Category: Top Tours

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European Tour

Romain ready to take the title at Kenya Savannah Classic

(Image Credits: Getty)

Romain Langasque is hoping that his form at Karen Country Club will culminate in a second European Tour victory at the Kenya Savannah Classic supported by Absa, which tees off on Tuesday and marks the second consecutive event at the Nairobi venue.

The Frenchman enjoyed his best round of the week on Sunday at the Magical Kenya Open presented by Johnnie Walker as a six under 65 earned him a top five finish.

That added to an already impressive record at Karen Country Club – Langasque already boasted a runner-up finish there on the Challenge Tour in 2016 as well as a tied sixth finish on the European Tour in 2019. Incidentally, on all three occasions he has carded 65 in the final round.

“It was a really solid final round. It’s a place that I feel really good. I finished second here on the Challenge Tour, I think I finished sixth two years ago, and it’s a course that really suits my game. I play really offensively here and I feel really good out on that course and I enjoy being here.

“It was a really good idea from the European Tour to put back-to-back events on again because of the situation we have at the moment. I’m really happy to be playing here again because it’s a course where I feel really good, I love the shape of the course, the greens, and everything is good. I feel really happy to be here and I look forward to have a good week again next week.

“I have been really good with my irons over the last few weeks but not so good with my driver and my putter but last week was a lot better with the driver and putter. If my iron game becomes a bit stronger next week, it could be better than this week. I will have a good rest, because we only have one day to rest, and then I’m going to go back to fight again.”

Roman Langasque

The 25-year-old has another good omen on his side – his maiden European Tour victory came in the second of back-to-back events on the same golf course, at the ISPS HANDA Wales Open at Celtic Manor last August.

The winner of the first event of that Celtic Manor double-header was Sam Horsfield, whose first appearance of the 2021 Race to Dubai yielded a tied eighth place finish at last week’s Kenya Magical Open. The Englishman enjoyed his first experience of Nairobi and a final round 65 means he enters the Kenya Savannah Classic full of confidence.

(Text: European Tour Communications)

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European Tour

Aaron Rai Returns to ‘Second Home’ for the Magical Kenya Open

Rai describes his 2017 Challenge Tour win in Karen as his fondest memory of a win (Image: Getty)

Aaron Rai returns to the scene of an emotional victory and one of his career highlights at this week’s Magical Kenya Open presented by Johnnie Walker, an event which he won on the Challenge Tour in 2017 in front of his Kenyan-born mother and jubilant crowds.

The Englishman has a special connection to this week’s venue Karen Country Club, where he triumphed four years ago:

It feels like a home away from home here, my mum was born here and my sister lives here in Karen now. It very much has a home feel for me, it’s always going to be a special place with the memories I’ve had here down the years – I don’t think that’s something I’ll ever forget so I think any time that I’m here to play golf or here full stop is a blessing.

It was his first of three Challenge Tour victories, and the win came on Mothers’ Day as his own mother watched on proudly, having returned to her birthplace for the first time since leaving as a teenager. Additionally, Rai’s sister now calls Karen, the neighbourhood in the outskirts of Nairobi which hosts this week’s event, her home.

While the crowds will not be there to support him this week, Rai is feeling confident that his connections to the club, and the country, can give him a timely boost.

Guido Migliozzi of Italy defends his title this week, two years after winning his first of two titles in the 2019 season at Karen Country Club – the event was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Darren Fichardt will reach a notable milestone on his home continent as the South African makes his 400th European Tour event, while Englishman Sam Horsfield – a two-time winner in the 2020 Race to Dubai – returns to action for his first appearance of 2021 after an injury lay-off.

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European Tour

Linna Golf and Estonian Golf & Country Club renew with European Tour Destinations

Linna Golf, Finland (Image: European Tour)

European Tour Destinations is delighted to announce that its two most northern venues in Finland and Estonia, Linna Golf and Estonian Golf & Country Club respectively, have extended their long-running affiliation with the network. 

