Le Golf National

Where else could we possibly start? The Ryder Cup venue plays host to the oldest National Open in Continental Europe this week, with the September showpiece very much in everybody's mind. However, inflated Ryder Cup qualification points and a whopping $7,000,000 purse (courtesy of its new status as a Rolex Series event) means this isn't just a recon mission for Ryder Cup hopefuls; a lot is at stake at Le Golf National.

The Albatross course is built for 'stadium golf'; perfect for viewers. There will be plenty to view, too, with a challenging setup from first to last. Plenty of water, slick greens with minimal fringe and undulating fairways mean accuracy is critcal. The wrong spin or bounce half an inch in the wrong direction and forgiveness really isn't on the cards.

The Field

It's very rare that Americans turn their attention to the European Tour, especially when Tiger Woods is in action on the PGA Tour, but that is exactly what's happened. Why? Well, the Ryder Cup is one reason. But France also undoubtedly boasts the better field this week. World No. 2 Justin Thomas has hopped across the pond for the week, joining the likes of Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Alex Noren and reigning champion Tommy Fleetwood.

Fleetwood, Rahm and Thomas are unsurprisingly favourites, with form horses Thorbjorn Olesen and Andy Sullivan forcing their way into pre-tournament contention too. Unfortunately Francesco Molinari is over in the States for the Quicken Loans National (a trade for Justin Thomas, I can only assume), and I'm not entirely convinced older brother Edoardo Molinari will be leading Europe's charge for a pre-Ryder Cup upper-hand in quite the same way. But you never know!

Favourites in France

Sergio Garcia's T12 at the BMW International Open last week could be a sign of a return to form, but he's still being overlooked by many. A good result here would be useful in his pursuit of a Ryder Cup spot.

For the past five years, the player topping the bogey avoidance list has topped the leaderboard at this tournament, so it's worth looking at the men who make the least mistakes. Two-time winner Graeme McDowell (2013, 2014) is thirteenth on that list for the European Tour. He's also a Vice-Captain for Team Europe, so whilst his best golf may be behind him, a strategic approach on a course he knows well makes him a huge each-way shout at 60/1.

Can Fleetwood go back-to-back? Can McDowell defy the odds for his hat-trick? Will Sergio soar once more?

So many questions, but who has the answers? We'll find out come Sunday.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com