Student Series

French love affair for Europe’s top students

The R&A

25 Oct 22

3 mins

It’s hard to visit Paris and not long for a return trip. “One night in Paris is like a year in any other place,” wrote Kevin Godley and Lol Crème for their 1975 10CC hit “Une Nuit A Paris.”

Just one round over the 2018 Ryder Cup Le Golf National is arguably worth 365 rounds around other golf courses for Europe’s best student golfers. The R&A Student Tour Series – France should prepare the 75 lucky competitors in this week’s field for other tough golf courses they’ll play in future. Scotland’s Lorna McClymont and Jesper Littorin of Sweden spoke for one and all when they claimed Le Golf National’s Albatros course has taught them what you have to do to win over a course that has not only staged a Ryder Cup, but 28 French Opens since 1991. Le Golf National’s list of winner features the likes of Alex Noren, Tommy Fleetwood, Bernd Wiesberger, Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen and Sam Torrance, to name just a few DP World Tour stars.

Oui!

Littorin and McClymont added their names to Le Golf National’s cast of champions after taking the respective men’s and women’s Student Tour Series titles. When asked if they would gladly make a return visit, both replied with an affirmative “Oui!” McClymont has two more years at Stirling University and hopes the Series returns to the French capital in 2023. Littorin is in his final year at Halmstad University but dreams of playing the golf course in future French Opens. He has his sights set on the DP World Tour. His Le Golf National experience will play a huge part in trying to fulfil that dream.

The Albatros course at Le Golf National.

Demanding golf course

“It’s a very good golf course, extremely tough, very demanding from tee to green, you really have to hit fairways in order to make birdies,” said Littorin, who returned a closing two-under 70 to finish on three-under 211 to defeat Halmstad teammates William Leu and Hugo Stark by one stroke to win his first Student Tour Series event. “Playing this golf course really lets you know what you need to work on to become better.”

12-shot win

McClymont seconded that notion. She was making her second appearance over the course just 20 miles from the Eiffel Tower. The University of Stirling student finished 28th in this year’s World Amateur Team Championship. As last year’s order of merit winner, and with a victory in the 2022/23 season Series opening Stirling International, the Milngavie Golf Club member was always odds on favourite. She lived up to that billing with a 12-shot win over University of Plymouth student Megan Giles. Sports science student McClymont was the only player in the women’s field to break par over the Albatros course, returning a closing two-under 70 to finish on one-over 216.

Massive mental test

“Playing this golf course is massive for every player’s golf development,” McClymont said. “It just shows how important it is to commit to every shot. You have to commit once you’ve made up your mind what shot you’re going to hit. “The hardest part of playing this golf course is it can get in your head. You have to be mentally as well as physically tough to play it. It’s a massive mental test. It can have you asking serious questions about your own golf. If you can develop an attitude that says you are going to commit to every shot then that’s something you can take to other golf courses going forward. “Le Golf National is a pretty special place. I’d come back here in a heartbeat.” Call it a French love affair for Europe’s top student golfers. View final scores here