Located 100km from the Finnish capital Helsinki and ranked 60th in the Top 100 Resorts in Continental Europe in the recent Golf World rankings, Linna Golf is home to a spectacular 18-hole Championship golf course with a clubhouse, superb practice facilities and a host of other outdoor pursuits which can be enjoyed throughout the long summer days.  There are three restaurants at the venue alongside the Vanajanlinna Hotel & Club Rooms, which offers atmospheric rooms in the main building and modern suites in the golf club area. 

Esa Honkalehto, CEO of Linna Golf, said: “Linna Golf has been a member of the European Tour Destinations network since 2005 and renewing our partnership is testament to both the work they do and support they provide.  As we enter another phase of our relationship, we look forward to continuing to grow Linna Golf and showcasing our venue on a global scale by being part of the European Tour family.”

Estonian Golf & Country Club is situated 25km from the capital Tallinn in a rural, coastal environment beside the Baltic Sea.  Home to the 18-hole Championship centerpiece, the Sea course, and its sister, the 9-hole Stone course, the venue has been a constant in the European Tour Destinations network for over a decade. 

Estonian Golf & Country Club, Estonia (Image: European Tour)

The Sea course meanders more than 7,000 yards through virgin forest which reaches out to the beach and along the Jägala River, while the Stone course lies on a limestone plain between junipers, restored stone fences and a protected national heritage site.  During the winter season when the golf courses are closed, a 5.3km ski trail which weaves through the Sea course opens to guests.

There is also a variety of exclusive and distinct real estate opportunities available at the resort, with each development divided into ‘villages’, where a different architect has designed a unique property cluster. 

Hanno Kross, CEO at Estonian Golf & Country Club, said: “For a young golfing nation like Estonia, we are very happy and proud to be part of the European Tour Destinations network.  Estonian Golf & Country Club has hosted the World Cup qualifiers twice plus multiple individual and team European Championships, and working with the European Tour has given us the chance to get the knowledge and expertise required to achieve our goals.   

“The new contract to extend our relationship is another great point in our 15-year history which allows us to continue our development and service delivery that we pride ourselves on in northern Europe.”

Ian Knox, Head of European Tour Destinations, said “We are delighted to start off 2021 with Linna Golf and Estonian Golf & Country Club both renewing their membership with European Tour Destinations.  Having our two northern European venues extend their long association with us shows the value they place in affiliation with golf’s global brand and maintains the quality of the network. We look forward to supporting them achieve their goals in the years ahead.”

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European Tour

U.S. Open exemptions available over three European Tour events in 2021

The 2021 US Open will take place between the 17 and 20 of June. (Image: Getty)

For the second successive season, ten spots in the U.S. Open Championship will be available to participants in a mini series of European Tour events.

The USGA has confirmed that the top ten aggregate point earners (not otherwise exempt) across the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett (May 12-15), Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA (May 27-30) and the Porsche European Open (June 3-6) will earn places in the U.S. Open Championship at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 17-20, 2021.

The traditional U.S. Open final qualifying event in Europe will not take place once again this season due to the continuing impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Local qualifying will take place at 109 sites in the United States and Canada from April 26 – May 18.

The first opportunity for players to earn points towards a U.S. Open spot via the European Tour will come at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, when Major winner Danny Willett takes on hosting duties at the Betfred British Masters. Two weeks later, following the US PGA Championship, the action switches to Denmark for Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA, before the final qualifying event, the Porsche European Open, at Green Eagle Golf Courses in Hamburg, Germany.

Last season, ten spots were available for the highest placed finishers (not otherwise exempt) in a mini order of merit at the conclusion of the first five events of the new UK Swing, with Sam Horsfield, Thomas Detry, Andy Sullivan, Rasmus Højgaard, Renato Paratore, Romain Langasque, Sami Välimäki, Adrian Otaegui, Connor Syme and Justin Harding all qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Keith Waters, the European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with the USGA in offering European Tour players an opportunity to earn places in the U.S. Open despite the disruption caused by the ongoing global pandemic.

