© Golf National - Creative Commons

The European Tour and the French Golf Federation (ffgolf) announced today that the French Open will be held at the Golf National from May 6 to 9, 2021 with, for the first time, the support of an ambassador in the person of French champion, Grégory Havret.

The oldest national Open in continental Europe, first played in 1906, returns to the European Tour calendar after being canceled in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The health rules set by the European Tour and in force for all of its tournaments will apply to the French Open. They may change depending on French government measures. The European Tour and the ffgolf will continue in the coming weeks a permanent dialogue with the public authorities in order to organize a closed-door event in May and will follow with the greatest attention the evolution of recent decisions impacting the entries and exits of the French territory.

With the Tenerife Open, the Gran Canaria Open, the Portugal Masters and the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett, the French Open forms a series of five tournaments played on European soil between the first two majors of the season , the Augusta Masters and the USPGA. Three-time winner on the European Tour, second in the US Open 2010 on the legendary Pebble Beach course, Grégory Havret will therefore be its ambassador, a first in the history of the tournament.

In addition to an iconic ambassador, the French Open will host the current best French player, Victor Perez. 34th in the world rankings, Victor Perez is also in the race to clinch his place on the European Ryder Cup team under captain Padraig Harrington. Havret and Perez will not be alone. The three “blues” winners on the European Tour in 2020, Joël Stalter, Antoine Rozner and Romain Langasque, will be there. Victor Dubuisson, Benjamin Hebert, Mattieu Pavon, Julien Guerrier, Raphaël Jacquelin, Alex Levy, Mike Lorenzo Vera and Robin Roussel will also be on the trip to Saint Quentin en Yvelines.

The 104th edition of the tournament and the 19th in a row organized at the Golf National, host site of the 2018 Ryder Cup (victory of Europe against the United States by 17 1/2 -10 1/2), will be endowed with 1,5 million euros.

Grégory Havret - © ffgolf

Ryder Cup players have dominated recent tournament history with successive victories from Nicolas Colsaerts (2019), Alex Noren (2018) and Tommy Fleetwood (2017). Since the creation of the European Tour in 1972, the list of great champions who have won the French Open has been impressive: Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell , Greg Norman and José María Olazábal.

The return of the French Open in May brings back some memories since the event had already been contested during this period from 1973 to 1984 and from 1999 to 2002.

Keith Pelley, Managing Director of the European Tour, said: “The French Open is one of our historic tournaments and Le Golf National is one of the best championship courses in Europe. We are therefore delighted that it is back on our calendar this year. In addition to completing an enticing series of tournaments in Europe at this time of the season, the tournament will once again be an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the wonderful legacy of the national Opens ” before adding: “I have often repeated that the support of the best players from each country is the key to the success of the national Opens. The good performance of one of these players can have a major impact on the enthusiasm for the tournament. I am therefore very happy that the French players are present and we are eager to showcase their talent. And therefore also impatient to work with ffgolf and Grégory Havret to add another chapter to this great and rich history ”

Pascal Grizot, President of the French Golf Federation (FFG), said: “On behalf of the ffgolf and all French golfers, I warmly thank the European Tour for the support given to the 2021 edition of our Open. After a difficult year, this return of the French Open to the European Tour calendar is a first step in our joint efforts to build an ambitious future for this tournament with such a rich history. I look forward to continuing to work with Keith Pelley and his teams in order to give the Open France a global sporting reach in the years to come. The Albatross remains a real test of golf for the players of the European Tour, just as it will be during the 2022 World Championships and the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 ”.

Grégory Havret said: “Golf fans in France are very attached to the French Open as are professional French players, as evidenced by the commitment they have made in ensuring their participation in the 2021 edition. We are all happy that the tournament is back at Golf National in May. Personally, I am very honored to be the first ambassador in the history of the tournament. I look forward to working with Keith Pelley and Pascal Grizot and their respective teams to make the French Open 2021 a great success. "

Victor Perez said: “French players are very proud of their French Open and we are all looking forward to meeting at Golf National. It's really great that the event is back on the European Tour calendar in 2021. The Albatross is one of the best courses in Europe and I'm really looking forward to playing it and very happy to support the tournament . We would obviously like to have fans by our side, but we are already delighted to be able to replay the French Open this year. "