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Open de France preview: Alexander Bjork a contender at Le Golf National

Thoughts are beginning to turn towards next week's Ryder Cup, but there is still a big DP World Tour prize to play for this week at the Open de France at Le Golf National, which was the venue for Europe's last victory over their American rivals.

With one week to go until Luke Donald's European team do battle with Zack Johnson's Team USA in Rome, here is our look ahead to the action on the outskirts of Paris this week.

WhatCazoo Open
WhereLe Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
When Thursday 21st September to Sunday 24th September 2023
How to watchLive on Sky Sports Golf
OddsTom Kim 11/1, Min Woo Lee 12/1, Aaron Rai 14/1, Ryan Fox 14/1, Alexander Bjork 18/1, Thomas Detry 20/1, Connor Syme 40/1, Julien Brun 70/1

This week's event in France has predictably not attracted the elite field that assembled at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week with the Ryder Cup just around the corner, and Robert MacIntyre is the only member of Luke Donald's team heading to France.

The Scot, who will make his debut in Italy next week, would be forgiven for having some of his attention on other things and he is 33/1 to go into the biggest week of his career with a victory.

South Korean starlet Tom Kim, who has won twice on the PGA Tour is 11/1 favourite while plenty of eyes will be on Ryan Fox.

The New Zealander triumphed at Wentworth last week, building on a third-placed finish at the Irish Open seven days earlier, and he is 14/1 for glory. Guido Migliozzi defends his crown and is 60/1 to take the prize again.

Each-way terms of a quarter the odds, the first five places are available for the Open de France, as well as alternative options, such as a fifth the odds the first eight placed in the Each Way Extra section.

Open de France course details

Le Golf National has hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup and has been the venue for this tournament since 2002.

The par 71, 7,427-yard test is one which rewards accurate play, even though the undulating fairways can provide their own problems.

The rough is penal and plenty of water hazards are there to gobble up errant drives and while the greens are large, they are pacy and feature plenty of sharp slopes.

The course is rarely tamed by DP World Tour players and the test could be even more difficult with a dismal weather forecast for the opening day on Thursday and predicted breezy conditions throughout.

Three to follow

Bjork can get over the line

This week's field does not have the star quality of last week's assembly at Wentworth and Sweden's Alexander Bjork could be well-placed to make a strong challenge.

Bjork was 18th in Surrey last week and that performance came two weeks after he was second at the European Masters in Switzerland.

He can flourish on a course where accuracy is key as he has been the best approach player on the DP World Tour this season.

Bjork was 20th last year when a Saturday 76 derailed his quest, but he was third in 2017 and eighth in 2018 so his course record is strong too so the 18/1 chance is appealing.

Syme playing the golf of his life

While Ryan Fox has been in red-hot form in the last two weeks, Connor Syme has also enjoyed some fine results and a first DP World Tour victory may not be too far away at 40/1.

The Scot was fourth at the ISPS Handa, third at the European Masters, seventh at the Irish Open and then gave his morale a big boost with a tenth place in last week's elite field.

He has missed the cut on both of his Le Golf National visits but he is a strong approach player who should be suited by this week's assignment.

Detry can make his presence felt

Belgium's Thomas Detry looks like he is also worth supporting on the outright market at 20/1.

He has been progressing steadily on the PGA Tour this year and it will be interesting to see how high he stands among regular DP World Tour company.

Detry will feel he has a point to prove after finishing 33rd at Wentworth when he faded after a strong start and posted a disappointing closing 75 and he could do that at a course where he was 16th in 2018 and eighth in 2019.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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