World Number Two Justin Thomas is looking forward to testing himself against a high-quality field at a "tremendous" golf course when he makes his HNA Open de France debut.
A world-class field has gathered at Le Golf National - the host venue for this year's Ryder Cup - for the 102nd edition of this event, with seven Major Champions teeing it up this week.
Last year's US PGA Championship winner Thomas hopes to learn as much as he can about the course ahead of a potential debut in the biennial contest in September but he also has other aims.
He said: "It's a great golf course. I'd heard some things from guys in the past who have played it. It's lived up to the hype that everybody said.
"It's a tremendous golf course, it's a great test of golf. It's all right in front of you. It's not like there's any hidden tricks or anything like that.
"It's just a difficult golf course that you just really have to plot your way around and execute the golf shots.
"It's different but it's a great experience for me. The trip obviously has some additional intentions to it, with the Ryder Cup, but it just worked out in the schedule. I really wanted to come here and it worked out well to do so.
"I wanted to play against a great field - and it's a tremendous field this week - and play in one of the Rolex Series events.
"It should be a fun week."
Thomas admitted victory in Paris would give him a good feeling ahead of the Ryder Cup but he expects everything to feel different when Jim Furyk brings his American team to Europe.
The 25 year old was more interested in the prospect of securing his first European Tour title in Europe.
He added: "Coming over to Europe and winning a European Tour event would mean more to me, just because the course, weather and everything is going to be so different (in September).
"And it's stroke play versus match play, so the dynamic is just totally different.
"It would help probably deep inside of me, but again, it's so far away and going to be so different.
"It would be a tremendous honour just to win the tournament alone."
Another player making his HNA Open de France bow this week is 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia.
The Spaniard, who has eight Ryder Cup appearances to his name, is excited by the challenge that lies ahead.
He said: "I'm excited to play here, excited to play on a really strong, tough golf course, obviously with what's coming later in the year, too.
"So it's an exciting week.
"The golf course is in really good shape. The greens are a little bit soft at the moment - they weren't too fast yesterday.
"But yeah, the course looks great. It's a little bit kind of intimidating look wise from the tee with all that fescue, high grass and stuff but everybody's got to hit it and hopefully as straight as possible.
"It should be a good challenge."
