McDowell eyes French hat-trick

Paris - Graeme McDowell will return to Le Golf National course in Versailles in July in a bid to become just the second player to win the French Open three times in a row.

The Northern Irishman triumphed in both 2013 and 2014 and he confirmed he would be back again to defend his French crown from July 2-5.

Last year McDowell pounced on a dramatic last round collapse from American Kevin Stadler to clinch a superb win that marked a welcome return to form for the Ryder Cup star.

The only player to date to have achieved a hat-trick of wins at the French Open was Frenchman Marcel Dallemagne from 1936-38.

July will see the 99th running of the tournament, the oldest national Open championship on continental Europe which was first contested in 1906.