Fantasy Golf: French Open preview
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The Today’s Golfer Fantasy Golf game, in association with Your Golf Travel, returns to the European Tour for this week’s French Open at Le Golf National, near Paris.
As you would expect from a course that’s set to host the Ryder Cup in 2018, it’s a stern test with a number of risk-and-reward decisions to be made.
It’s a modern layout – opened in 1990 – with lots of water and bunkering that is probably as close to American-style target golf as you will find on continental Europe.
The penalties for missing greens and fairways are harsh but they are relatively large and wide. Players will benefit from hitting the correct parts of the fairway to attack the pins and stay out of three-putt territory.
The history of the French Open and large purse has attracted a strong field as the world’s top players prepare for The Open in two weeks.
Here is TG’s six-man team for the French Open:
Lee Westwood, $5.0m
The world number three remains incredibly consistent. He has eight tops 10s and two wins this season, including his last start on European soil in the Nordea Masters. He leads the European Tour in stroke average and is 10th in putts per GIR.
Martin Kaymer, $4.0m
Although he’s not often been in contention this year, he has recorded nine top 20s in 12 starts. He won here in 2009 and finished T6th and 4th the last two years.
Justin Rose, $2.8m
The Race to Dubai leader will be looking to consolidate that position with a big purse on offer. A win, six tops 10s and no missed cuts in his last 11 tournaments have thrust him into the world’s top 10.
Marcus Fraser, $1.1m
The Australian sits 15th in the Race to Dubai thanks to four top-six finishes in 2012, including runner-up in his last start at the BMW International Open. Ranks 9th in putts per GIR, 16th in stroke average and 32nd in driving accuracy.
Mark Foster, $1.0m
A runner-up here last year who comes into this week on the back of a run of T18-T52-T18-T5 finishes. He’s 15th on Tour in greens in regulation.
Thorbjorn Olesen, $0.8m
Similarly to Foster, he was second in France in 2011 and is carrying good form, finishing T18-T22-T18 in his last three starts. Won his maiden European Tour title in Sicily earlier this year.
> You can see a full list of all the golfers playing this week and their prices by clicking here. You have until 6.30am on Thursday 5th July to select your team.
