By Marie-Madeleine Remoleur
Published in
“We will be able to open a new chapter of the Lacoste Ladies Open in this incredible destination”, smiles Jean-Baptiste Durier, director of the event. From 2022, the Women’s French Open Lacoste organized by Amaury Sports Organization will be installed in the course of Diane Barrière in Deauville Golf Barrier (Calvados) for its next three editions. A new appointment in the calendar of major sporting events in Deauville, which is already well stocked. “Golf is one of the sports of reference in our territory, insists Philip Augier, mayor of Deauville, listing the five or six golf courses present within a radius of 15 km. We had been saying for years that we didn’t have a major event that could embody this presence. With this new Deauville event, it’s done.
108 international golfers
Created by the French Golf Federation in 1987, the Open de France Dames took place in its first edition in the Paris region at the Fourqueux golf course. In 2011, Lacoste decided to strengthen its ties with the French Open by associating its name with a sporting event. After taking on the Golf de Chantaco in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and then the Golf du Médoc at the gates of Bordeaux, the event will take place for the first time in Deauville. 108 international golfers Some fifty nationalities will be present. “The professional tournament lasts three days, from Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 September 2022, and it is played from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon in three rounds”. The director of the event details: “Thursday and Friday are eliminatory and on Friday night we will retain the best 60 of the 108 players who will play the final round on Saturday.”
At the venue, the public will be able to discover “the cream of the crop” of international professional players, with some of the French stars. “Women’s sport is on the rise and women’s golf is not far behind because we have French women who shine all the time”, smiles Jean-Baptiste Durier who is looking forward in particular to the arrival of Celine Boutierthe French number 1 who won the previous edition and “who is having an extraordinary season in the United States”.
an accessible event
In France, it is not a secret, a certain label is attached to golf Basques. “It is a wonderful sport that can sometimes, mistakenly, suffer from a kind of cliché that it is a sport for the rich. It’s very French: in England or the United States, it’s a very popular sport. So we want to inspire people to find out. »
With the Women’s French Open Lacoste, its organizers tend to make it an event accessible to as many people as possible. “It is an event that is free for the general public, insists the director of the event. In previous editions, in addition, we had many people. Whether people like golf or not, it is an opportunity to come and discover a new sport, walk with the family in an exceptional setting and attend a great show”. A moment for the general public that will also include the reception of schoolchildren and children from outdoor centers invited to the tournament to discover this sport.
Exhibited works of art
To attract a new public that does not necessarily know golf well, the organizers are distributing brochures where we find on the back “many elements of explanation to follow correctly, even when you do not know golf”. To attract neophytes, they also aim to “connect cultures”. Thus, an exhibition of works of art of very large format, related to the world of golf, will be screened at the venue.
The goal is to introduce this contemporary art to people who would naturally come to golf, and also to have an element of attraction to attract an audience that is not necessarily a grassroots golfer, who might come more to discover these works, but who at the same time They will enjoy the sporting spectacle.
And to bring people to the top, on the Golf Barrière site, the organizers had the idea of having a presence in the city center by probably installing in front of the Bar du Soleil, on the boards, “a work of art to make people want to come.” In addition, an exhibition of photographs. “The Golf Queens” It should be installed in the board cabins at this time, for several weeks. “These are black and white photos of great actresses in action. Since the tournament starts the day after the American film festival ends, it will help create a link between the two events.” and so attract Lacoste Ladies Openan audience as varied as possible, “to go beyond the frontiers of golf”.
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