Michael Kim clinched his first DP World Tour victory with a masterful bunker save on the final hole, winning the FedEx Open de France at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Breteche in Paris. This triumph on the DP World Tour was made possible by his ranking in the 2025 FedEx Cup, part of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour alliance.
On the last day, Kim delivered a stellar performance, hitting birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to take the lead before an extraordinary sand save on the 18th secured a 16-under par total, narrowly defeating Elvis Smylie and Jeong Weon Ko by one stroke.
The dramatic finish dashed hopes of a playoff involving local favorite Ko, who had set a 15-under target. Kim’s flawless 65 in the final round was enough for his first global win in over seven years, since the 2018 John Deere Classic.
Kim, starting the day one shot behind, quickly joined the leaders with a long birdie putt on the second hole. He turned in a 33 after gaining more ground on the seventh and ninth holes. A birdie on the tenth brought him within one stroke of the lead.
He maintained his pace with five consecutive pars, sharing the lead at 15-under with a birdie on the 16th. Victory seemed assured when he overtook clubhouse leader Ko with a birdie on the 17th, but the final hole brought more excitement.
Needing a par on the last hole, Kim found himself in a bunker. After a successful sand escape, he sunk a 16-foot putt to set an unbeatable target.
Kim ended with 16-under par, one stroke ahead of Smylie and Ko, who climbed 75 spots in the Race to Dubai Rankings with two eagles in his impressive 65.
Brooks Koepka, a five-time Major Champion, finished fourth at 14-under, struggling on the back nine.
Kim expressed his joy, saying, ‘Winning feels incredible. It’s been since the 2018 John Deere Classic, and I wanted to perform well here. I’m thrilled to have achieved this victory. This year on the PGA Tour has been great for me, and this win is a perfect highlight. I hope to continue this success in my career.’
Final Scores
M. Kim (US) 69. 68. 66. 65. 268.
J. Ko (Fr) 68. 68. 68. 65. 269.
E. Smylie (Aus) 69. 68. 67. 65. 269.
B. Koepka (US) 69. 68. 65. 68. 270.
