Open de France joins Rolex Series as eighth event

PARIS ( Reuters) - China's HNA Group has agreed a five-year deal to become title sponsor of the Open de France, which will also join the new Rolex Series with a prize fund of $7 million, the European Tour said on Monday.

HNA's backing marks the first time a China-based organisation has sponsored a European Tour event outside the country.

The tournament at Le Golf National outside Paris celebrated its 100th edition last year and will host the Ryder Cup next year.

The Rolex Series will now have eight tournaments with the addition of the June 29-July 2 Open de France, which will be the second event on the schedule after the BMW PGA at Wentworth at the end of May.

The series continues with the Irish Open and Scottish Open before the Italian Open in Rome in October.

It ends in November with the Turkish Airlines Open, the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London; Editing by Ken Ferris)