The European Challenge Tour has been travelling to Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club since 2000, and each year the golf course plays as one of the most difficult on the schedule.
Only two players, Christan Nillson and Sebastien Gros, have ever completed the tournament on a double-digit under par score. Nilson’s 13 under par 271 in 2009 and Gros’ 14 under 270 are the best winning scores since Europe’s top developmental circuit began playing the event annually in 2005.
Last year, eventual graduates Stuart Manley and Grant Forrest completed the tournament on only six under par, which might appear to be a high score, but in fact represented a strong week on the difficult layout, which was made even trickier by the week-long gusting winds.
Ultimately, Manley outlasted Forrest in the play-off to lift the trophy, and as the Challenge Tour prepares to return to Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club for the Hauts de France Pas de Calais Golf Open, the game’s rising stars will once again have their chance to better Gros’ tournament-record score when the tournament runs in its traditional spot on the schedule from June 13-16.
