Four days after the coronation of Collin Morikawa, the elite players (the former “European Tour” which now bears the name of “DP World Tour”) are about to start a new season with three stages in South Africa . For the premiere in Johannesburg, seven representatives of French golf are present.
It didn’t take long for the players benefiting from a category on the European Tour to find themselves once again scrapping the fairways.
Four short days of truce and it’s off again for a ride. But beware, the good old premium circuit of the European Tour changes its name and becomes the DP World Tour.
Joburg, Sun City et Leopard Creek !
The opening of the new season will be set in the dream settings of South Africa with three consecutive tournaments in the land of the Springboks.
The first test begins this Thursday in Johannesburg. This is the Joburg Open on the Randpark GC course, a long par 71 of 6862m. Seven tricolors made the trip to the southern hemisphere: Julien Brun, Frédéric Lacroix, Ugo Coussaud, Romain Langasque, Joël Stalter, Robin Roussel and Robin Sciot-Siegrist.
Then will follow the SA Open in the incredible resort of Gary Player in Sun City, then the unmissable detour via Leopard Creek at the gates of Kruger Park.
Important beginnings
Except Romain Langasque benefiting from a “good” category, the other French people will have to capitalize quickly at the start of the season since they will not be able to play all the tournaments with playing rights that do not guarantee them to be in the field of Best rated events.
These three tournaments co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour therefore represent great opportunities to score big points in the DP World Tour Ranking (the new name of the Race to Dubai), and why not, to achieve a feat at the start of the season.
This is particularly the case for Julien Brun and Frédéric Lacroix, who despite their fourth and fifth place on the Challenge Tour last season, will not be sure of being selected to take part in the Rolex Series at the start of the year in the Emirates in particular.
there are still some uncertainties, especially the big tournaments at the start of the season
Julien Brun
On the eve of your first tournament of the all new DP World Tour, how are you feeling?
Julien Brun : I am excited to be starting in a new environment. The course is very good and really fun to play. A little tired from the trip and the change in altitude and temperature but I will adapt. The idea is to continue doing what I have been doing over the past few months and then we’ll see what the results are.
Do you already have an idea of your 2022 calendar?
I have a general idea but there are still uncertainties, especially the big tournaments at the start of the season, so to be seen. I will play all three tournaments in South Africa. For the Emirates, it will be 3 or 4 tournaments depending on where I go. We will have to adapt and do it little by little.
With Basile Dalberto, as a full-time caddy from now on, you are “Team Praha” since he lives like you in Prague. Is his experience an important support?
Absolutely, Basile is great, it is really useful to have him by my side on courses that I do not know but that he has already done a dozen times … it reassures and saves time.
From a financial point of view, have you had confirmation of the aid promised to the Top 5 of the Challenge Tour? during the announcements accompanying the arrival of DP World as title partner of the circuit ? New sponsors maybe also?
Yes, the CT top 5 has a seasonally-funded envelope of $ 20,000 per player to cover the costs. I have a new sponsor, TR2 developpement, otherwise I will keep the same base for the moment with perhaps new collaborations to come.
©Challenge Tour
