Paris Legends Championship: round 2. In a game that looked like a Ryder Cup match, the American John Daly, -8 after two rounds, came back from the Englishman Paul Broadhurst, the British Open champion senior remaining single leader at -9.

Paris Legends Championship: Broadhurst-Daly the big Duel!

Paul Broadhurst is having a blast at Golf National. (European Tour / DR)

Splendid end of second round for the last part

Fantastic duel in perspective this Saturday on the course of the Albatross at the Golf National in Guyancourt. With the Chapman (-7), Kingston, Dodd, Sandelin (-6) or Golding (-5) as referees. The Paris Legends Championship second edition has already had its great moment, this Friday, September 29 at the Golf National. Splendid end of the second round for the last part, where Magnus P Atlevi, the Swedish winner of the tournament in 2016, was able to witness from the inside a real showdown between Paul Broadhurst and John Daly. With a card of 72 and a total of -4, Atlevi honored his status as defending champion by placing a good eighth before the third final round on Saturday. But the spectacle came from the two headliners of the French stage of the European Senior Tour.

Paul Broadhurst, who arrived in Paris still crowned with his prestigious 2016 title at the Senior Open Championship, was three strokes ahead of Daly thanks to his big card of 65 (-7) in the first round on Thursday. But this Friday, his mind-blowing putts from the day before were less present. So that after nine holes (36), he had already seen John Daly (35) go up two times. After a birdie at 10, the American with colorful pants (a “peacock feather” print this Friday) even got a little closer to the Englishman in the red pullover.

At 15, the hole he says he loves more than anything whenever he has the opportunity to play the Albatross course, Broadhurst signed his second birdie in two days. But Daly, concentrated as at the time when he won Majors (the US PGA 1991 and the British Open 1995), responded to 17 with a splendid approach and a putt returned for birdie. Again a gap between the two men. There was an atmosphere of match USA / Europe over their game. Exactly one year before the 2018 Ryder Cup at this same National Golf!

At 18, "Daly the Big Hitter" sent a majestic drive

On this final hole (in par 5 this week for the Senior Tour while it is played in par 4 during the French Open), the American cut the fairways in half and left only a small stroke of iron of about 140 meters to touch the famous final green surrounded by "National" water. Three meters from the flag and therefore a putt for the eagle to come. The spectators feasted. As much as during the best hours of the French Open with the elite of the European Tour. Paul Broadhurst, with a much more modest drive (more than 40 meters lower than that of Daly), naturally took the option of joining the green in three shots. But he also planted the mast. Then came in a birdie putt as John Daly failed in his eagle attempt. 70 card for Paul, 68 card for John. In the total score, the Briton (-9) therefore maintained an advantage with one stroke over the Californian (-8). "Paul Broadhurst vs. John Daly". So this is the poster for the final round, this September 30 on the side of Saint-Quentinen-Yvelines.

The Paris Legends Championship could not have dreamed of a more beautiful duel. Especially since there is no shortage of referees. Englishman Roger Chapman (-7), South African James Kingston, Welshman Stephen Dodd, Swedish Jarmo Sandelin (tied at -6), or Englishman Philip Golding (-5), winner of the Open from France in 2003 are very close. Also to watch, the French: Jean-François Remésy (16th, -1), Marc-Antoine Farry (21st, par), Roger Sabarros (38th, +4) and Jean-Pierre Sallat (47th, +8). A beautiful Saturday at the National Golf in perspective.

Nathalie Vion, for Pitch & Play

To know more : www.parislegendschampionship.com

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