French Open, Rory McIlroy versus Liv players

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From a path that will host the Ryder Cup in 2023 to one that experienced it in 2018. From the Italian Open, essentially, to the French Open, which of its kind is the oldest tournament in continental Europe. The first edition, in fact, was held in 1906 in La Boulie, which until 1986 had a large space as a venue, along with numerous others.

Since 1991, after two editions, he has always filmed at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, which is actually located in Guyancourt, about 35 km from Paris, which in 2024 will also see the Olympic event on stage.

French Open, schedule

In recent days, however, the place has jumped to the headlines for reasons that have to do with golf up to a certain point: ecologists, in fact, have entered the course and have damaged hole 18 leaving several signs and, consequently, holes to put back in place.

Under accusation is the problem of water consumption that many fields need, compared with the water situation in France in times of abnormal drought. For its part, the French Federation has remarked that substantial investments have been made to reduce water consumption.

The skirmish has been going on for a long time and has not spared a significant amount of fields on the territory. Returning to the pure sporting fact, here are some valid players of the DP World Tour, although the field can be considered lower than that of the Italian Open (which, on its side, had the advantage of being "observed special" for the Ryder).

There is the winner of 2019, the Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, who, however, does not capture significant results from the second place he took in the boot two years ago. Marco Simone Golf & Country Club winner Robert MacIntyre from Scotland is keen to show that the start of the qualifying period for the 2023 Ryder Cup wants to make the most of it.

Three of the top ten in Race to Dubai are present: New Zealander Ryan Fox, Pole Adrian Meronk and South African Thriston Lawrence. There are five Italians competing, some of them chasing that top 50 that is needed to be sure of playing the DP World Tour Championship, the final event of the season.

In particular, the best in the Race to Dubai is Edoardo Molinari, currently 67th, while Guido Migliozzi is 100th and Francesco Laporta is 114th. The three of them, however, would keep their cards full for the DP World Tour.

Just over the necessary quota is Renato Paratore, 128th, while Lorenzo Gagli is 169th. Two Azzurri have triumphed in France in history: Ugo Grappasonni in 1949 and Costantino Rocca in 1993. He has reached it three times according to Francesco Molinari.

Also at the start some members of LIV Golf, who can participate until the ruling next February, in the United Kingdom, which will regulate the relations between the "escapes" (and currently banned from the PGA Tour) and the continental circuit.

They are, among others, Patrick Reed (USA), Laurie Canter (England), Adrian Otaegui (Spain). There will be more of them next week, at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and it is to be believed that the environment will not be the best, also given the presence of Rory McIlroy, who has managed several trips against the Arab Super League.