My travel day to Metz started at 5.30 am and after a 4 hour car ride, 2 hour ferry ride and another 4 hour car ride we arrived in Metz, my car ride was also in a smart car may I add!!!!!

I love Metz as a place and I always seem to have good results so I was hoping to continue that run.

The golf course this year was a much tougher test with higher rough and tightened fairways although if playing well it's a golf course that always offers plenty of chances, the weather also added to the higher scores over the first few days with wind and rain.

The first 36 holes for me were by far the worst I have played for a number of years and i stood on my 36 hole knowing a par would see me play the weekend, Its a tough driving hole and having hit it in every direction on the previous 35 holes I didn't stand on that tee full of confidence, I hit a great tee shot but still ended up having to hole a 8ft par putt to see me make the cut. I took alot of confidence from both the drive and putt and took that with me to the weekend.

The weekend for me was completely different and just shows how things can turn around in such a short space of time, I set a few goals for myself over the weekend and really just concentrated on nothing more than my target, seems very simple but it helped take away unwanted feelings about other things that seem to get into your head!!!!

I shot 69 in the 3rd round which saw me move up to a tie for 25th place and then finished the tournament with my best round of the year so far a 6 under 65 and a 13th place finish. I really scrambled well over the first two days and then played some good golf the last two days and had my best putting week of the year too.

A week back home and then back to France again to Poitiers, a golf course I know very well and will also look forward to catching up with some good friends too.

Sam