15th May 2022
England saved the best till last at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche. A strong final afternoon Singles performance helped them secure a hard earned 13.5-10.5 victory over a competitive French side in their 2022 Men’s International Match.
Whilst France won both Foursomes (with five wins and one half out of eight games) England got the better of the more important Singles sessions and that proved to be the deciding factor in the outcome.
England have now won 31 of the 36 matches played.
The Winning England Team (Photo: England Golf)
Click here to view the full results from the – France v. England International Match
French pair Julien Sale and Oihan Guillamoundeguy were the star performers in the match delivering the two only unbeaten records.
John Gough, Arron Edwards-Hill, Jack Bigham and Sam Bairstow crucially won both of their Singles for the English.
Day 2 Singles
John Gough took control of his match with two birdies on the 5th and 7th holes. Despite a late fightback from Adam Bresnu an eagle on the par 5 17th enabled Gough to secure an agenda setting 2&1 win for the English.
In game 2 Sam Bairstow was at his imperious best against Tom Vaillant. Bairstow’s six birdies in the 15 holes played helped him to a 4&3 victory.
Ben Quinney‘s play in the afternoon lacked the consistency necessary to beat Julien Sale who made few mistakes on his way to a 5&3 win. Sale was unbeaten throughout, enhancing his reputation as one of Europe’s best players in the process.
Jack Bigham, who posted a total of four birdies and played well down the stretch when his opponent was threatening a comeback, secured his second Singles win of the contest with a 2 Hole victory over Tom Gueant.
Arron Edwards-Hill wasn’t at his best but did what was required to beat an out of sorts Nathan Legendre. 1 Down with two holes to play Edwards-Hill finished strongly with a birdie and a par to steal a 1 Hole win.
Zach Chegwidden beat Paul Beauvy by 4&3 stringing together a number of pars which again proved to be a recipe for success around the demanding Red Course with its firm greens.
Oihan Guillamoundeguy, who was unbeaten throughout the match and appears to be a young player worthy of note, again got the better of Jack Brooks in the Singles, this time by 3&2.
With four birdies and just one bogey to his name Joe Harvey played very well in the final game to secure a comfortable 4&3 win against Martin Couvre.
Day 2 PM Singles Results (Graphic: FF Golf)
Day 2 Foursomes
France won the Day 2 Foursomes series by 2.5-1.5 to take a one point lead into the final Singles.
Nathan Lengendre & Tom Gueant beat John Gough & Ben Quinney by 2 Holes in the opening encounter. This was a tight game throughout with no more than one hole separating the teams right up until the 17th. An English three putt bogey on the par 5 17th gave the French pair the lead for the first time which they extended when Gough & Quinney picked up on the last when pushing for a half.
The consistent par machine of Tom Vaillant & Martin Couvre beat Jack Bigham & Sam Bairstow who fell away on the back nine with three bogeys in four holes.
The third match was a rollercoaster affair with the French pair of Julien Sale & Oihan Guillamoundeguy parring just 8 of the 18 holes played to ensure it remained tight throughout. Zach Chegwidden & Arron Edwards-Hill took the lead for the first time on the 17th when the French bogeyed. However, the Essex boys disappointingly handed the advantage straight back with a bogey on the home hole.
The final game was an odd affair. Like yesterday Jack Brooks & Joe Harvey again started badly, albeit this time even worse going 3 Down after three holes. Despite being handed the perfect start Paul Beauvy & Adam Bresnu completely capitulated bogeying (or worse) eight of the next ten holes played to hand an easy win to the English.
Day 2 AM Foursomes Results (Graphic: FF Golf)
ME.
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14th May 2022
Day 1 Singles
England got back on track this afternoon winning the Day 1 Singles series 5-3 and losing just two of the eight matches played.
The final Day 1 score is now 6-6 with all to play for tomorrow.
John Gough took control of his match against Nathan Legendre early on after his opponent started with 5 bogeys over the opening six holes and ran out a fairly comfortable 3&2 winner as neither player hit their peak.
Sam Bairstow won the final hole of his game to secure a valuable 1 Hole victory over Tom Gueant. This was a high quality encounter with plenty of birdies made albeit mistakes by both players down the final two holes made for an out of keeping but exciting finish.
The bonus point for England came from the 2021 Boys’ Amateur champion Jack Bigham. 4 Down with 6 holes to play he fought back, helped by four bogeys from the young Frenchman, to secure another 1 Hole win for the visitors.
Adam Bresnu and Ben Quinney and Tom Vaillant and Zach Chegwidden both halved their games. Bresnu won the 17th to regain parity with Quinney whilst, to the cheers of the watching gallery, Vaillant holed from off the 18th green for a winning birdie to secure his half with Chegwidden.