“Last year’s qualifying series added further excitement to the inaugural UK Swing, and I’m sure we can expect more of the same at the three events across Europe this year – the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett, Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA and the Porsche European Open – where players will have the chance to secure coveted places at the third Major of the season at Torrey Pines.”

John Bodenhamer, USGA Senior Managing Director, Championships, said: “In these challenging times, we are pleased to work with the European Tour in creating an exemption category for the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

“The final qualifier in England has featured a strong field since its inception in 2005 and while qualifying is not possible this year due to COVID restrictions, it is important that a path is provided for players competing on the European Tour to earn a place in this year’s championship field.”

(Text: European Tour Press Release)

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European Tour

Kenya Savannah Classic Added to 2021 International Schedule

A view of the Karen Country Club, where the European Tour will be stopping next month. (Image: Getty)

The European Tour today added a new tournament, the Kenya Savannah Classic, to its 2021 International Schedule.

The €1million, 72 hole stroke play event will take place from Tuesday March 23 – Friday March 26 at Karen Country Club, in Nairobi.

It will form a double-header with the previously announced Magical Kenya Open, which will be played at the same venue in the week beforehand, from Thursday March 18 – Sunday March 21.

Both tournaments will be played under the auspices of the European Tour’s health strategy, which will be aligned with Kenyan Government guidance.

Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “The addition of the Kenya Savannah Classic to our 2021 schedule offers vital playing opportunities for our members, while having two consecutive tournaments at Karen Country Club follows our strategy of playing in geographical clusters to reduce travelling as much as possible at the moment.  

“We are therefore grateful to the Kenyan Government, Kenya Open Golf Limited and Karen Country Club for their support, and after the postponement of the Magical Kenya Open in 2020, we look forward to visiting Kenya for two consecutive weeks this March.”

Peter Kanyago, the Chairman of the Kenya Open Golf Limited, said: “We were disappointed not to be able to play the Magical Kenya Open last year after it became a full European Tour event in 2019, but as we continue to prepare for this year’s tournament, we are now also very pleased to add a second event, the Kenya Savannah Classic.

“These two consecutive events at Karen Country Club will extend the proud tradition of professional tournament golf in our country, which dates back to the late-1960s, and we look forward to once again showcasing Kenya to an international television audience.”

The Kenya Open was first played in 1967 and has been won by some of golf’s most notable names, including Seve Ballesteros (1978), Ian Woosnam (1986), Christy O’Connor Jnr (1990) and Trevor Immelman (2000). It became a European Challenge Tour event in 1991 and then a full European Tour event in 2019, when Italy’s Guido Migliozzi claimed the title by one shot.

The Kenya Savannah Classic will be the 16th new event created by the European Tour since its resumption last July following a three month suspension of tournament golf due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.It also restores the 2021 Race to Dubai to 42 tournaments following the cancellation of the Oman Open.

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Rapper Macklemore on the upcoming AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

Macklemore will be making his second appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this weekend. (Image: Getty)

Read the Press Conference transcript below:

JACK RYAN (HOST): We would like to welcome Grammy Award winning rapper and song writer Macklemore at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Macklemore, thank you for joining us.

First off, could you just recap your experience playing in the pro-am last year at this tournament.

MACKLEMORE: It was incredible. It was a phenomenal experience, bucket list, completely terrifying. I had no idea how to hit an iron all of a sudden. Shooting in the high 80s at home with some mild cheating with friends. Get down here, can’t improve your lie, you got to play it how it lands, man. That’s just a whole different sport. All of a sudden I’m coming over the top. I’m slicing the ball. Jason Day’s trying to give me lessons on how to come from the inside. I don’t even speak that language. It was crazy. But it was literally Disneyland for a golfer like myself. I felt like I was a child and this was the oasis and that’s exactly how it feels this year.

JACK RYAN: So we won’t have that pro-am format this year, obviously, but you’ll be playing in tomorrow’s AT&T Every Shot Counts Charity Challenge alongside a number of other celebrities. How much are you looking forward to that in light of the tournament format change this year.

