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Le Nasty National
Le Golf National took centre stage as the French par-71 course hosted the Open De France less than three months before it is due to host the Ryder Cup. World No. 2 Justin Thomas made the trip over in preparation for the September showdown, and after experiencing the brutality of the course first-hand, said he "can't imagine" how the course has the "potential to play in September" and believes all players will be glad of the match-play format maybe leaving high scores less exposed than a stroke play event. This may sound scathing, but with just 14 of the 159 players in the field posting sub-par opening rounds, the evidence is right there.
Before the Weekend
Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood posted a double-bogey on his second hole and never really recovered. He went 74-73, missing the cut at +5 along with Rafa Cabrera-Bello. After opening with -3 to share second, Graeme MacDowell shot two double-bogeys and a quadruple on a horrific Friday 77. Despite his comments on the difficulty of the course, Thomas managed consecutive rounds of 1-under 70 along with fellow American Julian Suri. Jon Rahm also opened with 70, but improved to 69 on Friday. Sweden's Marcus Kinhult stole the show on Friday with a 65 to top the leaderboard at -6.
The Weekend
On Saturday, Marcus Kinhult moved to double figures with a 4-under 67 to reach -10 for the week, whilst England's Chris Wood occupied second after quietly going 70-68-67 for -8 total. Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren, meanwhile, soared into contention despite slow starts. Garcia's Saturday 64 took him to -7 for the week, whilst Noren shot 65 to go from +3 to -3. Rahm held fourth at -6. The only non-Europeans in the Top-10 were Suri and Thomas at T5 with -4.
Europe vs. America
Kinhult fluffed his lines big time, halving his score to -5 on the final day. That left the door wide open, but he wasn't the only man to stutter. Garcia opened with a triple-bogey and closed with a double for +3 and Rahm fell to +1. Chris Wood was level par at the 15th tee before bogeys at the 15th and 17th saw him drop two shots to finish one off the winner. On the flip side, a superb -6 round meant Russell Knox grabbed a share of second.
American Julian Suri was 4-under for the day and -8 for the tournament at the 18th. Holding out with a par would have handed him top spot, but he found the water en route to a double-bogey. That meant that Alex Noren's -7 was enough for his 10th Tour title. As Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn said: A man for Sundays! No doubt Bjorn will be happy to see a European hold out to beat an American at Le Golf National.
Alex Noren - What's in the Bag
Driver: Callaway Rogue Sub Zero
Fairway Wood: Callaway Rogue
Hybrid: Callaway Apex
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro 16
Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 4
Putter: Odyssey O-Works #1
Golf Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X
Written by Joe Carabini
