FIFG 500
An ultra busy weekend with multiple challenges and missions. On Friday with an important AFFG 150 for the club ranking and for me a semi-final of the Coupe de France against the Alsatian Lionel Spenle, a serious opponent. On Saturday Sunday a FIFG 500 and an AFFG 400 as well as the Coupe de France Club against Reims Champagne Crew Footgolf on Saturday over 36 holes (18 individually and 18 doubles) Friday morning On a very humid Saint Donat golf course we started at hole 1 with the 4 participants of the two semi-finals. The tension and the stakes were palpable at the start of the game. It was blow for blow I opened the score from the first hole I conceded the equalizer directly at hole 2 and it was a mano a mano until hole 7 where he returned an eagle from 40 meters to equalize at 3 everywhere. But a drive to hole 8 in the water will allow me to pass in front 4-3 and he will never recover because I will unwind until I win with the score of 12-3. I also finished 2nd in this stage, my 10th podium in 18 stages and brought in important points for the club championship. The essential was acquired with a qualification for the final against Camel Meriem who easily disposed of Simon Rigaud who missed his match and lacked success (9-4) Relive this qualification entirely with many incredible putts here thanks to Samy
A dream poster between the 1st and second in the current championship and also in 2021 with a victory each in this competition. The final will take place in Antalya on December 2.
Saturday morning
Start of the French Cup individually for me against Yohan Gout. We had to manage this match and also return a good card for the FIFG 500 and to score points for the club.
The match starts solidly at hole 2 with an impeccable Yohan not commenting on any errors and clinging to the score. I open the score at hole 6 and it equalizes directly at hole 7 because of a double bogey on this famous trap hole.
we will remain tied until hole 11 where he will land a sublime complicated birdie from quite a distance which will make him pass in front.
Sir hole 12 I realize a perfect drive which offers me an easy birdie when Yohan will have to ensure his par. He enters the put in an unclear position.
Impressive regularity I feel that it will be complicated because it has all the ingredients of the player on fire who will return everything.
And my premonition is confirmed with an incredibly easy eagle on hole 13, a fairly long par 5.
Result of the races 1-3 in his favor with 6 holes remaining to be played.
Attacking hole 14 I knew that by negotiating that one I could reduce the score and that's what happened with a par for me and a bogey for him so 2-3.
At hole 15, a long par 4, I wanted to drive the point home and I stuck a birdie that I made easy and Yohan had to enter it at 8 meters with a line that was not obvious, which he realized, incredible, he did not break.
Hole 16 dangerous also we both bogey and he had the putt to win the point but the quality around the hole made us both miss it.
Hole 17 nothing to report and we attack the 18 knowing that there are only two holes left to play and that I am led by 1 shot.
Hole 18 the drive was slightly more serene for right-handers so Yohan falls easily into the bowl when I get stuck at the top so about twenty meters lost.
I catch up on the second but the 3rd is dangerous and I get the perfect shot with a ball hit with an outside kick which puts me 3 meters from the hole the difference was made and I take the point. 3-3
We ended up with hole 1, I offered myself an easy birdie which could have fallen into an eagle.
And Yohan was short and he had to return an almost impossible putt at about fifteen meters with a mound in play. He returned it to snatch an incredible draw from him. Cheer
We were leading 4-3 after the individual match-play and therefore 5-3 with the bonus point (cumulative points earned)
You have the opportunity to re-watch this amazing match here
Saturday afternoon
For this AFFG 300 as a team as important for the club ranking as for the Coupe de France, you had to be on top. Because the first 10 teams would play 2 holes the next day to confirm the ranking.
Associated with Romain Battigelli we faced Christophe Delissus and Aurelien Clouet a pair of experience. We started slowly being led from the first hole and for most of the match but we didn't give up until we won the last holes and took a two-stroke lead at the end of the day. There will remain two holes to play on Sunday morning for lighting reasons.
We still finish with a score of -7 which places us second team with potential big points for the club.
Relive this match here
Sunday morning
The situation of the match against Reims was very complex with a score of 7-7 and the advantage of one point in goal average for Reims so it was absolutely necessary to win a hole on the two on Sunday.
4 doubles and two holes or 8 potential points and unfortunately we did not manage to win a single one in the face of small errors, a lack of success and also Rémois coming out of magic shots
You can relive that sad moment here
So we lost with the score of 7-7 because of such a sad Goal Average point. Congratulations to the Rémois players who fought with their weapons and showed that they were a real united club.
An example of the lack of success in video:
All the players were killed, me first because it was really important to me.
But we had 18 holes to play in the process in order to take vital points for the title of champion of France Club that we never won.
So my speech was to explain to the players that the cup was over and that it was necessary to mourn the shortest in history in order to bounce back directly.
Beginning of the final round on this FIFG 500 and I started badly on the first hole but I managed to save the par and then I chained the pars without advancing too much when the Irishman James Barry threaded the birdies like pearls .
A player I've never met on the course and really solid left foot right foot with power at ease in the approaches and very strong in the putt.
I found myself 4 shots behind him (-11,-7) and I managed to pick up the points little by little until I came back tied for first place at hole 14 thanks to my par.
Because Camel MERIEM (triple bogey) Michael Carozzi (double bogey) Borja Calvo (bogey) and James Barry (Bogey) lost feathers on this hinge hole.
It was the turning point because at hole 15 I was the only one to birdie and James even conceded a bogey so I found myself two points ahead.
I assure on hole 16 with a par. I arrive at 17 so two holes remaining to play with two strokes in advance.
So it was necessary to ensure on this hole 17 with the possibility of returning a birdie and I will even allow myself the luxury of going to return an exceptional eagle which will be remembered because it offers 4 strokes in advance.
I was able to ensure a par on the last hole in order to win this FIFG 500 the second of the season with the victory in Sweden and the 3rd with Portugal in 2021
Second live of the last 18 holes here
At the same time, I assure the 3rd title of CHAMPION OF FRANCE an incredible performance because it is the longest and hardest championship in the world given the level and the quantity of good players so it can only be a huge pride !
Because winning a stage in France is something complicated because there are always players on fire I won 5 stages this season the highest total in 2022 and I achieved 11 podiums in 19 stages, an impressive guarantee of regularity.
I even won the French Open for the second time in a row, which no one has ever done since I'm the only one to have won it twice.
I also equalize Antonio Balestra who was the only player to hold 3 French championship titles (2017,2019,2020) with my 3 coronations (2018-2021-2022) so we have won the last 6 titles between us.
Thank you all for following this adventure throughout the season and thank you to the partners all its trophies are for them too.