Arron Edwards-Hill beat Martin Couvra by 2&1 which proved to be useful as the English tail enders following him behind succumbed to their french opponents.
Jack Brooks, who led 2Up after 10 holes, was hit by a barrage of birdies on the back nine by 17 year old Oihan Guillamoundeguy ultimately falling by 2&1.
Julien Sale, France’s highest ranked player, appears to have had the measure of Joe Harvey from the start of their game. 4Up after seven holes he delivered a 4&2 win for the home team despite Harvey finding some form on the back nine.
Day 1 PM Singles Results (Graphic: FF Golf)
Day 1 Foursomes
France lead England 3-1 after the opening Foursomes series at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche.
Nathan Lengendre & Tom Gueant played steady golf before seeing off a late birdie blitz from Jack Bigham & Sam Bairstow in the opening game. A 2&1 win for the home team.
John Gough & Ben Quinney dovetailed well, impressively delivering a birdie-eagle finish, to take care of Paul Beauvy & Adam Bresnu by 3&1. Whilst always competitive the French pair effectively let the game get away from them around the turn with a double bogey followed by two bogeys on holes 9-11.
With two birdies in the opening four holes Tom Vaillant & Martin Couvre quickly went 3Up on Zach Chegwidden & Arron Edwards-Hill. Despite the English pair regaining parity by the 8th hole mistakes on 9 and 10 left them chasing on the back nine. Despite making three birdies in their pursuit the French were resolute and held on for a 1 Hole victory.
Like their compatriots in game 3 Jack Brooks & Joe Harvey initially found themselves behind – 2 Down after 2 Holes, albeit due to two bogeys – before reeling their opponents back in by the 8th hole. Both pairings made three birdies on the back 9 but the English made two bogeys compared with Julien Sale & Oihan Guillamoundeguy‘s one. With the 18th halved in par 4 the French pair could enjoy their lunches with a 1 Hole victory to their names.
Day 1 AM Foursomes Results (Graphic: FF Golf)
ME.
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12th May 2022
England travel to France this weekend for the 36th Men’s International Match between the two countries.
The last match, which was due to take place in May 2020 at Ganton Golf Club, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2022 match is being played at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche which is located 15 miles west of Paris.
The 1st Tees and Clubhouse, Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche
Format
8 man teams from each country will play 4 foursomes and 8 single matches on both Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May.
With a total of 24 points to play for the winning team needs to secure 12.5 points to win the match outright. As England won the 2018 match they will also retain the trophy in the event of a 12-12 tie. Having said that I should point out that there has never been a tie in the history of the contest.
The biennial match is normally played on an alternate home and away basis.
Teams
Here are the two eight man teams with each player’s current Scratch Player World Amateur Ranking and World Amateur Golf Ranking in brackets after their name: –
England
Sam Bairstow (31 / 19)
Jack Bigham (298 / 243 )
Jack Brooks (160 / 466)
Zach Chegwidden (197 / 410)
Arron Edwards-Hill (117 / 290)
John Gough (38 / 50)
Joe Harvey (530 / 672)
Ben Quinney * (397 / 321)
Total SPWAR = 1,768 / Total WAGR = 2,471
* Ben replaced Olly Huggins in the original team selection.
Jack Brooks, Joe Harvey, Zach Chegwidden, Arron Edwards-Hill (back l-r), Sam Bairstow, John Gough, Jack Bigham and Ben Quinney (from l-r) (Photo: England Golf)
France
Paul Beauvy (237 / 794)
Adam Bresnu (250 / 1,230)
Martin Couvra (191 / 447)
Tom Gueant (368 / 247)
Oihan Guillamoundeguy (166 / 480)
Nathan Legrandre (450 / 869)
Julien Sale (55 / 114 )
Tom Vaillant (64 / 187)
Total SPWAR = 1,781 / Total WAGR = 4,368
The French men’s squad have been at a training camp at Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche since Monday so should be well prepared in terms of course knowledge and foursomes pairings.
Nevertheless England will start the match as favourites as is normally the case given past results and their greater strength in depth as a golf nation.
Venue
Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche is an exclusive golf club which sits in rolling countryside in La Tuilerie and enjoys an 18th century manor house for a clubhouse.
Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche
It has two courses, the Red and the Blue or if your prefer ‘le Rouge et le Bleu’, both of which were laid out in the late 1950s by the English architect Fred Hawtree.
This match is being played solely on the Red Course.
A composite par 72 layout, which utilises the 1st hole of the Blue before moving exclusively over to the Red, has often been used for major events. The two nines have also been switched on many occasions so the picturesque downhill par 3 9th hole could be played as an exciting finishing hole.