MACKLEMORE: I’m excited. Last year I think I was on TV three or four times. Every shot counting and being televised is slightly nerve wracking. But we’re playing for some great causes and that’s what it’s all about, so we’re going to have fun. A great group of celebrities to be out there with, some really good golfers. I’m not putting myself even close to that category and we’re just going to have fun.

JACK RYAN: Last question before we open it up to media. Could you provide us with a little bit of background on your history in the sport? We understand you’ve only started playing relatively recently.

MACKLEMORE: Yeah, I’ve been playing for just over two years now and randomly played one day after Thanksgiving in 2018 and hit a 5-iron out of the sand and I hit it pure and I have been very addicted ever since. I just want that feeling. I play as much as I possibly can, which with two kids is not that often, but that often is at least two to three times a week. So I’ll take it.

JACK RYAN: We’ll take our first question here.

Q. Just curious, what do you like most about it and what has caused you to get addicted?

MACKLEMORE: I love that feeling of hitting a great shot. I love hitting a green in regular, piping a drive. I love even just the ups and downs, the humility that the game brings, the swing of emotion, the mental fortitude that it takes, the patience, the spiritual practice of accepting whatever you just did and letting it go, the exercise, the camaraderie. I truly love everything about the sport.

Q. Did you have — how much experience with golf or exposure did you have before that round after Thanksgiving that you talked about?

MACKLEMORE: After Thanksgiving?

Q. How much had you been around the game before that?

MACKLEMORE: When Tiger — I think when I was in about 8th grade and Tiger was, I don’t know, it was ’97, ’98 or whatever it was and Tiger was having his moment, as a sports fan I was absolutely paying attention to what Tiger was doing. But that was really about it. But I always really liked the old school golf fashion. That was something that I always really respected. Besides that, I didn’t really follow the sport at all. Every once in a while we would like go to a pitch-and-putt and I would hit a couple cars and we would go home, but besides that very limited.

Q. What do you tell people who might not be into golf of that appeal that you found? Do you turn other people onto the game? How do you do that?

MACKLEMORE: I think that the game is amazing. It’s not one of those sports that you can just pick up right away. It takes a little bit before you get that first dopamine hit of a great shot. But I think that in general we need more people playing this sport. We need more accessibility. We need to really just open up the floodgates of kind of the old guard of what golf is and the exclusivity and make sure that all people can play, that courses are affordable, that equipment is readily available to those that need it, and we get youth out there enjoying this amazing sport.

JACK RYAN: One last one before we let you go. You mentioned you are into the golf fashion. Is there anything we can expect from you tomorrow in the Every Shot Counts Charity Challenge? You got something special planned for that?

MACKLEMORE: You know, I don’t normally lay my clothes out before I get dressed. I don’t normally put them out the night before. But tomorrow I’ll wake up to a freshly pressed outfit laid out in front of me that I will do tonight. The reveal will be tomorrow.

JACK RYAN: Perfect. We look forward to seeing that and thank you for joining us today and best of luck tomorrow.

MACKLEMORE: Thanks, man, appreciate it.

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European Tour

European Tour: Fox beats fading light to take Saudi lead

(Image: Getty)

Round two report

Ryan Fox posted his second consecutive round of 65 after just beating the fading light to lead the weather-affected second round of the Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

The New Zealander was among the afternoon starters whose rounds suffered a two hour delay due to a rare bout of rain and lightning at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, but he carded six birdies when play eventually got back underway. He dropped his only shot of the day on the last hole, but made it safely back into the impressive clubhouse on ten under par just before darkness fell.

Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher will resume his second round also on that mark, with the Ryder Cup player facing six more holes to play on Saturday. He posted three birdies and one bogey on his front nine and three straight pars after the turn.

England’s Andy Sullivan (66) and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (68) are two shots back on eight under par along with Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult and World Number One Dustin Johnson who have two and four holes remaining respectively. Johnson carded back-to-back birdies just before the suspension to keep on course to extend his impressive record in the event, having won the inaugural edition in 2019 and finished runner up 12 months ago.

Ryder Cup player Tommy Fleetwood (65) and Scotland Callum Hill (68) are in the clubhouse on seven under par, with former World Number One Justin Rose, overnight leader David Horsey and France’s Victor Perez all set to resume their rounds on Saturday also three shots off the pace.

