One of the most picturesque courses on the Challenge Tour Schedule, Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André will host the ALLIANZ Open Cotes d’Armor Bretagne for the fourth year on a row. The 6,442 yards, par 70 layout is built along Brittany’s rugged coastline, meaning an errant drive on some holes can lead to players hitting their second shots from the beach. Last year England’s Lee S James tamed the windy conditions to prevail over German rookie Florian Fritsch after a play-off. Fritsch, bidding to join his friend and compatriot Martin Kaymer in the illustrious group of players who have won on their Challenge Tour debuts, carried a two-shot lead into the final day. Successive double bogeys on the back nine appeared to put pay to Fritsch’s chances, allowing James to seize the initiative. But a closing birdie enabled the German to force a play-off, which the more experienced James won with a birdie at the first extra hole. The win was James’ fifth on the Challenge Tour, moving him up to joint fifth place on the All Time Winners’ List. The other winners of the ALLIANZ Open Cotes d’Armor Bretagne were both former Ryder Cup players, with England’s Peter Baker taking the title in 2007 and Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman following him into the winner’s enclosure a year later.
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