This article is part of our DraftKings Euro Tour series.
HNA Open de France
Location: Paris, France
Course: Le Golf National
Yardage: 7247
Par: 71
Tournament Preview
The HNA Open de France returns Le Golf National for the 17th consecutive year. The course, which will host the Ryder Cup in a few months, is not relatively long, but it is narrow and punishes inaccuracy off the tee. With birdies hard to come by, bogey avoidance will be essential, as the previous five winners of the event have led the field in that category. Water, which comes into play on 10 of the 18 holes, could certainly play a factor as the week progresses. Thus, while overpowering the course with distance is unlikely to be necessary this week, solid ball-strikers who can avoid big mistakes and grind it out will presumably find their way to the top of the leaderboard.
Key Stats to Winning at Le Golf National
Bogey Avoidance
Greens in Regulation
Driving Accuracy
Past Champions
2017 - Tommy Fleetwood
2016 - Thongchai Jaidee
2015 - Bernd Wiesberger
2014 - Graeme McDowell
2013 - Graeme McDowell
DraftKings Picks (with odds)
Ian Poulter, $9,400 - (19/1)
While there are plenty of attractive options near the top of the list, including defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, we are going to begin our focus in the next tier. Poulter, who could wrap up a Ryder Cup pick with a stellar week, is arriving in excellent form. Since earning a spot in the Masters field a week prior with a win at the Houston Open, he has reeled off six consecutive made cuts, five of which were top-25 finishes, including three in the top 10. Most recently, he followed a T8 at the Italian Open with a T25 at the difficult Shinnecock Hills for the U.S. Open. The veteran ranks 27th on Tour in driving accuracy, 25th in SG: approach, and 12th in SG: putting. He also has consistency on his side with 12 cuts made in 12 attempts at this event.
Sergio Garcia, $9,000 - (20/1)
Garcia was his usual effective self during swing season and the early months of the calendar year before going off the rails recently. After consecutive top-10s in March, he has missed four of six cuts leading up to this event. However, form can come and go in this game, but the Spaniard's lengthy track record of success is enough to keep us hopeful. His price reflects his current form, and the discount can help propel your lineup if you catch him before he pops. Garcia finally showed signs of life last week at the BMW International Open with a T12. He currently sits 17th on Tour in bogey avoidance -- a stat that he finished first in last season -- as well as eighth in SG: off-the-tee.
Aaron Rai, $7,600 - (75/1)
As we begin looking for value and potential pop among the golfers with longer odds, Rai stands out by checking all the key stat boxes. He is 31st on Tour in bogey avoidance, 20th in GIR, and an impressive 7th in driving accuracy. In terms of current form, he is coming off a T5 at the BMW International Open and made six of his last seven cuts while notching four top-20 results. The 23-year-old Brit appears to be trending in the right direction, and could potentially make some noise in his first Open de France.
Ryan Fox, $7,200 - (110/1)
Fox is our final play based mainly on current form and course history. The Kiwi comes in having made five consecutive cuts, which include two top-10s. He finished T41 in his last event at the U.S. Open, which is an accomplishment in itself considering how some of the world's best fared at Shinnecock Hills. In his debut at the Le Golf National in 2017, he finished T6, so he has proven he can handle the course. The 31-year-old also slots in at 28th in GIR and 11th in SG: tee-to-green on Tour.
