Every tournament needs a Laurent Jouanno.
You know the guy, the one who rises every morning before 6am, opens his beloved Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André club house in the dark before working a 16 hour day and then locking up in the dark.
In between that (horrific) daily alarm call and the well-deserved glass of red wine that he enjoys at the end of the day with his incredibly supportive staff, Laurent is the man behind the scenes who, since the Challenge Tour’s first visit to Pléneuf Val André in 2007, has ensured the tournament runs smoothly.
Not only is Laurent the golf club manager, he is the man who attracts local sponsorship and support, the man who manages the relationship between the French Golf Federation, his employer Blue Green and the Challenge Tour, the man who, if required, will come in early to help his greens staff to ensure the course is in peak condition.
Make no mistake, Laurent is the beating heart of the Open Blue Green Cotes d`Armor Bretagne.
Without his contribution the tournament may still go ahead, but it would do so without the passion and dedication which creates such a special ambiance in this beautiful north-west corner of France, with over 200 volunteers coming together from the club and local community to create the tournament's special ambiance.
As you would expect, the man from Brittany is typically modest of his contribution to the tournament, but as soon as he starts talking about the Open Blue Green Cotes d`Armor Bretagne, the love of his job and his dedication to the cause is there for all to see.
“It is a lot of hard work but it is worth it,” smiles Laurent, who hosted two French national championships and three Alps Tour tournaments between 2002 and 2006, before Open Blue Green Cotes d`Armor Bretagne became a full Challenge Tour event.
“Every year we try to improve all the aspects of the tournament, from making small improvements to the golf course to the prize fund for the players, to the services we provide our sponsors and the public.
“The tournament plays a very important role in the local community, and it is a big factor in the club being able to attract new members and to introduce people of all ages to golf. Every year, around 25% of the spectators who come here are not members of the club or golfers, and many of them take an interest in the game because of the tournament.
“It is a great feeling when you see people taking up the game because of what they see during the week of the event – especially when young people come to club: that is one of the most satisfying elements to all of this.”
With an increase in prize money every year since 2007, a golf course that continues to evolve positively with each Challenge Tour visit and a proud family of local sponsors and supporters, the Open Blue Green Cotes d`Armor Bretagne is a superb model of what can be achieved through dedication, hard work and genuine passion.
No-one deserves more praise for achieving this than Laurent, who, as soon as the trophy presentation to the champion of the Open Blue Green Cotes d`Armor Bretagne is over, will be looking towards how to make his tournament even better for next year.
Let’s hope he finds the time to enjoy (at least) one glass of red wine before he continues his incredible journey.
