Before leaving to play on the PGA Tour and compete in the USPGA, his first major tournament, the Racingman won the Linxea Open FFGolf which took place this week on the Albatross with the best young French amateurs.
Double winner on the European Tour in Dubai (in December) then in Qatar (in March), Antoine Rozner (28) is having an extraordinary season. Invited to the MatchPlay World Championship, the Frenchman took the opportunity to beat (2up) the phenomenon Bryson DeChambeau in the first round. A new coup that allowed him to be noticed by Americans, him the former student of the University of Missouri, in Kansas City.
Now 70eWorld ranking player Antoine Rozner will play his first major tournament at the next USPGA (May 20-23 in Kiawah Island, South Carolina). Better still, he received two invitations from the PGA tour, of which he is not a member, to line up first with the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 13-16 in McKinney, Texas) and then the Memorial tournament (from June 3-6 in Dublin, Ohio). A month of madness that he has chosen to prepare for the National Golf this week, by being the headliner of the Linxea Open FFGolf, among young pros and amateurs, girls and boys.
Applied, the youngest of the Rozner brothers added a new victory to his record, after three laps (71-69-71) played on a course (par 72) fantastically prepared – the French Open should have been there. take place this week if it had not been canceled by the European Tour – and under totally different conditions (rain on Thursday, full sun on Friday, strong wind on Saturday). “A hell of a test,” he summed up before flying off this Sunday to Dallas and Texas.
THE FIGARO GOLF. – Why was it important for you to participate in the Linxoa Open this week, on the Albatros du Golf National course in the company of amateur players?
Antoine ROZNER. – Simply because the Albatross is one of the best courses in France and in Europe. During those three days, it was a hell of a test. There is no better preparation for me than to play here this week, on this course, in such conditions. It is very important for me and it is important to me to play well, to hit good shots. I know these are golf shots that we must also play on the circuit. It’s a very good scenario.
You have played in the midst of amateurs who will certainly be some of the best French of tomorrow, do you feel a responsibility towards them?
No, not more than that, because they are very well supervised and know exactly what to do. I have no advice for them. They are already mature enough, I think, for their ages. I think they are all doing a good job. The federation is also doing a good job and I have nothing to add to it.
“It is not because I am going to the United States that I am going to upset my whole game. For me, the objective is really to be part of the continuity.”
Do you find any similarities with you today at their age or have times already changed the profiles a lot?
I played the first two rounds with Tom Vaillant (member of the French amateur team preparing for the 2022 world championship at the Golf National, editor’s note). He’s a very nice boy so we had two really good eighteen holes together. It was nice. I think he’s a boy with a future. He comes from different sports, much like me who had also played a lot of different sports when I was younger before golf. I find it good. He has good potential.
Why is it important to mix amateurs, girls and boys, with professionals?
It is simply a form of professional support for everyone. There is no reason that this Open is just for men and not for women. It is a great recognition for all French golf in general, whether professional or amateur. I think this is a very good initiative.
Since your success in Qatar then the WGC-MatchPlay and your victory over Bryson DeChambeau, you have returned to France and have played this week among amateurs at the Golf National. Are we to understand that you have come down from your little cloud?
Yes, yes… Afterwards, I still hope to stay on it as long as possible, on this little cloud! I think I’m going to have an exceptional month in the United States there. So I try to prepare as best as possible, and whatever happens, it will be a great experience for me. Here, I am working as best I can and then we will see what will happen.
Have you identified the key success factors of this month which is presented in the United States?
For the coming month? No, no… I think we’ll just have to play golf well! (laughs)
What does this mean for you today?
It means I have to stay focused and focused on my game. No mistakes. I have to know how to stay focused on my routines, on what I can control, on all my strengths. Here. That said, it is a process on which I am constantly working. It is an ongoing requirement and something that I work on year round, week in and week out. It is therefore more a continuity than an immediate objective. It is not because I am going to the United States that I am going to turn my whole game upside down. For me, the objective is really to be part of the continuity.
Do you know the courses you will be playing in the United States: at the TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney (Texas), the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island (South Carolina), and the one at Muirfield Village Golf Club (Ohio)?
No, I never played any of these courses when I was in college in the USA. I saw some footage of Kiawah Island, but nothing more. I’ll find out all about it on site. I look forward.
In recent weeks, how do you perceive the gaze of others on you? Have they changed?
Yes, completely. I can see that when I go to La Boulie, it’s a bit crazy with the kids! However, it is not easy to manage, but yes, of course, my victory in Qatar and then the MatchPlay World Championship changed things. It made a lot of talk, all of that, that’s for sure, but hey, here it is …
How do you deal with it?
This is not obvious. You should know that I cannot say “yes” to everything or to everyone. I don’t want to say “no” to everything either. So it’s a happy medium to be found and I think that for the moment, it’s fine. I handle it pretty well, but I have to be careful not to leave too many feathers there, either. And then I also want to save some time for myself …
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