Mike Lorenzo-Vera Slams Golf In France Ahead Of Ryder Cup

The Frenchman told the New York Times that nobody in France even knows the Ryder Cup is taking place there

Mike Lorenzo-Vera Slams Golf In France Ahead Of Ryder Cup

Golf's biggest event takes place in France soon with the Ryder Cup coming to Le Golf National near Paris in September.

Related: Open de France leaderboard

In what will be the biggest week in the history of French golf, it seems that the state of the game in the country isn't at a great level despite the Ryder Cup's presence.

In an interview with the New York Times, Lorenzo-Vera, who told them he is on the "shortlist" for the team, had some honest words on golf in France.

"If you say to people in France that you play golf, they will say: “No, but really. What’s your real job?” Golf is not a good thing here," he told the paper.

The world number 108 told the New York Times that people in France don't even care about the Ryder Cup and that more English fans will be there than French.

"People don’t care about the Ryder Cup," he said.

"Honestly, nobody knows there’s going to be a Ryder Cup in France. Only the golfers know. That’s it.

"There won’t be many French there. There will be so many more from England or Spain.

And on why the French fans won't be there in mass? Because the game in France is only for rich people, according to Lorenzo-Vera.

"Golf is a very private thing for people in France. Private courses for only rich families or rich people — that’s it.

"It’s for rich people and spoiled kids. That’s the image we have."

"We really need a golf infrastructure first. We have only one competitive golf course in France, which is not enough."

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As well as saying that he is on the "shortlist" for the team, Lorenzo-Vera, who won on the Challenge Tour in 2007, sounds optimistic that a good week at the Open de France could really boost his chances.

"But first of all I have to play the [French] Open well and show that I am able to play on that course," he said,

"The good thing for me is that my swing is from left to right and on this course that’s very important. So, I have a potential benefit in my game with my fade."

It looks highly unlikely that he will be on that side, with the only real French hope being five-time European Tour winner Alexander Levy.

Lorenzo-Vera was widely praised for the emotion shown in his post-round interview after losing in a playoff at the Sicilian Open:

The Ryder Cup takes place from 28-30th September, with Europe looking to regain the Ryder Cup trophy they lost 17-11 at Hazeltine two years ago.