74), also finished at six-under.