New dates for French Open

2008-06-18 14:48

Paris - The European PGA Tour has announced new calendar dates for the French Open starting from next year.

Held for the last few years in late June over Le Golf National near Versailles, the tournament will be moved a week back into early July. The dates for next year will be July 2-5 and for 2010, July 1-4.

French Open organisers said that the date change was to draw it closer to the British Open, the third major tournament of the year, which is held in the third week of July.

Prize money will also be raised from four million euros to 4.5 million euros, making it the richest tournament in Europe apart from the British Open.

This year's tournament will take place from June 26-29 featuring three players who were in contention for the US Open crown in California last week.

European team

England's Lee Westwood, who finished third at Torrey Pines one stroke behind winner Tiger Woods, Sweden's Robert Karlsson, who was fourth and Miguel-Angel Jimenez of Spain, who was sixth, are all in the field seeking vital points to qualify for the European team to defend the Ryder Cup in Kentucky in September.

Four other members of the European team that defended the cup in Ireland in 2006 will take part including Englishman Luke Donald, currently ranked 18th in the world.

Also in the field will be struggling Scot Colin Montgomerie, a Ryder Cup hero, but who is in bad need of points to automatically qualify him for Nick Faldo's team.

Last year's US Open winner Angel Cabrera is down to play as are three of the most promising youngsters on the European PGA Tour circuit - Martin Kaymer of Germany, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Oliver Fisher of England.

Last year's tournament was won by England's Graeme Storm who won by one stroke from Soren Hansen of Denmark.

- AFP