Meanwhile, Norway’s Viktor Hovland once again underlined his Ryder Cup credentials in the presence of one of Europe’s legendary players, Ian Poulter, carding a four under par 66  to move to six under.


(Text: European Tour Communications)

Categories
European Tour

European Tour: DJ ready to rock in Saudi

Could Dustin Johnson pick up his first tour title of 2021 this weekend in Saudi Arabia? (Image: Getty)

World Number One Dustin Johnson is excited to get started at the Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, as the American targets a second title at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, a maiden victory of 2021 and a seventh successive winning season.

The 36-year-old won the inaugural Saudi International two years ago and finished runner-up to Graeme McDowell on his title defence in 2020, so he is brimming with confidence heading into his second event of the season and first on the Race to Dubai.

Patrick Reed, meanwhile, arrives in Saudi Arabia in flying form having sealed a five-stroke victory last week at the PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open. The World Number Ten is yet to win in the Middle East but a top three finish at last December’s DP World Tour Championship, Dubai will give him confidence of a maiden regular European Tour win.

Phil Mickelson finished in a share of third place at last year’s Saudi International and the 50-year-old is a fan of the layout at Royal Greens, as is Norwegian star Viktor Hovland – whose runner-up finish in Florida last week elevated him to a career-high 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

What the players are saying…

Dustin Johnson: “It’s a golf course that I thought set up well for me. I like the golf course. It’s a fun course to play. Obviously I’ve had success here the last two years and I enjoy it. It’s been a great week. I think they do a great job hosting this event, and obviously this year, we’ve got a great field. I was excited to come back.

“It’s a golf course where you have to drive it well. I mean, you have got a lot of slope in them so you need to be able to control your ball coming into it. But if you drive it well, you can definitely make a lot of birdies just because you can get some short clubs in your hand.

“But I think it’s very important to drive it well here, especially with the rough. Got quite a bit of rough. But there are only two par fives – if you drive it in the fairway, you can reach them, and there are quite a few short holes. Like I said, you’ve got to drive it well, and felt like I drove it well here the last couple years and that’s why I’ve had success.”

Patrick Reed: “It’s awesome to come over here. The support that this event has and the support that Saudi has given the players, as well as just the Tour, is amazing. For us, coming over and playing and having a golf course that’s continuously gotten better and better each year, and the hospitality is amazing. It’s one of these places you really look forward to coming to and playing.

“For me, it’s always fun coming over and playing on The European Tour. Get away from my comfort zone at home. Now being able to come over, it’s almost making me feel comfortable coming over and play on The European Tour. It’s one of these things that I call my second home, and to be able to come over and play and support both tours for me means a lot.”

Phil Mickelson: “I think that it’s really a fun golf course to play. I enjoyed it last year. Condition is a 10 out of 10. I don’t think you can get it anymore approximately manicured and set up for an event.

“So it’s very impressive the way the golf course is conditioned, the way it plays. It’s really a fun challenge and when the wind comes up, it’s very playable. I just really enjoy the golf course and enjoy playing here.”

Viktor Hovland: “It’s been a long trip obviously but I’m glad to be over here. I had a good week last week in San Diego. And just trying to look to continue to build on that. I feel like my game is in great shape and I’ve just got to get adjusted and get ready to start off the week.

“It’s fairly generous off the tee but you still have to drive it pretty well just to get into some good spots where you can be aggressive. I feel like the scores are going to be pretty low this week. The greens are really good. So if you’re hitting the ball close, you can make a lot of putts and make a lot of birdies.

“But the wind picks up at all, it’s going to be interesting. A couple of par threes are pretty solid and some water here and there, as well. So you’ve got to be conservative maybe on some holes and you can attack more on others.”                                                                

Categories
European Tour

McDowell ready to build momentum in Saudi Arabia

McDowell after his win last year at the Saudi International (Image: Getty)

Tournament Preview

Defending champion Graeme McDowell is aiming to recapture the momentum he built up last season when he tees it up once again at the Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

The Major winner got his 2020 season off to the perfect start with victory at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, but admits he struggled to recapture that form when he returned to action after the enforced break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Northern Irishman will face a stern challenge in his bid to hold on to his title, with a field including World Number One, 2019 winner and reigning Masters Tournament champion Dustin Johnson as well as fellow Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.

