The Staysure Tour visits France for the first time this season as the Paris Legends Championship takes centre stage on the over-50’s circuit this week. Here are five facts ahead of the action at Racing Club de France La Boulie.
Three is the magic number
The Paris Legends Championship will be contested for the third time on the Staysure Tour when the action tees off from October 11-13.
Magnus P Atlevi triumphed in the first edition of the event, when he carded rounds of 70-66-69 to win by two strokes ahead of Stephen Dodd.
Last year, Paul Broadhurst reigned victorious following rounds 65-70-69 to also win by two shots ahead of two-time Major Champion John Daly.
Ballesteros beat La Boulie
The 1986 Open de France took place at Racing Club de France La Boulie, where Seve Ballesteros reigned victorious after rounds of 65-66-69-69 to lift one of his six European Tour titles that season.
The Spaniard would go on to win the European Tour Order of Merit at the end of season following victories at the Dunhill British Masters, the KLM Dutch Open, and the Lancome Trophy, plus back-to-back triumphs at the Carroll’s Irish Open and the Johnnie Walker Monte Carlo Open before his third successive success in France.
Home winners
There have been three home soil winners this season, including Philip Golding at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, Paul Streeter at the Travis Perkins Masters and Gary Orr’s maiden triumph at the Scottish Senior Open.
Jean-François Remesy, who lifted the Swiss Seniors Open trophy, will be one of five Frenchman in the field aiming to keep the trophy in France. Other notables include Marc Farry and Jean van de Velde.
Form horses
With only four Staysure Tour events left this year, chances to win are down to less than a handful. Santiago Luna triumphed at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters last week and he will be one to watch as he aims to become the first back-to-back champion this season.
Markus Brier, who only turned 50 year old in July, took a share of second place behind Luna, adding to his tied third finish at the Scottish Senior Open a month earlier. Could it be Brier’s week in Paris?
New venue
For the previous two editions of the Paris Legends Championship, the action has taken place at Le Golf National. However, as host venue of The 2018 Ryder Cup, where Europe claimed a 17.5 – 10.5 victory over America three weeks ago, there was a need to switch venues. The third edition of the popular tournament will move five miles north this year to Racing Club de France La Boulie.
