Break and Next Program

1 Month Break preparing the next 4 Tournaments on the European Tour

DANISH OPEN

CZECH OPEN

ITALIAN OPEN

SWISS OPEN

Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open

Aberdeen, Wednesday 9 July 2014

Vincent: well, yesterday night was Marcel Siem night. A lot of european golf pro's are keen footballers or at least passionnate fans.

Back to golf, this tournament is quite important for all those players who wants to find one of the last three spots available to participate at The Open.

For Nicolas, finding the confidence to score on the greens is a must to grab one of these spots and to perform at the Open also. But the B plan is not the end of the world, there is a lot of golf yet to be played this year. If Nicolas doesn't get in the British, he will enjoy 2 weeks of hollyday and 2 weeks of training before the Danish Open in August! The purpose is to have his A game from tee to green to be able to make his confidence growing in August to insure a strong end of the year! The real new start in Europe will be in August...

ALSTOM Open de France

Golf National, Friday 4 July 2014

Vincent: to all our american friends, happy Independence Day, To Marcel Siem: congrats für die Mannshaft

Nicolas will play this week-end in Paris, it's all about confidence, certainly on the greens since a few weeks... Good training with an inspired Brian on the puting green...

The Golf National is quite demanding but maybe not for Kevin Stadler cruising at -10 and holing tons of putts (he was playing in front of us).

Thanks for all the Belgian visitors! Thanks for Lance Young (Excel) to visit us in Europe...

Pleased to see Julien Brun (Amateur) making the cut... we played together on Tuesday, lovely player, great personality...

Golf National, Tuesday 1 July 2014

Vincent: Nicolas arrived in Paris on Saturday and had a lot of putting since then after the disapointing results at the US open and Germany...

Two good long training days, Nicolas played 9 holes with Thomas Pieters and made a match Belgium France against two young but brillant french players Julien Brun and Leonard Bem. Julien finished quite strong with a birdie on 18 to force a french win!

Rolex Pro-Am this Wednesday afternoon, the course seems perfect with super fast greens and heavy rough...

And on Thursday great threesome with Cicco Molinari (Francesco) and Alvaro Quiros (since Nicolas and Alvaro played together in the European Royal Trophy Team they call themselves "partner")!

Football: AND WHAT ABOUT THAT WIN AGAINST A GREAT US TEAM!!!!!!! Belgians are brave!

BMW International German open Köln

KINGS Of GOLF presented by OPTIMA - Royal Zoute 4-5 October with Jose Maria Olazabal and Sam Torrance

Nicolas: I arrived here in Köln on Monday morning with Jérôme, quite happy to be back on the European Tour and even more happy to announce you that Jose Maria Olazabal will join Sam Torrance and myself for the Kings of Golf, 2^nd edition, in Royal Zoute on the 4 and 5^th October.

It's a real honor and a great pleasure to have "my captain" joining us for the week-end after the Ryder Cup. Txema is a wonderful man and an extraordinary competitor, it will be a great week-end for golf in Belgium and also for the 3 charities we will be playing for.

Thanks again for all the companies supporting that project!

Visit the tournament's site...

US Open - Pinehurst N°2 - North Carolina

Pinehurst, Tuesday June 10 2014

Vincent writing: What a lovely course with beautiful holes but so penalizing on and around the greens. All greens are bowled and very firm! I won't be surprised that 12 greens in regulation is a good average... Nicolas doesn't have the feeling that the final score will be under par... The second shots are long towards tiny landing zone on greens, you need to find the postage stamps to be able to stop the ball without falling off the greens.

It reminds us the spirit of some of the courses around London with a lot of heather zones, maybe Houthalen if you add 20ha and 750 meters length. There is no rough here, only sand and plants, or trees... So, you are on the fairway or on sand and maybe unplayable because of a plant...

Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore redesign the rough to recover the native state of sand areas that were present when Donald Ross designed it! Great respect of the spirit of the game ...

Nicolas played 9 holes this morning at 6.45 from the 10TH and will play 9 others around 2.30 PM. Nicolas tried different clubs around the greens. The grass (the grain) is against you when chipping from below the bowls. 2 iron, 6 iron, 54° wedge, putter, 3 wood are all used... If it's wet in the morning, the putter won't work off the greens...

This course is extra long, they kept only two par 5 and we have par 4's over 480 meters!!! It's a par 70! Even if it's a second shot course because of the greens, the driving will be Nicolas' key this week. With a  confortable driving you'll find fairways and will be closer to the greens than playing defensive to secure fairways.... this is one of the strategic equation to solve here at Pinehurst another will be to choose the right club to chip around the greens!

Nicolas played 9 holes in the afternoon with Justin Rose and Ryan Moore. Great display of shots, Sean Foley, Justin'coach, is a real fan of Nicolas'game...

Preparation Week - US Open

Special training in Gleneagles from Wednesday till Sunday

Next tournaments: US Open - BMW International Germany Open - Alstom Open de France - Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open