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Justin Thomas gets first look at what is in store for Americans at Ryder Cup

By David Salituro

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Justin Thomas of the USA plays his second shot out the rough on the 14th hole during the first round of the HNA Open de France at Le Golf National on June 28, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 28: Justin Thomas of the USA plays his second shot out the rough on the 14th hole during the first round of the HNA Open de France at Le Golf National on June 28, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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World No. 2 Justin Thomas begins Open de France with a one-under 70 at Le Golf National, where he and his American teammates will play Team Europe at the Ryder Cup in September.

Justin Thomas decided to get an early look at what will face the Americans this fall at the Ryder Cup.

The No. 2 ranked player in the world is in the field this week at the Open de France, played at Le Golf National in Paris. The course will be the host of the Ryder Cup this fall, beginning Sept. 28.

Thomas shot a one-under 70 in his opening round, three shots behind leader Bradley Dredge. It could have been better if not for the course’s notorious thick rough.

On the fifth he hit a four-iron off the tee and narrowly missed the fairway. That is all it takes here, however. Caught up in the fescue, Thomas mishit his next shot into the rough on the other side of the fairway. He ended up with a double bogey on the hole.

Thomas recognizes that missing the fairways here, even by a small amount, can have a big impact. Don’t hit the fairway, and you have to accept your fate.

“I felt I was pretty unlucky there on five. I mean, there was a lot of really, really good lies around where my ball was,” he said after the round. “Obviously it wasn’t a good tee shot, but for all the potential lies that I had around where my ball was mine seemed to sit down pretty heavy. But, you know, that’s going to happen, especially in this fescue. You have to just try to hit the fairways as much as you can.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkff1C7AirR/?hl=en&taken-by=justinthomas34

After getting first-hand experience of the difficulty of Le Golf National, Thomas believes the course requires you be at your best for every shot.

“You can’t take any shots off out here. You really have to stay focused and kind of keep in the zone.”

Potential European Ryder Cup team members such as Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood are also getting a look at the course this week. But Thomas is the only prospective American team member to make the journey across the Atlantic.

As for how it will impact the Ryder Cup, Thomas says the tournament’s match-play format will be a big factor.

“I can’t imagine how it has the potential to play in September,” he said at his press conference Wednesday. “I think all of us will be happy to know that this will be a match-play and not a stroke-play event. You get a cold, rainy, windy day out here and you can post a pretty high number.”

Next: Complete List of U.S. Open Winners

The 25-year-old Thomas has two wins on the PGA Tour this year. There is another advantage in playing this week for last year’s PGA Championship winner. It is a last chance to play in Europe before the Open Championship at Carnoustie in two weeks.

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