The Club has hosted the Canada Cup in 1963, the French Open Championship twice and the prestigious Tophée Lancôme for 34 years on the European Tour.
Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche is also co-hosting the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships between 24th August and 3rd September alongside Ryder Cup venue Le Golf National so the week should prove useful to the England players and selectors.
It is these Championships that perhaps explain why England are not hosting this year and have again travelled to France.
Weather Forecast
Near perfect golfing weather is expected in Northern France in the coming days; warm sunshine with light breezes.
Sat 14th May – Sunny / Wind 8 mph E / Temp. Min. 13°C / Max. 25°C.
Sun 15th May – Sunny / Wind 8 mph SE / Temp. Min. 16°C / Max. 30°C.
Further Information
Click here to view the Federation of French Golf’s webpage – France v. England International Match
Match History
This International Match was first played in 1934, originally starting with 6 players per side before moving to 8 in 1949.
It lapsed after the 1962 match at Ganton Golf Club but was resurrected in 1982 at Chantilly with a new format which has been retained to this day.
Frilford Heath Golf Club, hosts of the 1984 match, donated a silver salver which the winning team retains.
England v. France Match Salver (Photo: Alexis Orloff / FFGolf)
To date England have won 30 of the matches with France winning just 5, the last one being in 2010 at Chantilly.
2018 International Match
England beat France 13-7 in the last Men’s International Match played in 2018 at Vidauban Golf Club near St. Tropez.
The 2018 England Team (Photo: Federation of French Golf / @ffgolf)
With heavy rain forecast on Day 2 the decision was taken to cancel the Foursomes series and to concentrate on completing the eight Singles. England’s five shot margin of victory meant that the decision not to play the four morning games didn’t affect the overall match result.
France v. England Day 1 and Day 2 2018 Results (Photo: Federation of French Golf)
Past Results
The overall match record is Played 35, England 30 Wins and France 5 Wins.
Match |
Year |
Venue |
England |
France |
Winner |
36 | 2021 | St-Nom-la-Bretèche | 13.5 | 10.5 | England |
2020 | Cancelled | ||||
35 | 2018 | Vidauban | 13 | 7 | England |
34 | 2016 | Formby | 14 | 10 | England |
33 | 2014 | Fontainebleau | 13 | 11 | England |
32 | 2012 | Roch. & Cobham | 15 | 9 | England |
31 | 2010 | Chantilly | 11 | 13 | France |
30 | 2008 | Frilford Heath | 14 | 10 | England |
29 | 2006 | Golf du Medoc | 16.5 | 7.5 | England |
28 | 2004 | Royal St. George’s | 11.5 | 12.5 | France |
27 | 2002 | Chantilly | 17.5 | 6.5 | England |
26 | 2000 | Chart Hills | 17.5 | 6.5 | England |
25 | 1998 | Les Bordes | 11.5 | 12.5 | France |
24 | 1996 | Sunningdale | 9 | 15 | France |
23 | 1994 | Nimes | 17 | 7 | England |
22 | 1992 | Royal Lytham | 18 | 6 | England |
21 | 1990 | Morfontaine | 16.5 | 7.5 | England |
20 | 1988 | Berkshire | 16 | 8 | England |
19 | 1986 | Hossegor | 14.5 | 9.5 | England |
18 | 1984 | Frilford Heath | 16 | 8 | England |
17 | 1982 | Chantilly | 13 | 11 | England |
1963-1981 No matches were played |
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16 | 1962 | Ganton | 7.5 | 4.5 | England |
15 | 1960 | Chantilly | 7.5 | 4.5 | England |
14 | 1959 | West Hill | 8.5 | 3.5 | England |
13 | 1956 | Chantilly | 10 | 2 | England |
12 | 1954 | Berkshire | 11 | 1 | England |
11 | 1952 | Deal | 8 | 4 | England |
10 | 1950 | Morfontaine | 8.5 | 3.5 | England |
9 | 1949 | Deal | 5 | 4 | England |
8 | 1948 | St. Cloud | 5.5 | 3.5 | England |
7 | 1947 | Wentworth | 8 | 1 | England |
1940-1946 No matches were played |
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6 | 1939 | Morfontaine | 5 | 4 | France |
5 | 1938 | Sunningdale | 8.5 | 0.5 | England |
4 | 1937 | Chantilly | 7 | 0 | England |
3 | 1936 | Deal | 5.5 | 3.5 | England |
2 | 1935 | St. Germain-en-Laye | 5.5 | 3.5 | England |
1 | 1934 | Wentworth | 5.5 | 3.5 | England |
N.B. Matches 1–8 had 6 players and matches 9-35 had 8 players
ME.
Copyright © 2014-2022, Mark Eley. All rights reserved.
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