Matt Fitzpatrick capped an extraordinary campaign with a decisive three‑stroke triumph at the FedEx Open de France, held at the renowned Le Golf National. The world No.
4 entered the final round holding a five‑stroke cushion and never looked back, posting a steady 70 that featured two birdies and a single bogey, thereby clinching his 11th DP World Tour title. Finishing the tournament at 20 under par, Fitzpatrick comfortably outpaced his nearest rival, Angel Hidalgo, who surged late with three birdies in his last five holes to finish with a 67. Eugenio Chacarra, who had been in contention throughout the week, settled for a share of third place, five strokes behind the champion.
Chacarra’s strong play also moved him up the Race to Dubai leaderboard, narrowing the gap to leaders Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy. He joined Tom Vaillant, Matthieu Pavon and Ryder Cup hopeful Kristoffer Reitan, all of whom were tied at 15 under after the final round. Prior to this win, Fitzpatrick had already captured three PGA Tour events this season – the Valspar Championship, the RBC Heritage, and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans – making his latest DP World Tour victory his first on the European circuit since the DP World Tour Championship in November of the previous year.
The Englishman’s sizeable lead after the third round was briefly threatened when Chacarra, playing ahead, posted three birdies in his first four holes and added a fourth from twelve feet on the par‑four sixth. A three‑putt bogey on the eighth was quickly offset by a birdie on the subsequent par‑five, pulling Chacarra within two shots of Fitzpatrick, who had made par on every front‑nine hole. Reitan also closed to within three shots after a blistering 33 on the front nine and a birdie on the par‑five 14th, but his momentum stalled as he made bogeys on two of the next three holes, allowing Fitzpatrick to re‑establish his dominance.
Chacarra’s challenge unraveled on the 13th hole when an errant tee shot forced a drop, and his third shot found water. He was forced to scramble for a double bogey, effectively ending his bid for the title. Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, struck a precise approach on the 13th that landed in the kicking‑in range, and followed it with a 20‑foot birdie putt on the 15th, pushing his total to 21 under and extending his lead to five strokes.
Two pars on the 16th and 17th kept Fitzpatrick firmly in control heading to the final hole, a par‑four. A missed up‑and‑down left him with a bogey, but the one‑stroke penalty was inconsequential as he had already secured victory. "I'm obviously delighted to get over the line," Fitzpatrick said in the post‑round interview.
"It was definitely a battle today. I didn't have my best stuff for the first 12 holes, but I managed to find some of my best shots when it mattered.
Golf is a game of multiple skills, and I used them all this week. Coming down the stretch, making those shots and sinking the putts was special." Hidalgo’s runner‑up finish also earned him a spot in next summer’s Open Championship at St Andrews via the Open Qualifying Series, while Fitzpatrick already holds an exemption.
Vaillant vaulted into a tie for third after holing a 20‑foot birdie putt on the final hole. First‑round leader Michael Kim finished tied for seventh alongside Guido Migliozzi and Brandon Stone. Meanwhile, Ludvig Åberg climbed into a tie for 11th after posting a five‑under 66 on the final day. The DP World Tour now shifts north to Scotland for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a unique event played over three historic venues – Carnoustie, Kingsbarns Golf Links, and the Old Course at St Andrews – where Robert MacIntyre will defend his title.
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