Terry Pilkadaris couldn’t maintain the form that saw him share the first round lead but along with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox he hung tough for a top five finish at the Challenge Tour’s Najeti Open in France.

With six birdies and just one bogey the West Australian shared top spot with Belgium’s Hugue Johannes after 18 holes but struggled to pick up more shots as the week wore on.

In more testing conditions on day two Pilkadaris could only manage a 1-over 72 and with weekend rounds of 70-71 finished 5-under par for the week and outright fourth.

France’s Sebastian Gros ran away with the tournament to finish 14-under, six shots ahead of nearest rival and fellow Frenchman Thomas Linard.

Pilkadaris wasn’t the only Australasian enjoying his time in France, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox making the most of his career first Challenge Tour start with a T5 finish.

Fox’s opening two rounds almost mirrored Pilkadaris’ as scores of 67-73 saw him in a share of 10th position but a brilliant 68 in the third round, bettered by only four players on the day, vaulted him into a share of second with Pilkadaris with one round to go.

With Gros seven in front at the start of the day a win was never likely for either of the Australasians and neither produced their best golf for the final round.

Pilkadaris trod water with a one birdie-one bogey even par round to be outright fourth while Fox finished 1-over to fall to a share of fifth.

A cheque for €12,000 moves Pilkadaris into the top 30 on the Challenge Tour money list and within striking distance of the top 15 who earn European Tour cards at the end of the season.

Todd Sinnott and Jason Scrivener both found the going difficult in France, Sinnott missing the cut by three shots and Scrivener by five.