Meet the winners of the 2024 edition
- laurencejob
- Sep 17
- 2 min read
Bertrand Cornut and Nicolas Joakimides
By Didier Picot
Bertrand, Nicolas, tell us about the ARKEA OMNIUM 2024
Bertrand Cornut : The ARKEA OMNIUM 2024 was my first senior professional tournament since I had just turned 50, 3 weeks earlier. It was my second life as a professional golfer that was opening up before me, I was going to meet all the boys I had
battled on the circuits in my younger years. Nicolas and I had planned quite early on to play together, with the conviction that our games would be complementary and competitive on the Arcangues course. What I will remember from this edition is the quality of the welcome and the kindness of everyone, from the Organizing Committee team to that of the Arcangues golf course, towards the players. Despite the somewhat capricious weather, this ARKEA OMNIUM was a real success.
And then winning a pro tournament in the Basque Country, my first senior tournament, was not without emotion for me, a child of Chantaco...! Especially when I saw Jeannot Garaïalde on the 17th green. I remember when he came to see us at the Chantaco driving range and he shouted at us: "So, young people, are we practicing?" It was a very emotional moment to see him there.
My little personal anecdote concerns our opponents in the last round, Lionel Alexandre and Didier Baffico. Before the start, we asked each other when we had last played together: we agreed to say that it was during the French amateur team championships (Coupe Gounouilhou). So it was our first game together as professionals, incredible!
Nicolas Joakimides: The 2024 ARKEA OMNIUM is obviously a great memory. It feels good to be back in competition, fighting for victory on the final holes. I especially remember the last two holes: Bertrand and I saw on the leaderboards that we were in the lead.
We managed to manage it well!
What is your best memory from your professional golf career?
Bertrand : For me, without a doubt, the greatest moment of my career will remain my victory at the 2003 PGA Grand Prix on the grand course of Chantilly. I am very proud of this victory on a long and demanding course. Because of its history, its layout and its beauty, Chantilly will always have a very important place in my heart.
Nicolas : a -10 (62) card in Portugal on the Challenge Tour to win the tournament and also qualify for the European Tour.
What advice would you give to help you play the Arcangues golf course as well as possible?
Bertrand : Arcangues is a hilly and strategic course, so it is essential to be efficient in 3 aspects of the game.
First, you have to hit the ball well, not necessarily far away, but in the right places and with the right trajectory. Then, you have to master the depth of the green attacks because there are plateau greens.
Finally, all these precision shots will have to be made on the many slopes of the Arcangues golf course, it takes preparation!
Nicolas : Before the tournament, work on your sloping shots!
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