Benjamin Hebert is the highest Frenchman in the field for the French Open at Le Paris National this week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BENJAMIN Hebert is currently the top ranked French player on the Race to Dubai, and he is hoping a maiden European Tour win on home soil at this week’s Amundi French Open can help him break into the top 10 – or better.

The 32-year-old has two second place finishes this season, at the Volvo China Open and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

Hebert said: “It’s my best season so far. I have two second places, but I think I could have been a little bit better.

“Still chasing the first win, but I’ll try to improve every part of my game and I think it could be soon.

“I’m in a good position on the Race to Dubai. Like with my game, I will try to improve this placing and maybe get into the top ten or better.

“This is a very important end of the season coming up, and it’s going to be good,” Hebert added.

“It’s always special to play on home soil, with so many home fans watching. It’s always interesting to learn how to manage this different pressure.

“We’re playing on a great golf course and I just try to enjoy it,” added Hebert, who currently sits in 17^th place on the Race to Dubai rankings as the season enters the final stretch.

He is joined at Le Golf National for continental Europe’s oldest national open by a host of his compatriots, including one man who has already tasted victory this season – Alfred Dunhill Links Championship winner Victor Perez.

The European Challenge Tour graduate will be under a different kind of pressure this week after making his debut in the event last season.

But Perez, who currently lives in Dundee where his girlfriend is studying at the Scottish university, is hoping to keep relaxed and treat the week like any other tournament.

Perez said: “Being a Frenchman it’s important to be here and play in front of the home fans. A lot of French players are having a good season and really looking forward to the tournament.

“Winning a couple of weeks ago means there is a little bit of attention on me, so I think it’s important to come out and play in front of home fans and hopefully have a good week.

“You want to try to enjoy it as much as possible. It’s very easy to put extra pressure on yourself to perform.

“But also you can think about it the other way and really enjoy the fact the fans are here to cheer for you,” Perez added.

“Then it’s just about having a blast and free-wheeling it, I think that’s a better attitude than feeling the extra pressure.”

Romain Langasque – the winner of the 2016 Amateur Championship at Carnoustie – is also aiming to cap off a fine season with victory in front of home crowds at the Amundi Open de France, which is often described as an inland links, with its long grasses and tightly mown, narrow fairways.

Langasque has been edging towards his first European Tour win with three top three finishes.

The 2016 Spanish Amateur Champion, who beat Hampshire’s Scott Gregory in the final, is relishing the challenge posed by the famously testing Albatros Course, which hosted Europe’s victory over the United States in the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Langasque said: “It’s always important to play in front of the French crowd.

“I know this course very well and I think it’s one of the best on the European Tour.

“My first time playing my home open was tough, but now I’m better prepared, and I enjoy it so much, sharing these moments with my family and friends.

“With the weather as well this week I think it will be a tough test again. The 18th is a tough tee shot under pressure because of the bank on the right and the water on the left.

“The second shot is quite tough because of the pressure, you see a lot of water,” added Langasque.

“It’s one of the best finishing holes on Tour and I hope to have my chance down there on Sunday.”

Two Frenchmen have claimed the Open de France at the Ryder Cup venue – Thomas Levet in 2011, and Jean-Francois Remesy, who won back-to-back 14 years ago. Both are now playing on the Staysure Seniors Tour.

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Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington has named Sweden’s Robert Karlsson as his first vice-captain for the clash with the USA at Whistling Straits, in 2020. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

EUROPEAN captain Padraig Harrington has named Robert Karlsson as his first vice-captain for the 2020 Ryder Cup against the United States at Whistling Straits, in Wisconsin, next September.

The 50-year-old Swede twice represented Europe in the Ryder Cup – including partnering Harrington twice in foursomes at Valhalla, in 2008 – and he will return to the backroom team in the biennial contest having been one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captains at Le Golf National, in 2018.

Karlsson was also a member of the record-equalling team in 2006 at The K Club, where Europe recorded a nine-point victory, before making his second appearance in 2008, when he faced Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim alongside Harrington in the alternate-shot format.

Karlsson then defeated Justin Leonard 5&3 in the Sunday singles as Europe were defeated at Valhalla.

But he ended that year on a high by winning the Harry Vardon Trophy as the European Tour’s No, 1, becoming the first Swede to achieve that honour.

With 623 European Tour appearances and 11 titles to his name in a career spanning 30 years, Karlsson brings considerable experience to the backroom team for next year’s contest.

Harrington, who made the announcement ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Ryder Cup Europe’s headquarters at the Wentworth Club, said: “Robert was an obvious choice for my first vice-captain having seen his notable contribution to the backroom team last year in Paris – particularly with his attention to detail and his analytical approach.

“I have known Robert for many years and I know he will bring a wealth of experience to the team,” said the Irishman who won three Majors in 2007 and 2008.

“As a former Ryder Cup player and European Tour No. 1, he commands the respect of his peers, and I know I can count on him both in the build-up to Whistling Straits – and during the week itself.”

Karlsson said: “It is an honour to be asked to be a vice-captain by Padraig, someone I have known and respected in the game for many years.

“I’m really looking forward to playing my part for Team Europe once again over the next 12 months.

“To be involved in what transpired at Le Golf National was a dream come true. And I believe the experience and continuity I can bring to the team this time around, can be a big help as we aim to retain the trophy on American soil.”

The qualification campaign for the 2020 Ryder Cup begins this week and will conclude in a year’s time back at Wentworth at the 2020 BMW PGA Championship.

The 2020 Ryder Cup will be played at Whistling Straits Golf Club, in Wisconsin, from September 25-27, 2020.

The Pete and Alice Dye-designed course sits along a two-mile stretch of Lake Michigan. It has been a host venue of three US PGA Championships – most recently in 2015 when Australian Jason Day claimed his first Major.

Europe will travel to Wisconsin as holders of the Ryder Cup following their 17½-10½ victory over the United States at Le Golf National last September. It was Europe’s ninth victory in the last 12 contests.

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