01페덱스 오픈 드 프랑스 미리보기: 주요 관전 포인트

유럽 대륙에서 가장 오랜 역사를 자랑하는 골프 대회 중 하나인 '페덱스 오픈 드 프랑스(FedEx Open de France)'가 막을 올린다. 세계 정상급 골퍼들이 모여 우승 트로피를 두고 치열한 경쟁을 펼칠 예정이다.

이번 대회가 치러지는 코스는 정교한 샷 조절과 철저한 전략이 요구되는 난도 높은 무대로 평가받는다. 매년 수많은 드라마와 명장면을 만들어낸 만큼 올해 역시 최고의 기량을 가진 선수들의 맞대결이 기대를 모은다.

특히 레이스 투 두바이(Race to Dubai) 랭킹 상위권 진입을 노리는 선수들에게는 이번 대회가 중요한 전환점이 될 것으로 보인다. 고득점 포인트가 걸려 있어 시즌 막바지 순위 싸움에 큰 변수로 작용할 전망이다.

오랜 전통과 화려한 출전진, 그리고 짜릿한 승부가 기다리고 있는 페덱스 오픈 드 프랑스를 즐기기 위한 핵심 관전 포인트 5가지를 살핀다.

02Original (English) — DP World Tour

The DP World Tour returns to the outskirts of Paris and Le Golf National for Continental Europe's oldest national open - the FedEx Open de France.

Here are your five things to know.

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The FedEx Open de France makes its return to the storied Le Golf National this week after a year absence due to extensive work undertaken to the long‑time DP World Tour venue. The course, which has hosted the championship on 30 occasions – including an unbroken run from 2002 to 2024 – underwent significant changes linked to the expansion of Paris’ Metro Line 18, a major infrastructure project that will eventually place a station just 300 metres from the clubhouse. The redesign focused on holes four, five and six of the Albatros, where architect Russell Talley introduced new movement, elevation and strategic nuance: the fourth now shifts left around a protective mound with a raised green; the fifth becomes a dogleg right to a relocated, elevated green offering wide views; and the sixth features a split fairway, additional bunkering and a narrow, high green. In total, 17 bunkers have been added, while greenkeeping teams also refined greens on holes one, two, nine and 18, reshaped lake edges, and built new tee boxes to ensure the course can seamlessly pivot between hosting elite tournaments and welcoming everyday golfers.

Read more about the changes and what you can expect this week.

Michael Kim returns as defending champion after securing his maiden DP World Tour title with an impressive finish at last year’s FedEx Open de France. Starting one shot off the lead, he quickly gathered momentum with a near‑40‑foot birdie at the second and turned in 33, adding further gains at the seventh, ninth and tenth to stay firmly in contention. After a steady run of pars, he surged late with birdies at 16 and 17 to move ahead, then produced a superb up‑and‑down from a bunker at the last, holing a 16‑foot par putt to win by a single stroke.

A top ten at the DP World Tour India Championship followed, with a further appearance at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. After another season on the PGA Tour, which included the highlight of a 59 in July at the 3M Open, Kim now makes his return to France following a tie for 24th last week at the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville on the PGA Tour.

This year he'll have one additional hurdle to face. He won on his debut in this event last year, but it was at a completely different course.

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Defending champion Kim returns to Le Golf National to play in Europe for the first time since July, joining a field headlined by European Ryder Cup heroes Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland, who all arrive in Paris following the BMW PGA Championship. They are joined by fellow PGA Tour winners Kristoffer Reitan, Ryan Gerard, Cameron Smith and Bud Cauley, and recent DP World Tour winners Scott Jamieson and Eugenio Chacarra.

A strong home contingent adds further depth, with Matthieu Pavon and Adrien Saddier leading a French line‑up that also includes Julien Guerrier, Antoine Rozner, Romain Langasque, Frédéric Lacroix, Victor Perez, Jeong weon Ko and Ugo Coussaud, as well as rising talents Martin Couvra, Oihan Guillamoundeguy and Tom Vaillant.

Dan Bradbury, who won the FedEx Open de France the last time it was staged at Le Golf National, is one of several past champions in the field, also including Kim (2025), Guido Migliozzi (2023), Fleetwood (2017) and Marcel Siem (2012).

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Birdies are always a welcome sight on any golfer’s scorecard, but this week many of those made will contribute towards a community tree-planting programme. The initiative, which continues title partner FedEx’s collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation, will see ten trees planted for every birdie made at the par-three 16th throughout the four tournament rounds. This is in addition to a commitment for 500 trees to be planted this autumn on farmland Noisy-le-Roi, returning to the site of last year’s planting. All additional trees funded through tournament scoring will be allocated to support reforestation initiatives in French regions affected by wildfires. Diving will also take place in the man-made lakes at Le Golf National on Wednesday and Saturday to recover golf balls, which will be resold to help fund golf programmes for women following illness or hospitalisation. FFGreen, specialising in sustainable practices in golf, is the official charity, with funds being raised to support women who are ill in returning to golf. A €10,000 donation is also to be made to wildlife restoration projects. Following a summer of wildfires across parts of France, firefighters have been offered complimentary tickets to attend the tournament.

The road to the 155th Open at St Andrews will begin with the FedEx Open de France at Le Golf National this week, as the R&A confirmed there will be one place awarded to the leading player, not already exempt, who makes the cut, for next year's fourth Major through The Open Qualifying Series.

Each year, international pathways are provided for players to qualify for golf’s original Championship through professional tour events played around the world, and the FedEx Open de France marks the first of 19 events in 15 countries across the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour, KPGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

It will be followed by the Open de España presented by Madrid, the Japan Open Golf Championship and the Link Hong Kong Open in October.

In this week's field, already exempt players include Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland, among several others.  See a full list here.

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