Emerging as one of the most prestigious tournaments to win at its third staging since its return to the Games.
The men’s golf tournament features a crack field including No.1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time 2024 major winner and defending champion Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and many more.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
- GIR
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Bogey Avoidance
- Driving Accuracy
- Scrambling
Le Golf National is the most revered course on continental Europe, one that has hosted the Ryder Cup and is the annual stage for the Open de France.
It is a fierce test with danger everywhere.
Success from tee to green is critical with a strong preference to playing from the fairway as greens are small and scrambling is difficult, naturally avoiding trouble is essential.
Key Correlation Courses/Tournaments
BEST BET
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
Scottie is one again the hot-pot but at the top of the board it is impossible to go past Xander Schauffele.
Xander is in the throes of a career-year, having won the PGA Championship and Open Championship and he returns to the Olympic stage having claimed gold in Tokyo three years ago.
This is Schauffele’s first visit to Le Golf National after he just missed selection in the 2018 Ryder Cup but it looks a course that will suit.
Schauffele ranks first in Scrambling, first in Bogey Avoidance, third in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, fifth in Strokes Gained: Approach and 12th in GIR while he has finished Top 14 in the last three US Opens.
BEST VALUE
TOMMY FLEETWOOD
Fleetwood has nothing but good feelings when it comes to Le Golf National.
Fleetwood won the 2017 Open de France here and winning four of five points in the 2018 Ryder Cup.
One also gets the feeling this means as much to him as anyone in the field.
He has finished Top 16 at the last two US Opens. He ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach, sixth in GIR and seventh in Bogey Avoidance on the DP World Tour while he ranks eighth in Driving Accuracy and 13th in Scrambling on the PGA Tour.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN
Chilean Joaquin Niemann is airborne on the LIV circuit this year, winning twice and finishing Top 10 in nine of 11 tournaments.
He comes off a one-shot defeat in the UK last week so his form is strong and also leads LIV in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green and Strokes Gained: Approach while he ranks fourth in GIR and seventh in Bogey Avoidance.
Looks very well suited.
BEST ROUGHIES
COREY CONNERS
Canadian Corey Conners is a highly underrated player whose ball striking puts him right in the mix.
Corners ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach, seventh in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green and 11th in GIR.
He comes off a Top 10 at the most recent US Open and his form is good with 10 Top 25s in his last 14 starts.
NICOLAI HOJGAARD
Dane Nicolai Hojgaard is a huge price this week and can absolutely win.
His form has been a little down but he did win the DP World Tour Championship and almost won on the PGA Tour before contending at The Masters.
He leads the DP World Tour in GIR while he ranks third in Strokes Gained: Approach and seventh in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green.
FIRST ROUND LEADER
ALEX NOREN
Swede Alex Noren has been playing tremendous golf of late and while he has not been winning, he has been a very fast starter.
He ranks ninth in the field in strokes gained in the opening round over their last 36 while he ranks 6th in his last 12 opening rounds.