Fantasy Golf: French Open preview
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The 2013 Today’s Golfer Fantasy Golf game continues on the European Tour this week with the 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 the six-man Today’s Golfer team for the Irish Open:
Luke Donald, £4.4m
The world number eight finished T8 in his last start at the US Open and has five other top 20s this year. He finished 11th on his previous visit here in 2010 and ranks 48th on the European Tour in driving accuracy.
Martin Kaymer, £2.5m
The former world number one has struggled by his high standards in the last 18 months but he finished T4 in Germany a couple of weeks ago and has a great record at the French Open: 1st, 6th, 4th and 70th.
Alex Noren, £1.6m
The Swede comes in off the back of two T4 finishes. He’s played here six times with a best of T15 last year and ranks inside the top 10 on Tour since March for par 3 scoring, stroke average, putts per round, birdies per round and scrambles.
Thomas Bjorn, £1.6m
Bjorn has finished T4-2-2-T18 in his last four starts and has a best at Le Golf National of 18th in 2010. Since March he’s been inside the top 10 on Tour in stroke average, putts per GIR, birdies per round and par 4 scoring.
Bernd Wiesberger, £1.4m
The smooth-swinging Austrian hasn’t missed a cut all year and has a win and three top 5s in his last seven starts. He finished T47 here last season.
Joost Luiten, £1.2m
The Lyoness Open champion followed that up with a T10 in Germany and a T2 in Ireland last week. Since march he ranks inside the top 10 for stroke average, greens in regulation, birdies per round and par 5 scoring.
> The deadline to pick your team for the French Open is 6.30am on Thursday 4th July. See a full list of the field here.
