The second Rolex Series of the season takes place on the venue course for The 2018 Ryder Cup as many of the European Tour’s biggest stars arrive in Paris for the HNA Open de France. Here’s the lowdown on continental Europe’s oldest national open.
Thongchai Jaidee claimed an emotional victory in the centenary edition of the historic championship last year as he cruised to a four-shot triumph at Le Golf National thanks to a successive three under weekend round of 68.
That left him with an 11 under total, leaving Francesco Molinari in the shade in second place despite the Italian’s stunning final round 66 – the lowest round of the day on the challenging future Ryder Cup course.
Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy was a shot further back on six under par, one shot ahead of Rafa Cabrera Bello in a final leaderboard worthy of such a prestigious event.
“I think this is the biggest tournament in my life,” said Jaidee afterwards. “This golf course is fantastic for me, I'm really happy with that. It’s absolutely perfect.
“I know the golf course is fantastic. I've been here many, many years and I think especially this week, it's a special week for me to win the tournament out here.”
THE FIELD
Jon Rahm makes his very first appearance at a regular European Tour event this year as the Rolex Series continues the stars of the European and world game.
BMW PGA Champion Alex Noren also returns to action having claimed a top ten finish here last year a week before embarking on a remarkable run of four victories in the space of five months, which launched him into the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Molinari finished runner up for a third time at the Open de France last year and also finished in a share of second place behind Noren in his last regular European Tour appearance at Wentworth Club, so is surely among the favourites this week.
Young rising stars Tyrrell Hatton and Thomas Pieters will also play, as will the 2016 Masters Champion Danny Willett and his English compatriot Tommy Fleetwood – fresh from a fourth place finish at the U.S. Open and a top ten at last week’s BMW International Open.
Former Champion Graeme McDowell and his fellow Northern Irish Major champion Darren Clarke will also be hoping to build some momentum ahead of an important stretch of Rolex Series events prior to the Open Championship.
Argentina’s Andres Romero, meanwhile, has decided to take up European Tour membership following his dramatic victory in Germany last week, his first on the tour in ten years.
THE COURSE
Situated on the outskirts of historic Versailles near the French capital of Paris, Le Golf National this week welcomes the French National Open for a 25th time.
The renowned L’Albatros course, designed by architects Hubert Chesneau and Robert Von Hagge, has hosted the Open de France since in all but two years since opening its doors in 1990 and enhanced its already-flourishing reputation by becoming a Destination in the glittering network of world-class golfing venues assembled by European Tour Properties.
Set to host the biennial Ryder Cup next year, Le Golf National is a lush, sprawling property with stadium views, slick greens, undulating fairways plus innumerable links-style bunkers and a variety of different size water hazards, indeed water comes into play on no fewer than six holes.
Measuring 7,247 yards and playing to a par of 71, the venue recently undertook major renovations with new drainage irrigation, lake edging and bunkering as well landscaping, hospitality platforms and road construction in preparation for the 2018 Ryder Cup.
The layout has consistently been ranked inside the World Top 100 and European Top Ten golf courses.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 101st Open de France is the only national open in Continental Europe to have been played more than 100 times. The tournament began in 1906. The only years the event was not played were 1915-19 and 1940-45.
Thongchai Jaidee, the 2016 champion, will be aiming to become the sixth player to make a successful defence since the event became part of the European Tour in 1972. He aims to follow: Peter Oosterhuis (1973-73), Seve Ballesteros (1985-86), Sir Nick Faldo (1988-89), Jean-François Remésy (2004-05) and Graeme McDowell (2013-14).
The Open de France is second in the all-time list on the European Tour for players to have won the same European Tour event in consecutive seasons, with five. The Irish Open is top of the list with six successful defences.
History was created in the 1986 Open de France when Seve Ballesteros became the first player to successfully defend a European Tour title in a wire-to-wire fashion.
Pablo Larrazábal, the 2008 champion, had to qualify to play in the event and became the first qualifier to win the Open de France and just the seventh qualifier in the history of the European Tour to win an event.
His wire-to-wire triumph was the first by a rookie since Henrik Stenson at the 2001 Benson and Hedges International Open. Matthew Fitzpatrick became the first rookie since Larrazábal in 2008 to win wire-to-wire, after he triumphed at the 2015 British Masters supported by Sky Sports.
The Open de France is used to high profile players winning the championship. No fewer than 20 Major Champions have had their name etched on the roll of honour since 1906.
Le Golf National, which will also host the 2018 Ryder Cup, has historically provided a stern test. The lowest winning total is 269, which was set by Larrazábal in 2008.
In 2004 Remésy became the first Frenchman to win his national open, the Open de France, for 35 years – his compatriot Jean Garaialde won the title in 1969.
This year’s Open de France is the second of eight events in the 2017 Rolex Series – a premium series of tournaments that will offer a minimum prize fund of US$7 million.
World Number 11 Jon Rahm will make his first regular European Tour appearance (outside of WGCs and Majors) at this week’s Open de France.
