Jordan Spieth reportedly struggled to come to terms at Le Golf National just outside Paris. Getty Images
Jordan Spieth reportedly struggled to come to terms at Le Golf National just outside Paris. Getty Images
Jordan Spieth reportedly struggled to come to terms at Le Golf National just outside Paris. Getty Images
Jordan Spieth reportedly struggled to come to terms at Le Golf National just outside Paris. Getty Images

Ryder Cup: Dustin Johnson and fellow Team USA members to find French course challenging


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Big-hitting American stars may have to adjust their games when they defend the Ryder Cup against Europe in September on a tight, punishing course at Le Golf National just outside Paris.

All 12 Europeans are certain to be familiar with the quirks of the French set-up designed to favour strategic play, while American long hitters such as world No 1 Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and even possibly Tiger Woods will have to put away their drivers on the majority of holes.

The Americans regained the Ryder Cup two years ago at a Hazeltine track with forgiving fairways and slick greens, but will find a totally different proposition awaiting them in France as they look to win the trophy on European soil for the first time in 25 years.

Course director Paul Armitage, watching the Americans at the Albatros course during a Ryder Cup practice session in mid-July, said the Europeans will have a head start at the September 28-30 contest.

"The Europeans know the course better. It's a real advantage," Armitage said.

He said that even three-time major champion Jordan Spieth was finding out the hard way and had hit two iron shots into the water in succession.

"There is only one way to play some holes and if you don't know that, or don't do that, holes like the famous [par-three] 16th will eat you," he added.

US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk brought five US team hopefuls including two-time US Masters winner Watson and Spieth over to France for a weekend ahead of the British Open.

Only two other Americans, Phil Mickelson and world No 3 Justin Thomas, have already played the course this season.

Furyk said they will share their knowledge with other potential team members who cannot make the trip before the Ryder Cup.

The message from Furyk will be to keep the driver in the bag, shoot for accuracy rather than distance, and prepare for a showdown on the greens of the par-71, 7,331-yard championship course.

"It's a placement golf course. They are not going to hit a lot of drivers, they're going to hit a lot of three woods, and lot of irons off the tee. It's a second-shot golf course," Furyk, 48, said.

"You have to be very precise off the tee. Hit the ball accurately, maybe not that far but accurate."

Armitage said if you gamble, you can win but you have to play with "brains rather than brawn".

"Americans love the driver, they love to hit 250-300 metres off the tee. You can't do that here. You can't attack this course. I think what bothers them is that you have to use strategy rather than muscle."

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Bubba Watson agreed that the course was a second-shot layout but insisted that better knowledge will not win the trophy for Europe. Reuters
Bubba Watson agreed that the course was a second-shot layout but insisted that better knowledge will not win the trophy for Europe. Reuters

'Second-shot course'

Watson agreed that the course was a second-shot layout but insisted that better knowledge will not win the trophy for Europe.

"It's not really about knowing the course more, it's about hitting shots," he said. "We are all going to have to make 10-footers, we are all going to have to hit good iron shots, hit good tee shots, fight the nerves off."

Spieth described it as a "pick your shot, pick it apart" course "with a lot of people playing from the same spot".

"So it will be kind of wedges, short iron control, then a putting contest - which will be very exciting."

The last four holes are the toughest with the 16th an exciting par-3 with water down the right-hand side, while the treacherous 18th is surrounded by an amphitheatre that can hold 50,000 spectators.

"There's a lot that can happen on 15, 16, 17, 18," Furyk said.

"It's an amazing amphitheatre. I am trying to grasp how many fans will be wrapped in this one area. It will probably be the biggest stage we have ever had in any golf tournament just in those four holes."

The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged

Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

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Director:Guillermo del Toro

Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Rating: 3/5

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

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Lexus LX700h specs

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PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

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