FRENCH FANCY ON TOP

Thomas Levet produced a superb final-round performance to claim victory on home soil in the Alstom Open de France – 25 years after he first played in the competition.

The 42-year-old finished one shot clear of Thorbjørn Olesen after the young Dane missed a short putt on the 72nd hole to tie with joint overnight leader Mark Foster after holding his nerve in impressive fashion over the notoriously difficult closing stretch at Le Golf National.

While others faltered throughout the day, Levet went round in 70 for the third round out of four this week to finish on seven under, becoming the second French winner of the tournament since The European Tour began in 1972.

The closing stages of Levet’s heroic victory gave a glimpse seven years into the future, as Le Golf National served up a teaser to the kind of scenes and atmosphere that can be expected at The 2018 Ryder Cup.

As vociferous crowds swamped the banks of Le Golf National, the Parisian course’s spectacular finishing holes produced compelling drama to the wire and a support to match.

Home favorite Levet’s eventual triumph was met with the adulation normally only seen at a Ryder Cup, with the local hero carried on the shoulders of his compatriots back from signing his card to the 18th hole, where he dived into the lake that fortifies the green.

Chants of ‘captain, captain’ echoed around as Levet was walked up the closing fairway and was presented with the trophy, as the French fans gave an early indication of who they would like to see lead Europe when Le Golf National hosts The Ryder Cup in seven years.

The Ryder Cup itself was on display at Le Golf National during the week and a similar passion will undoubtedly greet its return for real thing in 2018.

An impressive field is set for the Open Championship curtain raiser this week with the confirmation of top names from both sides of the Atlantic taking their starting places for the 2011 Barclays Scottish Open at Castle Stuart Golf Links this week.

The newest venue on The European Tour International Schedule will be the host for a mouth-watering line-up set to contest the £3 million event, including the World Numbers One and Two, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood.

The World Ranking will again provide a thrilling sub-plot as the tournament unfolds, as Westwood may be able to wrestle back the Number One spot he relinquished to Donald at the BMW PGA Championship last month.

Italy’s Edoardo Molinari will defend the title he won at Loch Lomond Golf Club a year ago, but he will have to overcome one of the strongest fields in the history of the tournament to claim the £500,000 winner’s cheque again.

Graeme McDowell, the current World Number Eight and the 2008 Barclays Scottish Open champion, is set to join Americans Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar, presently sixth and seventh respectively on the Official World Golf Ranking, in the line-up, while three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington will be vying for his first Scottish Open title.

The only person missing this week really is ‘man of the moment’ McIlroy, but something tells me may be at Royal Portrush planning his assault on Royal St Georges next week; and that is the perfect place to prepare, away from the demands of a Tour Event.

Roll on the Open!