Also challenging McDowell for further desert success are the last two winners on the ‘Middle East Swing’ – his fellow Ryder Cup stars Tyrrell Hatton and Paul Casey, who both make their debut in King Abdullah Economic City.

World Number Seven Hatton became the joint most successful Rolex Series player when he sealed his fourth victory and his sixth overall on the European Tour at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to continue his impressive advance up the Official World Golf Ranking.

Meanwhile Paul Casey is seeking to continue his own upward trajectory after sealing his 15th European Tour title at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday.

Player quotes

Graeme McDowell: “First time here last year. Nice, windy track. Good golf course. Great facilities here. It fit my eye pretty well and it was really important to me at the time. Got me back in the top-50 in the world and got me into Augusta and opened a lot of doors for me.

“I felt like I was starting to get a little bit of a head of steam up and starting to create some nice momentum and move into the right direction and obviously that momentum didn’t get a chance to last very long unfortunately. I didn’t respond well when we came back in the summer.

“But always nice to come back to a golf course where you have great memories. And like I say, I would love to get some of that momentum back again this week. That would be really, really awesome.”

Tyrrell Hatton: “It’s obviously good to be here for the first time. I went and played nine holes today and that was the first time seeing the golf course. Pretty impressed with what I saw. It’s in fantastic shape. Speaking to a few guys before coming here, they said it does kind of get quite windy, so I was expecting the greens to be a little slower than what we are used to.

“I’ve been fortunate to win four times in the last 14 months. And all four of them were big events, and they carry big World Ranking points. Outside of those wins, I’ve still had a few top fives, top tens, and just going about my business, just trying to play good golf every single week.

“Obviously this week, we’ve got huge World Ranking points on offer. It’s an added incentive, I guess. A little bit more motivation. But also we’ve got Ryder Cup points to play for. So, there’s plenty of things this week that you’re motivated for, and it will certainly be a great event to have a really good week. Obviously I’ll be trying my best to do that, and looking forward to getting started on Thursday.”

Paul Casey: “Cracking-looking golf course. So here to try and play and beat an unbelievable field. Even today, learning about some of the guys who were here this week. I’m not one necessarily to look at entry lists to see who is playing week-in, week-out, but it’s stacked. We’re going to have huge World Ranking points.

“From what I’ve seen so far, I really like it. So, I if anything, I feel good, and what I’ve seen so far, there’s a lot of touch putting required around this golf course, and I’m a great touch putter. It’s probably the key to the victory last week on those difficult greens.

“There’s no reason why I can’t have a really good week and put myself in a position to challenge. It’s not like there’s a massive time difference from last week, either. So there’s a lot of things in my favour to try and back up last week’s performance.”

(Text: European Tour Press Release)

Categories
European Tour

European Tour: Open de France returns to Le Golf National in May

View of the 9th green during Day two of the Open de France at Le Golf National on October 18, 2019 in Paris, France. (Image: Getty)

• Continental Europe’s oldest national Open will be played May 6-9
• Tournament will return to the venue which hosted The 2018 Ryder Cup
• Grégory Havret becomes ‘tournament host’ leading a strong French contingent

The European Tour and the Fédération Française de Golf (FFG) today announced the Open de France will return to Le Golf National from May 6-9, 2021, with Grégory Havret becoming first tournament host in the event’s illustrious history.

Continental Europe’s oldest national Open, first played in 1906, returns to the European Tour’s International Schedule after being cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like other tournaments on the 2021 Race to Dubai, the Open de France will be played under the auspices of the European Tour’s health strategy which will continue to evolve in line with French Government guidance. The European Tour and the Fédération Française de Golf acknowledge the recent changes to travel in and out of the country, and will continue regular dialogue with the French authorities, with the intention of staging the event without general admission in May.

