French Open returns to European Tour after Covid-19 postponement
THE French Open will return to the European Tour calendar and take place at Le Golf National from 6-9 May.
Continental Europe’s oldest national Open, first played in 1906, was cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Frenchman Gregory Havret will become the event’s first tournament host.
The tournament will have a prize fund of 1.5m euros (£1.3m) and for the 19th consecutive occasion will be played at Le Golf National, the venue near Paris which also hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup when Europe defeated the United States by 17½-10½.
Previous major winners of the event include Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Greg Norman and Jose Maria Olazabal.
Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts is the defending champion having triumphed by one stroke in October 2019.
European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The Open de France is one of our most historic tournaments and Le Golf National is one of the leading venues in Europe, so we are delighted to confirm that both will feature as part of our schedule this year.
“As well as being part of a travel-friendly run in Europe at that time of the year, the tournament also helps us celebrate the wonderful heritage of the national Opens on the European Tour.” – bbc.com