THOMAS GEARED UP FOR

JUSTIN THOMAS has claimed Le Golf National course will take the driver out of the hands of his fellow American big-hitters — and give the Europeans a huge home advantage.

In 2016, Europe star Thomas Pieters slammed the Hazeltine layout for the Usa-hosted Ryder Cup as “ridiculous” because it allowed the likes of wayward Phil Mickelson to carve his ball “six fairways left or right” and compete. That’s a world away from the test awaiting the USA at the “strategic” Parisian course this time.

However, former world No.1 Thomas, 25, is still a big fan of Le Golf National, after finishing tied eighth there at the French Open in July.

The 2017 US PGA champion said he only used his driver seven times in four rounds on a layout which punishes any failure to find the fairway. The world No.4 said: “I loved playing there. It is in a great spot, it’s a great course with a great vibe there.

“It’s a very strategic course – you have to play for position. I hit seven drivers in four days in the French Open.

“The fairways were extremely narrow, and the rough very long.

“So it was all about getting the ball in the fairway and from there you could