Maxence Giboudot started his 2026 Hotel Planner Tour season with a performance that set the tone for the following months.

A strong T-3 at the SDC Open in South Africa, finishing just two shots behind the winner, was not only a brilliant performance but continued his form of the previous two seasons. Still just 22, Max went one better in May at the Danish Golf Challenge, losing in a playoff to a Tapio Pulkkanen eagle on the first extra hole. Those results and other strong performances are why Max is currently sixth on the Hotel Planner Tour Road to Mallorca rankings.

This week, back on home turf in France for the Blot Play9 event in Pléneuf, Max is hoping to go one better and claim his maiden Hotel Planner Tour victory. He reflected, “I have done some really good things since the beginning of the year, and I still feel like I have so much more to do to earn promotion this year. We’re nearly halfway through the season so there is plenty more to do. I’m so close, yet every tournament is so tight, but I know it will come, and I’m almost happy that it hasn’t happened too early as I still have the hunger and want to win each week, so I’m not worried about that too much yet.” We’re equally confident that if Max stays on this current trajectory, a win, promotion to the DP World Tour and plenty more besides will happen soon on Max’s journey.

At time of writing, Max is well-placed at -3 after two rounds in Pleneuf. Bonne chance, Max, de la part de toute l'équipe d'Abbotswood.

Update: Sunday 28th June, Pleneuf.

No doubt impressed by our impeccable French good luck message, Max shot 63-71 over the weekend to finish T-4, a result that moves him up to third in the Road to Mallorca rankings. The Max momentum continues this week in France at Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge, 02-05 July.