After a week in Scotland, the European tour heads to France for the 106th FedEx Open de France at Le Golf National, just outside of Paris.
The long-running national open tournament will be contested on the property’s Albatros course – a par-71 layout measuring 7,247 yards.
The field will include marquee names such as Billy Horschel, Justin Rose, Nicolas Colsaerts, and native sons Victor Perez and Matthieu Pavon.
Here are more details about this week’s FedEx Open de France.
The Skinny
Tournament: FedEx Open de France
Dates:Â Oct 10-13, 2024
Where: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
Title Sponsor: FedEx
Course:Â Le Golf National
Distance: Par 71, 7,247 yards
Architect: Hubert Chesneau, Robert Von Hagge (1991)
Format: 72-holes, stroke play, 36-hole cut
Purse: $3,250,000
Winning Share: $567k
Defending Champion:Â Ryo Hisatsune
How to Watch and Follow: Open de France
Rd 1: Thu 4:30 am – 12:30 pm (GOLF)
Rd 2: Fri 4:30 am – 12:30 pm (GOLF)
Rd 3: Sat 7:30 am – 12:30 pm (GOLF)
Rd 4: Sun 7:30 am – 12:30 pm (GOLF)
LINKS: Web | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook
Tournament History
The Open De France debuted in 1906 and is the oldest national open in Continental Europe. Frenchman Arnaud Massy was the tournament’s inaugural champion, winning its first two editions (1906-07), and a third in 1911.
Massy won a fourth French Open in 1925 at age 48, after having put his golf career on hold while serving in the French Army during World War I.
The Open De France became one one of the European Tour’s founding 20 tournaments during its maiden 1972 season with American Barry Jaeckel defeating Clive Clark in a playoff.
Originally hosted at La Boulie for its first seven editions, the tournament has been contested across the country over the years, but since 1991, Le Golf National has acted as its permanent venue. It’s the only European tour event contested in France.
While the Open De France has always been one of the more prestigious events on the European Tour schedule, it was made a Rolex Series event for two seasons, offering a $7,000,000 purse, and drawing big names from around the world, including Tommy Fleetwood, who won in 2017.
Legendary golfers to win the national open include Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Henry Cotton, Peter Oosterhuis, Roberto De Vicenzo, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, and Bernhard Langer.
Aubrey Boomer owns the most French Open titles with five, capturing them between 1921-1931.
History: Tournament Names
2024-: FedEx Open de France
2022-23: Cazoo Open de France
2019-21: Amundi Open de France
2016-18: HNA Open de France
2010-15: Alstom Open de France
2006-09: Open de France Alstom
2003-05: Open de France
1999-02: Novotel Perrier Open de France
1984-98: Peugeot Open de France
1980-83: Paco Rabanne Open de France
1971-79: French Open
1906-70: Open de France
History: Recent Winners
2023: Ryo Hisatsune (-14)
2022: Guido Migliozzi (-16)
2021: COVID (-19)
2020: COVID (-19)
2019: Nicolas Colsaerts (-12)
2018: Alex Noren (-7)
2017: Tommy Fleetwood (-12)
2016: Thongchai Jaidee (-11)
2015: Bernd Wiesberger (-13)
2014: Graeme McDowell (-5)
2013: Graeme McDowell (-9)
History: Tournament Records
WINS
5 – Aubrey Boomer (1921, 1922, 1926, 1929, 1931)
4 – Seve Ballesteros (1977, 1982, 1985, 1986)
4 – Arnaud Massy (1906, 1907, 1911, 1925)
3 – Nick Faldo (1983, 1988, 1989)
3 – Flory Van Donck (1954, 1957, 1958)
3 – Roberto De Vicenzo (1950, 1960, 1964)
3 – Marcel Dallemagne (1936, 1937, 1938)
2 – Graeme McDowell (2013-14)
2 – Jean-François Remésy (2004-05)
2 – Retief Goosen (1997, 1999)
2 – Peter Oosterhuis (1973-74)
2 – Bobby Locke (1952-53)
2 – Henry Cotton (1946-47)
2 – Sid Brews (1934-35)
2 – Cyril Tolley (1924, 1928)
2 – George Duncan (1913, 1927)
2 – John Henry Taylor (1908-09)
SCORING
263 (−21) – Seve Ballesteros (1985)
The Field Analysis
The field in Paris is relatively weak, with just four players ranked in the top 50 of the watered-down world rankings: Billy Horschel (17), Matthieu Pavon (26), Justin Rose (37), and Thriston Lawrence (46).
Top-20 Betting Favorites
1. Billy Horschel +1200
2. Rasmus Hojgaard +1400
3. Matt Wallace +1800
3. Thriston Lawrence +1800
5. Jordan Smith +2000
6. Thorbjorn Olesen +2200
6. Victor Perez +2200
6. Niklas Norgaard +2200
9. Thomas Detry +2500
10. Tom McKibbin +2800
11. Matteo Manassero +3000
11. Justin Rose +3000
13. Laurie Canter +4000
13. Yannik Paul +4000
13. Jorge Campillo +4000
13. Bernd Wiesberger +4000
17. Guido Migliozzi +4500
17. Sebastian Soderberg +4500
17. Alex Fitzpatrick +4500
20. Nicolai Hojgaard +5000
20. Frederic Lacroix +5000
20. Joost Luiten +5000
20. Matthieu Pavon +5000
20. Jesper Svensson +5000
Up Next on Tour
The European tour heads to Spain for the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
Credits: European Tour Media, Getty Images