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Just one tournament this week as Europe and America prepare for the Ryder Cup
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Steve Rawlings makes a case for Scottish hopeful as well as big outsiders
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Dave Tindall has a trio of first-round leader bets
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Andy Swales brings course info and form players
Open de France tips and predictions
The Punter's Preview: Tree-lined track specialist chanced at 64/1
Steve Rawlings: "Over the last month the DP World Tour has visited the Belfry for the British Masters, the K Club for the Irish Open, and Wentworth for last week's BMW PGA Championship and all three are tree-lined tracks. Anyone in the line-up that has performed nicely in any of those events has shown an aptitude for the sort of test ahead of them this week and they should enjoy it here...
"The three-time DP World Tour winner, Ewen Ferguson, would have finished closer than tied fifth at Wentworth last week had he not bogeyed the last after a poor drive, and he looks well worth chancing at a venue that should suit him nicely.
"In addition to winning his last two DP World Tour titles at tree-lined tracks, he traded odds-on in Kenya back in 2022, at Muhthaiga Country Club, three weeks before he got off the mark in Qatar. He was matched at just 1.04 back in May to win the Soudal Open in Belgium at another tree-lined track, Rinkven.
"As he showed in Belgium, and again last week, he's capable of producing a strong performance out of the blue but he's also shown on multiple occasions, that when he does find form, he tends to back it up the following week."
Back Ewen Ferguson
Open de France First Round Leader Tips: Dave Tindall's three to back
Dave Tindall: Adrien Saddier is in one of those purple patches that all golfers crave as they wonder why the game can't be this straightforward all the time.
In his last three starts, he's been halfway leader once and 54-hole leader twice.
Although he failed to cash in at the European Masters where he set the pace with a 62, Saddier followed up final-round disappointment there by taking fifth in the Irish Open before losing a play-off to Alex Noren in the BMW PGA Championship.
Now he gets to continue that hot streak on home soil.
Back Adrien Saddier for Open de France first round lead
Long Shots Tips: Back Hidalgo to hit the heights at 149/1
Steve Rawlings: "Angel Hidalgo, who beat Jon Rahm in extra-time to claim his national title at the tree-lined Club de Campo Villa de Madrid this time last year, appears to be finding his form again. He finished only 46th at Wentworth last week but shot 67s in rounds two and four and an up-and-down week wasn't entirely surprising given he'd contended so strongly the week before in Ireland.
"A fortnight after a respectable 13th placed finish in the British Masters at the Belfry, Hidalgo was matched at as low as 2.5 to win the Irish Open, around another tree-lined venue, the K Club, before going on to finish third. He clearly enjoys a tree-lined track so Nom-la-Bretèche may suit his eye nicely and he playing better than his current odds suggest."
Back Angel Hidalgo (2Us)
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.0 and 12 Us @ 2.0
Open de France 2025: Form stats
Current Form Pick: "Harry Hall's stock is rising and no one would begrudge him a second DP World Tour win this week given the ultra consistent form he's shown since the summer. The Englishman has recorded top 30 finishes in his last 13 starts across the PGA and DP World Tours, and he goes into this week's Open De France inside the world's top 50. He needs to stay there if he's to qualify automatically for some big tournaments next season, so he has plenty to play for.
"A tie for 13th at Wentworth last week was another excellent performance, this coming just weeks after finishing T17 in the Tour Championship and sixth in the BMW Championship, both of those events being for the best golfers in the world courtesy of playing on the PGA Tour. He deserves to be favourite this week on current form."
Back Harry Hall