General / Editor / 27 June 2007 / Leave a Comment

Defending champion John Bickerton is targeting a return to form at this week's French Open after a poor start to the season.

The 37-year-old won last year's event in Paris, claiming a dramatic one-shot victory over Padraig Harrington to pick up the winner's cheque of more than €660,000.

Bickerton, who has won two European Tour events during his career, has endured a desperate season to date and is currently 112th in the Order of Merit, with just one top 20 finish this year.

The Worcestershire-born ace told the European Tour website: "I hope that going back there triggers something for me because it would certainly be nice to find the stroke that I had last year on the greens and the confidence that comes from it.

"But at the end of the day golf is a fickle game - we all have our ups and downs - and you have to just get on with it."

"What I do know is that it is a course that definitely requires finding the fairway from the tee. It is also one of those courses where you have to be patient.

Bickerton is not fancied to feature in the business end of the tournament and trades at massive odds to win the event, while Australian Richard Green remains the favourite at 18.

Englishman Lee Westwood and Danish star Anders Hansen are on offer at 20, while Welshman Bradley Dredge can be backed at 21.

Bickerton will play alongside France's Jean Van De Velde and Colin Montgomerie in the opening three ball and in the "1st Round 3 Balls" market, Monty is the early favourite at 2.26.