Best Golf at Open de France 2016

Open de France starts on June 30 at the Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The year 2016 will be marked by an exceptional field gathered for the tournament's 100th staging.

On top of the list, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, the World No. 3 and a four-time Major champion, will undoubtedly draw the most of the attention. Among his main rivals, Danny Willett from England, the recently-crowned Masters champion at Augusta National, will feature as the No. 1 challenger considering his ninth position in the Official World Golf Ranking. Other Major winners will appear in Continental Europe's oldest national open championship, such as German Martin Kaymer and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. These two players have both lifted the Stoïber Cup, presented to the Open de France champion: the former back in 2009, the latter two times in a row in 2013 and 2014. Veterans Darren Clarke from Northern Ireland, Y.E. Yang from South Korea, Paul Lawrie from Scotland and Mike Weir from Canada, all of whom boast one Major title to their résumé, will be joined by three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington from Ireland. McIlroy, Clarke, Harrington, Lawrie, McDowell and Kaymer will reunite, on the Albatros course which will be played for the first time in Ryder Cup configuration after ten months of improvement works, with a host of their former European teammates. This illustrious list includes Englishmen Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ross Fisher and David Howell; Swedes Robert Karlsson, Niclas Fasth and Peter Hanson; Dane Thomas Bjørn, Scotsman Stephen Gallacher, Welshman Jamie Donaldson, Italian Francesco Molinari, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, who will spearhead the local challenge alongside Alexander Levy, Grégory Bourdy, Julien Quesne and Gary Stal.

OPEN DE FRANCE IN FIGURES

139 hectares + 50 000 spectators 70 French and English green keepers and gardeners 78 carts 500 Commissioners 7200 practice balls of players

contact & info