It will be the fourth tournament in a five-week spring stretch on European soil between the first two Major Championships of 2021 – the Masters Tournament and US PGA Championship – the Open de France joining the Tenerife Open, Gran Canaria Open, Portugal Masters and Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.

Like the latter event, the Open de France will also have a tournament host this year, with three-time European Tour winner Havret becoming the first player to take on the ambassadorial role.

Havret is joint fifth on the all-time list of most successful French players on the European Tour and he finished runner up in the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach, one shot behind winner Graeme McDowell.

He will be joined at Le Golf National by France’s current crop of exciting European Tour players led by Victor Perez, the World Number 35, who is currently inside the automatic qualifying spots for Padraig Harrington’s European Ryder Cup team bound for Whistling Straits in September.

Alongside Perez will be three winners from 2020 – Joël Stalter, Antoine Rozner and Romain Langasque – who are confirmed as part of a strong French contingent at May’s tournament, along with Victor Dubuisson, Benjamin Hebert, Mattieu Pavon, Julien Guerrier, Raphaël Jacquelin, Alex Levy, Mike Lorenzo Vera and Robin Roussel.

The 2021 Open de France, which will have a prize fund of €1.5million, will be the 104th edition of the tournament and the 19th consecutive to be played at Le Golf National, the venue which also hosted The 2018 Ryder Cup when Europe defeated the United States by 17½-10½.

Ryder Cup players have dominated the tournament’s recent history, with 2019 winner Nicolas Colsaerts following in the footsteps of Alex Noren (2018) and Tommy Fleetwood (2017).

They joined an impressive list of former champions which includes Major winners Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Greg Norman and José María Olazábal since the inception of the European Tour in 1972.

The return of the Open de France to a May slot in the golfing calendar rekindles many of these memories, with the tournament previously played in that month from 1973 to 1984 and from 1999 to 2002.

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “The Open de France is one of our most historic tournaments and Le Golf National is one of the leading venues in Europe, so we are delighted to confirm that both will feature as part of our schedule this year.  

“As well as being part of a travel-friendly run in Europe at that time of the year, the tournament also helps us celebrate the wonderful heritage of the national Opens on the European Tour.

“I’ve often said, the support of each country’s leading players is key to the success of national Opens. We’ve seen many times over the years, including at the Open de France, how the presence of a home player on a leaderboard can have a profound impact on a tournament. It is therefore terrific to see such strong commitment from the leading French players for this year’s tournament, and we look forward to showcasing their considerable talents in May.

“We are also looking forward to working with Pascal Grizot and the Fédération Française de Golf, as well as tournament host Grégory Havret, to add another chapter to the proud tradition of the Open de France.”

Pascal Grizot, President of the Fédération Française de Golf (FFG), said: “On behalf of the FFGolf and all the French golfers, I warmly thank the European Tour for the support brought to the 2021 edition of our Open. After such a difficult year, this comeback of the Open de France on the international schedule is a first step in our common effort to lay the groundworks of a greater future for this historical tournament. I am very keen to keep on working with Keith Pelley and his staff to give to the Open de France a global sporting reach in the years to come.

“The Albatros remains a real golf test for European Tour players as well as for the World Amateur Team Championships 2022 and the Olympics 2024.”

Grégory Havret said: “The Open de France means so much not only to golf fans in France but also to all of the French players, as shown by the commitment made today by so many of my fellow professionals to the event. We are all delighted it will be returning to Le Golf National this May. Personally, I am very honoured to be named as the first host in the tournament’s proud history, and I am looking forward to working with Keith and Pascal, along with their respective teams, to make this year’s event a big success.”

Victor Perez said: “The Open de France is an event the French players are proud of and we all really look forward to it, so it’s great to see it return to the European Tour schedule in 2021. Le Golf National is one of the best venues we have in Europe and I’m really looking forward to supporting the tournament. We would obviously love to have fans there to be part of it too, but we are all just grateful to be able to play the Open de France again this year.”

(Text: European Tour Press Release)