Lee Westwood will be looking to build on the performance which saw him finish third at the US Open Championship when he returns to action in a world-class field gathered for the Open de France ALSTOM at Le Golf National on the outskirts of Paris.
Westwood led the US Open at Torrey Pines with nine holes to play and had a putt on the final green to tie with Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. That putt slipped by the hole, leaving Woods and Mediate to continue the battle in a play-off with Woods eventually claiming his 14th Major Championship, but Westwood will have another historic title in his sights this week as he looks to win the oldest of the continental Opens.
Swede Robert Karlsson, who finished joint fourth at Torrey Pines, is also back looking to finally make his winning breakthrough after five successive top four finishes, while the presence of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, the current European Tour Number One, ensures the top three challengers on The European Tour Order of Merit – and three players from the top six at the US Open - are in action at Le Golf National competing for a share of the €4,000,000 prize fund.
The field is further enhanced by last year’s US Open Champion, Angel Cabrera of Argentina, the English duo of Ian Poulter and Oliver Wilson, South African Richard Sterne and Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who became the first German to win the BMW International Open on Sunday, from the World’s Top 50.
Another Englishman Graeme Storm will be defending his maiden title following his stunning victory 12 months ago. The former Amateur Champion came from five strokes behind with a final round of 66 to claim his maiden European Tour title and after another top 20 finish last week in Germany, arrives in France in high spirits as he seeks to retain his title. Storm enjoyed some good early season form, notably finishing an impressive joint sixth in the World Golf Championship – CA Championship, but his game dipped as life focused on his new baby daughter Grace. Last week’s performance put him back on track.
These are, of course, heady times for French golf following the victories by Grégory Bourdy in the Estoril Open de Portugal and Thomas Levet in the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano this season, along with the emergence on The European Tour of last year’s Challenge Tour Number One, Michael Lorenzo-Vera.
All will be hoping to emulate the achievement of Jean-François Remesy, winner of his national title in 2004 and 2005.
Levet recognises the growing importance on The European Tour International Schedule of the Open de France ALSTOM.
“It's big,” said Levet. “The players are coming along because the prize money is so big and you can't afford to miss it. So the goal they (promoters A.S.O) had is getting there, and I hope it's going to become even bigger.”
The Open de France ALSTOM carries added significance for those with Open Championship and Ryder Cup aspirations. The Open de France ALSTOM is the last counting event in the mini order of merit which has run since the Methorios Capital Italian Open, from which the top two, not otherwise exempt, will qualify for a place in the field for The Open at Royal Birkdale. Scott Strange and Felipe Aguilar currently hold those two spots.
The €4,000,000 prize fund will also have considerable bearing on those chasing Ryder Cup points, with the likes of Graeme McDowell, Søren Hansen, Søren Kjeldsen and Richard Finch among those vying for a place through The Ryder Cup European Points List.
