( CNN ) -- Marcel Siem held his nerve amid a late charge from Francesco Molinari to take the Open de France -- his first European Tour title for eight years . The German finished on eight-under-par , one shot better than Molinari who recorded a final-round 64 on Sunday , the lowest score of the week at Le Golf National in Paris . The Italian was six shots off the pace prior to Sunday 's finale and double bogeyed the first hole but went on to make nine birdies . But Siem held held firm , despite a dropped shot on the 18th , to take his second title on the European Tour , and his first since the 2004 Dunhill Championship . `` I 'm so happy . This means a lot to me , '' Siem told the European Tour 's official website after picking up a check for $ 640,000 . `` First , after eight years it does n't matter what kind of tournament you won ; it 's huge , because you 've got the confidence again . `` Every time I 've played consistent golf this year , and there were so many times up there , I could n't make it . Stupid things happened the whole time . `` It means so much to me to win after that long stretch . It 's all about winning in the end and it puts so much pressure every time you do n't win and people start talking , you will never win again and stuff like that , so it 's very important for me . `` I love this golf course . I always loved it and I love it even more or even better now . I 'm super happy . '' Molinari hit just 29 shots on his closing nine holes and despite missing out on the title , he was delighted with his form . `` It 's been just an unbelievable day really , '' he said . `` I had a really bad start , but two years ago when I finished second here , I doubled the first on the last day . `` From then on , it was just great golf . I had a couple of good breaks and finally a lot of putts going in the hole . `` I was in the moment , in the zone and I was n't really counting the birdies . The game has been feeling well all week and everything was coming out perfect . '' World No . 3 Lee Westwood shot a closing round of 70 to finish 40th a day after an injury scare nearly forced him out of the tournament . `` The leg is fine - it was n't a problem today , '' he said , after fears he may have to miss the year 's third major , the British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes starting on Thursday week . Meanwhile , the U.S. PGA Tour saw a sixth first-time winner this season when rookie Ted Potter Jr. claimed the Greenbrier Classic title after a playoff on Sunday . The 28-year-old beat fellow American Troy Kelly with a four-foot birdie putt at the third extra hole to earn a place at the British Open , the FedEx Cup playoffs and next year 's Masters . He also earned a two-year tour exemption plus the financial security of a $ 1,098,000 windfall as first prize , having shot a second successive six-under 64 to join Kelly on -16 at the end of 72 holes . `` It was just a big relief , '' said the left-hander , who had missed five successive haflway cuts before the West Virginia tournament . `` All the struggles the last few weeks , knowing that now I 've got a couple years to try to improve on my game and win some more tournaments . '' U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson had led after three rounds , and held a one-shot advantage going into the final nine holes as he did at the Old White TPC course last year , but he faded to a tie for seventh on -11 after three successive bogeys derailed his challenge .
Rookie David Siem wins the Open de France at Le Golf National . Siem holds off late charge from Francesco Rossi to win by one shot . Lee Westwood fine after an injury sustained during Saturday 's round . Rookie Chris Thompson becomes the Tour 's sixth first - time winner of 2012 .