New European Open champion Christian Cevaer lasted only 12 holes of the Wales Open at Celtic Manor today before quitting with dizziness.

The 39-year-old, who won last week despite suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, bogeyed five of his first six holes and after birdies at the next two ran up a double-bogey six at the 465-yard first - his ninth - to return to five over par.

Three holes later he shook hands with Spanish playing partners Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal and called it a day.

"My head was floaty out there," he said. "I've had very little sleep this week and the last few days have taken a terrible toll on me physically and mentally.

"I was worried I wouldn't be able to play at all after only two or three hours' sleep on Tuesday night, but I enjoyed the pro-am and then treated the other French players and their wives to dinner, as is our tradition after a win.

"I hoped I would be okay, but I had to get up early this morning and couldn't do anything out there.

"I'm going to take a well-deserved break now and then come back for the Open qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday."

Coincidentally, it was at roughly the same point last year that Jimenez withdrew with a knee injury four days after winning the BMW PGA title. He was eight over at the time.