VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Spain's Pablo Larrazabal has capped his first season on the European Tour by winning the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award, tour officials have announced. He ended the season in 18th place on the Order of Merit.

Larrazabal, who succeeds 2007 winner Martin Kaymer of Germany, becomes the fourth Spaniard to receive the award, following Jose Maria Olazabal in 1986, Sergio Garcia in 1999 and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in 2005.

Like that illustrious trio, Larrazabal also claimed his first European Tour title in his first full season on Tour. The Spaniard's victory in the Alstom French Open in June was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he earned his place in the tournament through the 36-hole pre-qualifying event held in Chantilly the previous week.

Despite, in his own words, being "the 150th best player here," the Barcelona-born 25-year-old never looked back after compiling an opening round of 65 at Le Golf National in Versailles. He eventually cruised to a four-shot win.

"To win such a big tournament the way I did, with guys like Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie chasing me on the last day, was just amazing," he said. "It's an amazing honour to be named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, because there are so many great young players on Tour today. If you look at some of the players who have won the award in the past, you get an idea of how big an honor this is.

The other contenders for the award, which was inaugurated in 1960, were Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Englishmen Robert Dinwiddie and Ross McGowan.

The selection panel for the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award is comprised of the European Tour, the Royal & Ancient and the Association of Golf Writers.

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