Despite numerous no-shows, the 2022 edition of the Vaudreuil Golf Challenge looks great. With a prize money re-evaluated at 260,000 euros and the presence of forty French golfers, the show will be there this week in Eure (27), on a constantly improved and therefore enhanced course!
Lionel VELLA, at Vaudreuil (27)
This is the ninth edition this week of the Vaudreuil Golf Challenge dear to Jean Claude Forestier, owner of the premises and promoter of the tournament. Born in 2013, it has become one of the most important appointments of the season on the Challenge Tour. The third most exactly in terms of prize-money after the Grand Final in Mallorca in November and theItalian Challenge Open. Its endowment has thus increased to 260,000 euros, an increase of 50,000 euros compared to the previous edition, won by the German Marcel Siem.
To make this tournament even more essential, improvements are constantly made to the course, a par 72 of 6,383 meters designed by Fred Hawtree in… 1962. In 2021, for its return “to life” after a cancellation due to a pandemic in 2020, the departures of holes n°3 and 5 had been remodeled. We had also extended the par 4 of 14 by 25 meters…
« This year, we redid a double start, on the 2nd and the 6thhighlighted Guillaume Biaugeaudthe General Manager of the PGA France golf course in Vaudreuil. We also redid the start of the 8 (a par 5 of 506 meters) et that of 13. There, we installed a pot bunker on the right of the green with a Scottish spirit, very deep… We also redid the tee of 17 (par 4 of 460 meters) and we lengthened it by 45 meters. We also added three fairway bunkers at 18, and unfortunately we had to cut down the tree that protected the green at 18, which made this hole more difficult. But this tree was dead, we removed it for safety. »
Even if they are still a little flexible, the greens, given the heat and the wind announced during the four rounds, will become more and more firm… They will dry out, and we will not water them
Guillaume Biaugeaud
In 2021, the rough had played a decisive role in the game, helped by the heavy rains which had fallen in the Eure region in the previous weeks. This time, he shouldn’t be so…scary. Rather, it is the greens that should be the key to victory.
« The rough is less densecontinues Guillaume Biaugeaud. It is farther from the fairways. On the other hand, even if they are still a little flexible, the greens, given the heat and the wind announced during the four rounds, will become increasingly firm… They will dry out, and we will not water them. This is the number 1 request of the European circuit. Admittedly, we do a bit of preventive work in certain places, but in general, we no longer water between Thursday and Sunday… »
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40 French people are at the start (they were 44 in 2021) among which we can mention Clément Sordet (8th of the Road), former European Tour members like Gregory Bourdy, Julien Quesne, Sebastien Gros, Edouard España or even those who are eyeing the DP World Tour 2023 in the image ofAdrian Saddier, Gary Stal et Ugo Coussaud. This strong tricolor presence also has another explanation. The French Golf Federation (FFG) a mis en place un French Challenge which encompasses the results of theBrittany Open and those to come from the Vaudreuil Golf Challenge. The first Sunday evening will validate his ticket for the Cazoo Open de France (DP World Tour) scheduled at Le Golf National from September 22 to 25. Ugo Coussaud is currently holding the rope in front Robin Sciot-Siegrist et Cyril Bouniol.
This pretty “open sesame” put into play (last year it was a spot for The Open au Royal St George’s) unfortunately did not prevent the organization from suffering a large number of withdrawals. About fifty since the closing of registrations, including another half-dozen on Tuesday morning…
These defections are explained in particular by the position of the Norman tournament in the calendar. Placed just after the Italian Challenge Open (350,000 euros endowment), golfers would tend to “breathe” once this big Challenge Tour event is over. However, the plateau remains attractive with the presence of the recent winner at the Open de BretagneEnglish Alfie PlantDanes Oliver Hundebøll et Martin Simonsen, respectively n°2 and n°5 of the Road to Mallorcaor the former young Italian prodigy, Matteo Manassero.
We are in the process of committing for three more years, in order to install the tournament in a long-term form. Our teams are well established since this is our 9th edition. I like this category, this level
Jean Claude Forestier
However, discussions will take place with the Direction of the European Tour to try to “ see again » the location of the Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in the near future. The ideal window is between June 15 and July 15. One thing is certain, he is more than ever installed in the landscape of this second European division and a possible ” climb on the DP World Tour is frankly not on the agenda.
« We are in the process of committing for three more years, in order to install the tournament in a long-term formconcludes Jean-Claude Forestier. Our teams are well established since this is our 9th edition. I really like this category, this level. This makes it possible to distinguish the young people who will be the stars of tomorrow. We have seen players pass here who shine today at the top level… Ryan Fox, Aaron Raiformer Vaudreuil winners… Dylan Frittelli also came to play here. Without forgetting Matthew Fitzpatrickwho just won theUS Open. They all went through Vaudreuil. We are happy to have had them in our field of players. These are people with whom we also played in Pro-Am… These are good memories… This is also what makes the DNA of our tournament! »
Photo : Getty Images
