The American John Daly, emblematic figure of world golf, and the French Jean-François Remésy, double winner of the French Open in 2004 and 2005 on the Albatros course, are among the 54 players to follow during Paris Legends Championship in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

A second edition on the site of the Golf National, one year exactly before the start of the Ryder Cup 2018 in France. And with a nice gallery of former Ryder Cup players and former French Open winners.

Exceptional rehearsal before the big concert of 2018

Almost too good to be true. The dates coincide perfectly. While all eyes on the golf world are already converging on the very near Ryder Cup in France, from September 28 to 30, 2018 at the Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the Paris Legends Championship is being held this year from 28 to 30 September on the same prestigious course of the Albatross! The French stage of the European Senior Tour, which is the continental circuit for over 50s, could not ask for a better exhibition. And the 2018 Ryder Cup, best repetition one year exactly before the start of the celebrations. As a first part of the future luxury concert that will be the “Ryder”. Especially since the Paris Legends Championship, which will be the second edition on the Paris site after the victory of the Swedish Magnus P. Atlevi in ​​2016, once again welcomes its share of players whose name always means something great to golf enthusiasts.

John Daly in the spotlight, in the colors of Pitch & Play

We start with John Daly, of course. Among the 54 players on the track during the three days of the tournament, from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30, the American is the only one to have two major tournaments on his record: the US PGA in 1991 and the British Open in 1995. It was certainly in a whole other decade, but the image of "Big John", by his personality, his freedom to excess, his generosity too, still attracts attention. Become one of the players of Team Pitch & Play created by Alexis Sikorsky, the promoter of "Paris Legends", John Daly, 51, is of course one of the headliners of the tournament, if not LA star. To be enjoyed without moderation, especially since the American players have never been very numerous to come and tread the fairways of the Golf National. Even since the French Open in July became the HNA Open de France with the Rolex Series label of the European Tour. Tournament which is therefore today one of the best endowed in the world, with 7 million dollars (6,6 million euros).

350 euros in endowment and very strong memories

During this Paris Legends Championship 2017 (whose own endowment is 350 euros), European opponents of the same generation as the terrible child of US golf will not fail. Starting with Costantino Rocca, the Italian whose journey remains so often associated with that of John Daly. Even today, we keep reminding us of the play-off between the two men in 000 in St Andrews, Costantino having to finally give up the Claret Jug of the British Open to John. It creates links. And it is a real pleasure, twenty-two years after this page in the history of the Majors, to see this duo again, on the more family, more friendly, Legends circuit. Double winner of the Ryder Cup with Europe in 1995 and 1995, Rocca takes this year to the Paris Legends Championship, a large group of European players having been selected at least once in Ryder Cup in their young years.

With thirteen former European Ryder Cup selections

While this second edition is marked by proximity to the 2018 Ryder Cup in France, it is imperative to point out that no less than 13 players from the field (out of 54 therefore) have been called up one or more times in Team Europe of the “Ryder”: Costantino Rocca, but also the English Barry Lane, Paul Broadhurst, David Gilford, Mark James and Gordon J. Brand, the Irish Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Philip Walton, the Spanish José Rivero and Miguel Angel Martin (selected in 1997 but prevented from playing because of an injury), the Scottish Gordon Brand Junior (not to be confused with Gordon J. Brand), and finally, the Swedish born in Finland, Jarmo Sandelin. The latter had been selected as Jean van de Velde in Team Europe for the difficult and unsuccessful edition of the 1999 Ryder Cup in Brookline, in the United States.

The Paris Legends Championship in figures

  • 1 legendary course: the Albatross
  • 1 tournament in 3 rounds
  • 54 world golf legends
  • € 350 in Prize Money
  • 1 world national golf event on the 2018 Ryder Cup course

The official program

Tuesday, September 26

  • 10:30 am - 20:XNUMX pm: Rolex official Pro-Am

Wednesday, September 27

  • 10:30 am - 20:XNUMX pm: Renault official Pro-Am

Thursday September 28

  • From 8:45 am: 1st round of the tournament

Friday, September 29

  • From 8 am: 45nd round of the tournament
  • 20 p.m .: Concert by Manu Lanvin on the Albatross

Saturday, September 30

  • From 8 a.m .: 3rd and last lap
  • 16h: Award ceremony

To know more : https://www.parislegendschampionship.com/