By Mathieu Wood
Two months on from hosting the Olympic Games, France is back in the golfing spotlight this week as it plays host to the oldest national open in Continental Europe at Le Golf National.
First held in 1906, the Open de France – which this year has FedEx as its new title partner – has been part of the DP World Tour’s schedule since its inception in 1972.
In the more than 50 years that have since passed, just two French players have won the title - Jean-François Remésy (2004, 2005) and most recently Thomas Levet (2011).
While Levet is the most prolific French golfer in recent memory, with six DP World Tour wins across 560 starts, it is 2014 Ryder Cup player Victor Dubuisson – who retired in December 2023 – that has been the most prominent.
But, ahead of this year’s edition and after a resurgence in French golf over the last 12 months, it would be fair to say there has not been as much cause for belief in the last decade or so that a new homegrown champion will emerge.
Pavon makes mark in America after DP World Tour breakthrough
The spark for the ongoing period of success started with Matthieu Pavon’s maiden DP World Tour title at last year’s acciona Open de España presented by Madrid.
His win in the city of his late grandfather’s birth prompted three top-15 finishes in his subsequent four starts, with a run of four consecutive birdies in the final round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship culminating in him earning dual membership status as one of ten players on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex to earn a PGA TOUR card.
While a consistent performer earlier in the season on the DP World Tour, with four prior top tens, the 2016 European Challenge Tour graduate had transformed his career outlook in the space of a month.
What followed was an exceptional entrance to life on the PGA TOUR.
After finishing tied seventh at the Sony Open in Hawaii, the 31-year-old won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines with a birdie on the 72nd hole in late January.
In doing so, he became the first French-born player to win on the PGA TOUR since Arnaud Massy – a record four-time winner of the Open de France – in 1907.
Confidence was clear to see in Pavon as he came close to backing up his historic triumph with another, finishing third at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a signature event on the PGA TOUR.
From starting the Open de España just inside the top 200 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), he had climbed to 26th. Now at a career-high 20th, Pavon is closing in on overtaking Dubuisson - who peaked at number 15 in 2015 - as the highest-ranked French golfer since the OWGR's inception in 1986.
On his return to the DP World Tour at the Porsche Singapore Classic in March, he finished solo fifth before placing tied 12th on his debut at the Masters Tournament.
Further highlights would come in the form of a top five at the U.S. Open and the honour of representing his country on home soil at the Olympics.
Back-to-back first-time winners after Olympics
While the Olympics may not have panned out as Pavon would have hoped, it is his achievements over the last year that have served as a source of inspiration for his countrymen.
In the two DP World Tour events that followed the Games, first-time winners from France were crowned as David Ravetto and Frederic Lacroix won the D+D REAL Czech Masters and Danish Golf Championship respectively.
A graduate of the Qualifying School last year, Ravetto celebrated his second title of the year after also winning the Dimension Data Pro-Am in South Africa, co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour and Sunshine Tour.
A week later, Ravetto finished fourth in Denmark as compatriot Lacroix – a Challenge Tour graduate – ensured the blue, white and red flag of France was raised proudly.
Having already registered four top tens in his rookie DP World Tour season, including a tied third finish in the Czech Republic, 29-year-old Lacroix claimed the 49th win by a player from France on the DP World Tour.
For both, the victories lifted the pair to career-highs in the world and particularly in the case of Lacroix offered him a distinct possibility of earning a PGA TOUR card like Pavon had done last year.
It was the second time in DP World Tour history that French players have won in consecutive weeks.
Levet and Grégory Bourdy previously achieved this in 2008, winning the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia and Estoril Open de Portugal back-to-back.
While perhaps coincidental, having golf in focus during the Olympics at Le Golf National - home of the French Golf Federation - will have spurred French players.
What better week for a milestone 50th French win on the DP World Tour than its national open.
Who else is impressing?
The depth in French men's golf is looking strong.
Ahead of the 106th edition of the Open de France, there are six players inside the top 50 on the Race to Dubai Rankings and a further four inside the top 115, the provisional cut off for retention of DP World Tour membership via the season-long standings.
Leading the way among those is Romain Langasque, who reached a career-high 79th in the world after finishing tied second in Denmark in August.
That was his fifth top ten of the DP World Tour season, form that means he heads into his national open lying 14th in the Race to Dubai and in possession of a PGA TOUR card.
How he would love to wrap up dual status for next year with a strong finish in his homeland, and perhaps why not with a second DP World Tour victory.
Also worthy of highlighting is Ugo Coussaud, another Challenge Tour graduate like Lacroix, who has already guaranteed he will feature at the DP World Tour Play-offs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
In an impressive rookie season on the DP World Tour, he finished runner-up in Qatar and was tied seventh on his debut at the BMW PGA Championship on the Rolex Series.
Just a bit further down on the rankings is three-time DP World Tour winner Antoine Rozner, who is again enjoying a consistent campaign with four top tens on the Race to Dubai.
Tom Vaillant is another player making an impression in his DP World Tour rookie season, with his tied seventh at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship securing his playing privileges for next year.
With the top ten, the 22-year-old matched his best result of the season and looks set to form part of the plethora of French talent vying for titles worldwide.
Success breeds success as they say.
And who can forget Victor Perez, who prior to Pavon was for long the top-ranked French golfer.
A Rolex Series winner following his triumph in Abu Dhabi at the start of 2023, Perez - like Pavon - is also a dual member and won't be short in supply of support from the home crowds after starring at the Olympics.
In a week that began with the honour of hitting the opening tee shot, the 32-year-old three-time DP World Tour winner went on to finish solo fourth after a captivating 63 in the final round at Le Golf National.
So, after a year in which French golfers have already made a host of memories, the opportunity of vying for victory at a national open is only likely to energise the crop of home hopes further.
