Graeme McDowell - Photo: © ASO / Presse Sports / S. Thomas

The qualifying tournament played at the Exclusiv Golf Courson-Stade Français in Essonne made five lucky winners, including four French. After a 36-hole marathon during the day, Joël Stalter posted the best score (137, -7) to afford a second participation in the Alstom Open de France, of which he had suddenly missed the cut. last year. The Challenge Tour member will be accompanied by Julien Grillon, second (139, -5), author of an appearance at the Golf National in 2006 (cut), and Mickaël Altmeyer and Fabien Marty, who will be participating for the first time. Respectively club teacher in Épinal and member of the French circuit, these two seasoned pros will play their national open for the first time. The Englishman Craig Farrelly, tied for third (140, -4), also validates his ticket.

At the Exclusiv Golf Apremont in Oise, four Tricolores seized the four qualifying places. The Alps Tour player Damien Perrier won the event (139, -5) and will therefore make his third appearance at the Golf National after 2009 (cut) and 2012 (54th). Anthony Grenier and Alexandre Kaleka shared second place (141, -3). The first, a teacher at Dax, qualifies for the second year in a row, while the second, a former member of the European circuit today on the Challenge Tour, will participate in the Alstom Open de France for the sixth time. Finally the last ticket was won after a play-off by Jean-Pierre Verselin, to the detriment of the amateur Hubert Tisserand. The Héraultais, which evolves on the Alps Tour, will make its big debut in its national open.

With the national exemptions enjoyed by Lionel Weber, who plays on the Asian Tour, and Thomas Linard, member of the Challenge Tour, ten French people are joining the fifteen who were already in the field of the Alstom Open de France. We find the thirteen holders of a category on the European Tour this season - Victor Dubuisson, Alexander Levy, Gary Stal, Romain Wattel, Grégory Bourdy, Julien Quesne, Grégory Havret, Raphaël Jacquelin, Michaël Lorenzo-Vera, Benjamin Hébert, Édouard España, Jérôme Lando-Casanova and Cyril Bouniol -, as well as Victor Riu, also protected by a national exemption, and a former winner of the event, Thomas Levet.

Finally, on the international side, the field looks great with eleven members of the world top 50 on June 22. In addition to the headliners that are the Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell, two-time defending champion, the German Martin Kaymer, winner in 2009, and the Englishman Lee Westwood, we find four of their teammates in the last Ryder Cup won. through Europe to Scotland. They are the Welshman Jamie Donaldson, the Dane Thomas Bjørn, the Scottish Stephen Gallacher and of course the French number one Victor Dubuisson. Finally, we salute the presence of some big names in world golf such as the Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, winner of the British Open in 2011, the Spaniard José Maria Olazábal, winner of the Masters in 1994 and 1999, the South Korean YE Yang, winner of the 'USPGA Championship in 2009, the Thai Thongchai Jaidee and the Italian Francesco Molinari, and that of some of the rising stars of the world golf like the English Danny Willett, the Korean Byeong-Hun An, the Indian Anirban Lahiri and the 'Austrian Bernd Wiesberger.

More information on www.alstom.opendefrance.fr