Miguel Angel Jimenez, winner of the Open de France:

Last week, I was so impressed by the Solar Impulse that I have not talked about the open de France. So let me catch up on that story.

One week after the BMW tournament in Munich, to the Open de France Alstom took place in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The specificity of this event is that it never happens in the same city twice year after year.

Following a decisive play-off hole No. 18, Miguel Angel Jimenez won the most prestigious tournament EPGA, played on the course of the Golf National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. The Spanish defeated his compatriot Alejandro Canizares, and the Italian Francesco Molinari. Gregory Bourdy ranks 9th, four shots behind the winner. German Kaymer, who won the title last year, has played well the last day but he could not go through.

Two weeks after his great run at the U.S. Open where he finished in 2nd place, Gregory Havret did not shine in his homeland: the 94th Open de France Alstom was over for the leading french player only two days after it started. Another french Grégory, Gregory Bourdy, ended up first in the list of the french players attending this edition 2010.

At 46 years old, Miguel Angel Jimenez breaks a record:never in the history of the open de France have we seen someone that old win the tournament. He posed for the official photo with a big smile and a cigar in his mouth.

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Lucquin performance at BMW International Open

Jean-Francois Lucquin made a good performance of the weekend at BMW International Open. The event was organized by BMW. A “hole in one on 17” and he left Munich at the wheel of a BMW 5 series. The French golf players are on a roll. I mentioned in a previous post the performance of Gregory Havret at Pebble Beach. now let’s see if they maintain that success at the Open de France which takes place from July 1st to 4th in France.

Robertson, BMW Group Board Member for Sales and Marketing, said: “Extraordinary sporting exploits deserve special reward. We’re very pleased that finally another player has succeed in winning this excellent prize, and wish Jean-François Lucquin every enjoyment with the BMW 535i.”
Lucquin celebrated with planting a kiss on the bonnet of his new car. Just one player had ever previously managed a hole-in-one at the Dornröschenloch, Raphael Jacquelin winning a BMW Z8 in recognition of his achievement here in 2001. And now his fellow compatriot Lucquin has followed in his footsteps.

Europeans have dominated the US Open

The U.S. Open at Pebble Beach had a surprise ending. The victory of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the top-ranked golf players, was expected. However this was not the case. In the end, the British player Graemme McDowell won. He recorded 284 hits in total counting after four innings.By winning the U.S. Open, the 30 year-old Brit, became the first European to win the title last 40 years. It is the biggest victory of his career.

"It's wonderful, I cannot believe it” admitted McDowell, receiving the trophy for the winner. “Winning a tournament is always demanding and winning the U.S. Open on a course like Pebble Beach is extraordinarily difficult. "

The Europeans have made a good run in this tournament : The French player -Gregory Havret- reached the second place even though this was his first participation to this competition. The two men succeeded to handle the stress to share a competition with the golf superstar Tiger Woods.

The winners played a good hand because the U. S. Open, one of the most prestigious golf tournaments of the season, is one of four majors.

I like Tiger Woods, he is a great player but it’s refreshing to have unexpected winners. As the saying goes “nothing is impossible”.

My five favourite golf courses in Asia

Let's go on with my personal selection of the best golf courses in the world. 

Here comes a selection of Asian golf courses:

- Mission Hills Phuket (http://www.missionhillsphuket.com/home.htm ): an amazing golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus himself. Exquisite, luxurious and beautiful. Worth seing landscape thanks to the bay of Phuket. Even if the golf course is not very old, it can welcome competitions too.

- Blue Canyon (http://www.bluecanyonclub.com/) : one of the most famous golf courses in the world. Heart-breaking wooded landscapes. Quality of greens without equal. Incredibly beautiful lake !

- Nichigo Resort & Country Club (http://www.nichigoresortcc.com/) : once again, breathtaking landspaces. This golf course is located in the Northern mountains of Thailand just near the Burman frontier. Moreover, this golf represents a good travel idea for people who want to visit Kanchanaburi and its floating market or for those who head to HuaHin.

- Bali Golf (http://www.baligolfandcountryclub.com/) : one of the finest golf courses in Southern Asia. Impressive location, thanks to the presence of the Indian Ocean and of the Gunung Agung vulcano.

- Spring City Golf & Lake Resort (http://www.springcityresort.com/) : located in Kunming (Yunnan), this golf designed by Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Jr. Please Jack, tell us more about this golf course. Proceed : 'We wanted to design a course that complements the area's climate, enabling golfers to enjoy its splendour all year round. Spring City utilises the natural undulations of the terrain, thus maximising the golf strategy with the challenges of side-hill lies and elevated greens and tees. They will also enjoy a course framed by native pines and rock out- croppings highlighted by picturesque views of the mountains and Yang Zong Hai Lake.'

Asia is the perfect continent to play golf, the real place to be, for several reasons. First of all, the climatic conditions are quite good to play comfortably and to take good care of the greens. Unlike the European courses, many Asian golf courses are very close to historical or architectural sites and these geographic situations allow golfers to split their time between practising theire favorite sport and discovering the cultural roots of the country. Moreover, Asian people are fond of golf and many caddies are very wise when it comes to give some advice about the art of golfing.

André Beladina

My five favourite golf courses in France

I would like to write a few posts about one of my hobbies, that is to say golf. Throughout my travels all over the world, I've known many kinds of players and of golf courses. I do believe that golf and aviation are linked, somehow, because the two sports have the pleasure to discover new places and lanscapes in common.

Thanks to my various journeys, I have made a quite personal ranking of my favorite places and golf courses.

Let's begin by my homeland, France.

My five favourite golf courses in France:

- Golf d'Etretat (http://www.golfetretat.com/fr/home.php): playing my favourite sport on these cliffs, made famous by Arsene Lupin, Maupassant, Monet or Corot, is an absolute delight. Not only the golf course is set on an amazing place, just in front of the sea, but the golf course itself is very well designed. The famous N°10 hole is really amazing. It is worth noticing that this golf is often classified among all best French Golfs by "Golf Européen" magazine.

- Golf de la Chouette (http://www.golfdelachouette.com/) : open during the whole year, not far from Paris. A 18-hole course designed in the magnificent Chateau de la Chouette. Nice landscapes with water obstacles and woods. Very technical and strategical course.

- Golf Terre Blanche (http://www.terre-blanche.com/#/Le-Golf) : amazing golf course located on the French Riviera. Lakes, valleys and waterfalls are the main components of this beautiful course ! Good training techniques and quite rookie-friendly. A really well-thought course.

- Golf de Biarritz "Le Phare" (http://www.golfbiarritz.com/ ): one of the oldest golf courses of France. Within one Century, Biarritz has become a golf legend. The Biarritz Golf Club organizes many international competitions. Fast greens, cautious roughs.

- Golf de Sologne (http://www.golfdesologne.fr/): even if nine on eighteen holes are being restored, the golf de Sologne remains one of my favourite courses in France thanks to its huge superficy and to its "rural" landscapes. A real sensation of peace and calm emanates from this very place.

I have not shared my choices with my friend Jack Nicklaus yet but I'm pretty sure that he will agree about at least two or three of these courses.

Andre Beladina