A FUMING Ian Poulter finished the French Open in third place and said he would not be returning next year – all because of the actions of a press photographer.

Poulter was still challenging for the title when he pushed his approach to the 15th into the water.

He blamed that on a camera clicking three times 25 yards away as he was swinging and was still furious when he also bogeyed the last.

‘‘It’s frustrating when you get a novice cameraman out here this week,’’ he said.

‘‘It spoils the day, spoils the tournament. It’s one I want to win and some stupid cameraman makes it difficult for you.

It’s a good tournament, but I won’t be back next year.

‘‘He’s trying to mess with our livelihoods. I’m playing for world ranking points and then you get some idiot. I’ve played here loads of times and I fight with them every year.

‘‘It’s so frustrating that they are let in. The spectators were magnificent, awesome and he ruins the whole week.

‘‘What are you going to do?

I’m going to take the tournament off my schedule.’’ Kenneth Ferrie finally found his touch on the European Tour to claim his highest finish since his US Open heroics more than three years ago.

After making only his second cut of the season at the French Open, the 30-year-old played solidly to claim a tied sixth finish.

Now Ferrie will be hoping that this is the start of something brighter, having endured a torturous time since finishing sixth at the US Open in 2006.

The Ashington golfer, who had missed 11 successive cuts before finishing tied 58th at last week’s BMW International Open, claimed more than £100,000 in France.

He saved his best for the final day. posting a four under par 71. That left the 2005 European Open champion with a total of 276, five shots adrift of German winner Martin Kaymer.

Ferrie – who had shot 70, 68 and 71 over the opening three days – made just one bogey at the fifth, which was sandwiched between birdies at one, three, six, seven and nine.

Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm was unable to stay with the leaders, despite four steady rounds. He was in contention after the first two rounds and a solid 67, four under, on Saturday had increased the chances of him succeeding at the French Open for the second time in three years.

However, Storm was unable to repeat his display yesterday and a level par 71 left him five under for the four days and tied 13th, earning just under £55,000 Lee Westwood is still searching for his first victory since September 2007 – and for the second time it was Kaymer who denied him.

Kaymer won with an 18-foot par putt on the first hole of a sudden death play-off after they had tied on 13 under par.

Westwood, who was runnerup to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi at the start of last year, has also now lost three play-offs since his last win.

The former European number one had fired a joint bestof- the-day 65 from four behind at the start of the day, but after both found the righthand rough after returning to the 18th tee his nine-iron just failed to carry the lake.

Kaymer just made it over, but with Westwood then playing a poor pitch as well from the drop zone and doing no better than a double-bogey six the 24-year-old, with two putts for it, sank an 18-footer.

His third European Tour title takes him back into the world’s top 20 and earned him just over £565,000.

Westwood, who took home £376,701, said: ‘‘A 65 was the score I had in mind/ ‘‘I’ve played well this year without finishing anything off and the first three rounds here I struggled.”

Colin Montgomerie, second on the course last year, is still searching for his first top ten finish since then.

That dire run looked set to end when he came back from an opening double bogey with seven birdies and stood nine under – good enough for fourth if he parred in – but he took six on the 399-yard 15th and bogeyed the last two to drop to 13th.