Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Phillip Price, Niclas Fasth, Ian Woosnam and US Open champion Retief Goosen are among the top names in world golf taking part in the Trophée Lancôme this week.
Goosen defends the title he won last year while Europe’s four Ryder Cup Team Members for the 34th Matches, rescheduled for The De Vere Belfry in September 2002 - Montgomerie, Garcia, Price and Fasth - are in the field.
Unfortunately Denmark's Thomas Bjorn is still injured and cannot take part in Paris.
The event was originally to have featured Tiger Woods. However the World Number One withdrew last Thursday, a decision which was followed three days later by the 12 month postponement of the Ryder Cup at The De Vere Belfry.
Twelve months ago Goosen won the fourth of his European Tour titles and his third title in France, when he finished a stroke ahead of Michael Campbell and Darren Clarke with Masters champion Vijay Singh and Alex Cejka a further stroke adrift.
This time around Goosen, who also won The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in July, is a Major champion and is joined in a field of the highest quality by other Major Championship winners Seve Ballesteros, Paul Lawrie and Ian Woosnam.
Among the Frenchmen in the starting line up is 1999 Ryder Cup player Jean Van de Velde and the Victor Chandler British Masters champion Thomas Levet.
Following the tragic events in the United States last week, those players who were due to play in the World Golf Championships - American Express Championship, have been given the opportunity to play in the Trophée Lancôme and the field size will be increased accordingly.
The Trophée Lancôme returns to St-Nom-la-Bretèche for the 32nd time with many great names in golf having decorated the honours board. Indeed, of the 31 previous editions of the Trophée Lancôme, no fewer than 23 have been won by Major champions.
Tony Jacklin won the inaugural event in 1970 and since then Arnold Palmer, Tommy Aaron, Johnny Miller, Billy Casper, Gary Player, Ballesteros, Lee Trevino, David Graham, Lyle, Nick Price, Bernhard Langer, Woosnam, José Maria Olazábal, Vijay Singh, Mark O'Meara and most recently Goosen have all earned Major Championship honours and triumphed in the Trophée Lancôme.
