Langasque happy to play leading man in Geneva

Romain Langasque could not have arrived at this week’s Rolex Trophy in better shape after climbing to the top of the Road to Oman Rankings for the first time following last week’s Vierumӓki Finnish Challenge.

The Frenchman was runner-up in Finland – the third second-place finish of his rookie season as a professional – and consequently overtook Jordan Smith as the top-ranked European Challenge Tour player this year.

Though reaching the top of the Road to Oman was not a specific target, Langasque admits he is delighted to come into the prestigious event at the Golf Club de Genève in such a strong position.

“It feels very good,” he said. “But I try to make sure it is not really in my mind – I am happy to stay at one, or two, or five or 15, as long as I do my best all the time on every shot.

“Three weeks ago I was thinking that I have one week off, then I can have three good tournaments, not to make sure of the European Tour card but to get close.

“The first week back, in Sweden, I played well and it was ok, but last week in Finland was really good and confirmed my form at the moment.

“It’s a great feeling, because it is the first time I have been Number One, but we know there are still eight or nine tournaments with big prizemoney, so if I can I want to keep this place, and be certain before the last tournament, just to be safe, and at least stay there as long as I can.

“I never thought I would get to this point already. With my coach, we try together not to think about the result or the Rankings, because if you think like that it is difficult – for example, my putt on 18 in Finland was worth maybe 6,000 points, but you cannot think of that.

“I am thinking not about the result but about doing the things I need to be ready and then we will see – now I feel I have less pressure on me and I can play more easily and more comfortably on the course.

“If I stay Number One or not, it is not a problem, but if you told me in Kenya that I would be in this position at the Rolex Trophy, I would not have thought so. But because I didn’t think about the result, I think that’s why I am now Number One.

“In Finland I didn’t think about the Number One, it was just about playing my game. You always want to be at the top, but it was not something I thought about, it was always just about doing my best, and that’s what has taken me there.”

The 21 year old started the season as an amateur to enable him to play at the Masters Tournament as reigning Amateur Champion before he joined the paid ranks in April.

Since then, he has taken to professional life seamlessly, adding two further top-five finishes to his three runner-up results and only missing one cut all year, and he is hoping his enjoyable 2016 can continue this week.

“This season has been really good,” he said. “I really like the professional life, I like flying from country to country, and probably 80% of these courses are ones I didn’t know, so it’s a new experience for me.

“I really enjoy the life with the other guys, we have a really good spirit among the French guys in particular, and it’s cool when the other guys play well too because everybody helps everyone else.

“This is a really special place here in Geneva, because it’s only 42 players, and because the course looks amazing – it is really open, and I like that. Some holes you need to be patient and play safe, but other holes you can hit big drives and there are so many options, so I think I will have a lot of fun here this week.”