Justin Thomas makes solid start at Le Golf National

Pieters can build on opening round

Justin Thomas opened up with 70 at Le Golf NationalCredit: Tony Marshall

Round two
Sky Sports Golf, 9.30am Friday

Justin Thomas is on a reconnaissance mission at Le Golf National with September's Ryder Cup in mind and the US star opened up with a solid one-under-par 70 on the opening day of the French Open in Paris.

The world number two, a 12-1 ante-post favourite to win on a rare European Tour start, was three under through 13 holes before a double bogey at the fifth, Thomas's 14th, checked his progress.

Anything under par proved to be a decent score as Le Golf National showed its teeth in the afternoon and Spanish phenom Jon Rahm imitated Thomas as he too reached three under before blotting his copybook with a disastrous double-bogey and a 70.

Graeme McDowell, Andy Sullivan and Thomas Pieters were among the marquee names who head into round two in red numbers in the French capital but defending champion Tommy Fleetwood could only card a three-over-par 74.

Second-round threeball punters are pointed towards Pieters at 15-8 in a 12.20pm match alongside Rafael Cabrera Bello and Thorbjorn Olesen.

Pieters is marginally the outsider of the three in this classy group as the Belgian has struggled for consistency this season. But he was a star at Hazeltine two years ago and will be aiming to force his way into Thomas Bjorn's squad for Paris.

He boasts two consecutive top-20 finishes at Le Golf National and would have contended for the title last year were it not for a closing 74. Keep him on your side.

Recommendation
T Pieters to win threeball
1pt 15-8 Hills

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