Michael Kim Seals Maiden DP World Tour Title at the FedEx Open de France
Michael Kim held his nerve under immense pressure to win the FedEx Open de France, capturing his first career DP World Tour title with a final score of 16-under par. The 32-year-old American edged out Elvis Smylie and France’s own Jeong Weon Ko by a single shot, sealing victory with a clutch par save on the final hole.
Course Layout and Conditions
This year’s championship was staged at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche, a course with a rich history in French golf but far less punishing than the traditional venue, Le Golf National. The rolling fairways of Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche offered strategic challenges, especially with its tree-lined corridors and well-placed bunkers. However, it did not feature the same dramatic closing stretch that Le Golf National is famous for.
At Le Golf National, the 18th hole is regarded as one of the toughest finishing holes on the DP World Tour — a par-4 with water lurking all down the left side. Players must take on a daunting second shot across water to a green tucked even further left, a nerve-shredding finish that has decided many French Opens and even Ryder Cups.
In comparison, Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche closes with a long par-3 over 200 yards, guarded by water on the right. It is a handful of a hole: birdies are rare, but mistakes are costly. Most players erred left during the final round to avoid the water. Michael Kim found the left bunker, Brooks Koepka finished in the left rough, and Jeong Weon Ko bravely held the green. Marcus Armitage, however, came up short right in the rough, then pushed his recovery into the water with the pin tucked on the right. The resulting double bogey was a bitter end to his otherwise strong week — proof that this closing hole may look straightforward on paper, but can still wreck a scorecard in an instant.
The Field Shaped by Ryder Cup Week
One of the storylines of this year’s Open de France was who wasn’t in the field. With the Ryder Cup set to begin just days later, many of the game’s elite skipped Paris to rest and prepare for the pressure cooker of team golf.
That absence opened the door for emerging talents and hungry tour regulars to step into the spotlight. Players like Kim, Smylie, and Ko seized the opportunity, producing a thrilling battle at the top of the leaderboard. While some critics noted the lack of star power, the tournament proved that drama and quality golf can still flourish even without the sport’s biggest names.
Kim’s Brilliant Final Round
Kim produced his best golf of the week in Round 4, signing for a superb 65 (-6). His front nine was a showcase of precision: birdies at the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 9th holes powered him to a 33 outward half.
On the back nine, Kim stayed aggressive. He birdied the 10th, then held steady with a string of pars before crucial birdies at the 16th and 17th put him one shot clear. His bunker save and nerveless 16-foot par putt on 18 sealed the win in style.
It was a clutch finish that capped rounds of 69-68-66-65, showing steady improvement each day.
Jeong Weon Ko: The Local Hero
French fans had their hopes pinned on Jeong Weon Ko, and he nearly delivered. Ko shot a dazzling 65 (-6) in the final round, highlighted by a sparkling 31 on the front nine, including birdies on holes 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8. He kept the pressure on Kim with a steady inward nine, carding another birdie at 15, but his momentum slowed with pars coming home.
Finishing at 15-under, Ko narrowly missed a playoff but left Paris with the crowd firmly behind him. His fearless approach in front of a home gallery has cemented him as one of France’s most exciting young prospects.
Elvis Smylie: So Close to a Breakthrough
Australia’s Elvis Smylie matched the low round of the day with a 65 (-6), showing poise and creativity under pressure. His outward nine of 32 featured birdies at the 2nd, 5th, and a brilliant two at the par-3 7th. On the back nine he kept pace with Kim and Ko, adding birdies at the 14th and the par-5 16th.
That birdie on 16 gave him a late surge, pulling him within touching distance of Kim. But closing pars at 17 and 18 left him one shot shy, tied for second at 15-under. Even so, the performance underlined Smylie’s growing reputation as one of the DP World Tour’s most exciting young players.
Koepka and Armitage Falter Late
Both Brooks Koepka and Marcus Armitage entered the back nine within striking distance, but neither could mount the decisive run required to catch Kim.
Koepka looked threatening early. He played a sharp front nine, carding birdies at the 5th, 7th, and 8th for a 32 outward half, moving within two shots of the lead. But on the inward nine, the momentum stalled. At the par-5 16th, after reaching near the green in two, he failed to get up and down for birdie and had to settle for par. He couldn’t convert from mid-range at 17 or 18 either. His closing 68 (-3) left him at 14-under, solo fourth — a solid showing but not the charge fans anticipated from a major champion.
Armitage also set himself up well with a 32 on the front, helped by birdies at 4, 5, and 7. He was right in the mix turning for home. But the pressure of the closing stretch told. A bogey at the 15th knocked him back, and on the par-5 16th he squandered a golden chance — missing a short-range birdie putt after a fine approach. His hopes ended in disappointment at the 18th, where, after coming up short right off the tee, he found the water with his second shot and limped to a double bogey. His round of 68 (-3) left him at 13-under, tied for fifth — a case of what might have been.
Closing Hole Drama
The final hole at Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche played a starring role in shaping the leaderboard. Kim’s bunker escape and par putt proved decisive, Koepka scrambled from the rough but could not make birdie, and Ko coolly two-putted from the green to keep pressure on. Armitage, however, suffered the harshest fate, with his second shot splashing into the water.
These contrasting finishes highlighted why the 200-yard par-3 deserves its reputation: it may not have the grandeur of Le Golf National’s par-4 closer, but it is more than capable of producing heartbreak and triumph in equal measure.
The Significance of Kim’s Win
For Michael Kim, this was not just another tournament — it was a breakthrough moment. A regular on the PGA Tour for years, Kim had often been viewed as a steady but unspectacular player. His ability to deliver under pressure in Europe now opens doors: a major boost in Race to Dubai points, a leap in world ranking, and a newfound confidence heading into the late season stretch.
The FedEx Open de France continues to be a cornerstone of the DP World Tour calendar. Even away from its iconic home at Le Golf National, it delivered a tense, dramatic finish that showcased both established stars and rising talents.
Final Leaderboard – Top 10
| Pos | Player | Country | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | To Par |
|---|
| 1 | Michael Kim | USA | 69 | 68 | 66 | 65 | 268 | -16 |
| T2 | Elvis Smylie | AUS | 69 | 68 | 67 | 65 | 269 | -15 |
| T2 | Jeong Weon Ko | FRA | 68 | 68 | 68 | 65 | 269 | -15 |
| 4 | Brooks Koepka | USA | 69 | 68 | 65 | 68 | 270 | -14 |
| T5 | Min Woo Lee | AUS | 66 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 271 | -13 |
| T5 | Guido Migliozzi | ITA | 68 | 69 | 66 | 68 | 271 | -13 |
| T5 | Marcus Armitage | ENG | 64 | 68 | 71 | 68 | 271 | -13 |
| T5 | Kristoffer Reitan | NOR | 69 | 70 | 68 | 64 | 271 | -13 |
| 9 | Jayden Schaper | RSA | 70 | 68 | 70 | 65 | 273 | -11 |
| T10 | Darius van Driel | NED | 68 | 70 | 67 | 69 | 274 | -10 |
| T10 | Todd Clements | ENG | 70 | 67 | 69 | 68 | 274 | -10 |
