Matt Fitzpatrick Wins FedEx Open De France In Gritty Final Round Performance

HELLO ALL

Hello golf fans and welcome to Golf Monthly's final round coverage of the FedEx Open de France, which takes place at the Ryder Cup venue of Le Golf National.

Currently, Matt Fitzpatrick leads at 19-under, with the Englishman making 11 straight pars via some excellent short game.

In pursuit of the Major winner is Eugenio Chacarra (-17) and Kristoffer Reitan (-16), who are looking to add to their DP World Tour resumes.

FITZPATRICK PARS, CHACARRA IN TROUBLE

Finding trouble off the tee, Fitzpatrick manages to get his bunker shot to within 15-yards of the green, with his pitch shot ending 10-foot from the flag.

His putter has been on fire today and, with the flat stick in hand, he drains another putt for his 12th straight par of the day. He remains 19-under.

Up ahead, Chacarra is forced into a drop and, with his third, he then finds the water short of the green. Big mistake from the Spaniard, who will now be playing his fifth...

DEFENDING CHAMP MAKES EAGLE

Michael Kim won this event last year at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Breteche and, at the 14th at Le Golf National this year, he makes an eagle to move to 14-under.

He's five back of leader, Fitzpatrick, who finds the fairway with his tee shot at the par 4 13th.

ALMOST AN UNREAL BOGEY

Wow... that was almost one of the best bogeys you will see from Chacarra!

Playing his fifth from the drop zone, his wedge is down the flag and lands inches away from dropping.

Unfortunately, the double bogey means he drops to 15-under and into a share of third alongside Guido Migliozzi and Brandon Stone.

IS THAT THE VICTORY?

His short game has saved him today but, at the 13th, it's the long game where Fitzpatrick demonstrates his skill!

From 180-yards, a mid-iron never leaves the flag and lands online and rolls to two-feet.

You would like to think that'll be a birdie for the world no.4, who will move four clear of Reitan, who just blasted his tee shot right of the fairway at the 14th.

LUDVIG ABERG FIRES A 66

EASY BIRDIE

The approach shot deserved it and, with a first birdie of the day, Fitzpatrick jumps to 20-under and four clear.

Excellent grit from the Englishman, who has been scrapping for a score throughout in Paris.

WAYWARD FROM THE LEADER

After his birdie, Fitzpatrick steps up and pushes his drive well right at the par 5 14th, with it finding the thick rough.

Up ahead, Chacarra is just off the green in two on the same hole, while Stone, who is paired alongside Fitzpatrick, finds the fairway with his tee shot and will be able to have a go at the par 5.

BEST FRENCHMAN ON THE COURSE

Matthieu Pavon birdies two of his last three holes to finish 15-under.

That's a superb seven-under-par round of 64, which currently puts the PGA Tour winner as the leading Frenchman at Le Golf National.

BIRDIES GALORE

Reitan plays a stunning bunker shot at the par 5 14th, with the Norwegian tapping in for a deserved birdie that puts him within three of Fitzpatrick.

Angel Hidalgo follows his playing partner and moves to 15-under, while Chacarra recovers from a double bogey at the last to also birdie and move to 16-under and a share of third.

FITZPATRICK HACKS OUT

From the thick rough, Fitzpatrick is only able to advance it 120-yards down the fairway, leaving 140-yards into the green.

His playing partners, meanwhile, are in a great position to make a move, with both Stone and Tom Vaillant finding the green with their second shots.

Both men will have eagle putts from mid-range, with Vaillant 13-under and Stone 15-under.

ANOTHER MISTAKE FROM THE LEADER

He doesn't look comfortable over the third shot at the par 5 14th and, with a wedge in hand, Fitzpatrick misses the green to the right.

Not only does he miss it, but it spins down the slope and he'll need to get up-and-down for another par.

FITZY'S BIRDIE AT THE 13TH

CHACARRA FINDS THE HAY

The final four holes at Le Golf National are brutal and, with his tee shot at the 15th, Chacarra plows his drive left and into the thick stuff.

That'll be another lay-up for the Spaniard, who remains 16-under.

DOUBLE BOGEY FOR MIGLIOZZI

That's incredibly unlucky for Migliozzi, whose second shot at the 15th somehow rolls into the water, despite it landing well left of it.

Playing his forth, the Italian plays an average pitch, with his bogey putt missing. That's a double for Migliozzi, who goes from 16-under to 14-under.

EAGLE FOR THE HOME HERO

Stone narrowly misses his eagle attempt at the par 5 14th, with the South African tapping in for birdie.

Vaillant, meanwhile, gives the home fans something to shout about, with his eagle putt never missing the hole as it drops in and moves him into a share of fifth at 15-under.

ANOTHER HUGE SAVE FROM FITZPATRICK

This is getting silly from Fitzpatrick who, after a poor chip shot at the 14th, holes another putt for a huge par save.

Rolling it in from seven-foot, that's 23 up-and-downs out of a possible 24, which is just incredible...

REITAN MAKES A HUGE MISTAKE

It's going Fitzpatrick's way in Paris!

Reitan is the nearest challenger and, after finding the fairway at the 15th, he leaves a good angle in to attack the flag.

Striking his approach, it's left of the hole but doesn't spin, with it finding the water behind the flag. That'll be a bogey at best for the PGA Tour winner.

FAIRWAY FOUND FOR THE LEADER

After another par save, Fitzpatrick steps up at the 15th and stripes his fairway wood down the middle of the fairway.

THE LEADING FRENCHMAN

GET IN THERE HIDALGO

The entertaining Spaniard has been firing up the crowds at Le Golf National, with Hidalgo giving them something to shout about at the 15th.

Playing two good shots, he holes a 25-footer for back-to-back birdies. He moves to 16-under and into a share of third alongside Stone.

DROPPED SHOTS FOR THAT GROUP

After Hidalgo birdies, Chacarra misses his par attempt to fall to 15-under.

Reitan, who was the nearest challenger, does hole his bogey putt after finding the water with his second. He moves to 16-under, joining Hidalgo and Stone in the process.

CLASSY APPROACH FROM THE LEADER

Both Stone and Vaillant go long of the green at the 15th, with both remaining on dry land.

Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, shows the gulf in class with an excellent second that finishes pin high and around 30-feet from the hole.

That's one tough shot out of the way.

FEEL THE NOISE

YOU'RE KIDDING ME

Fitzpatrick has a realistic chance to move five ahead and, with the putter in hand at the 15th, it never looks anywhere else but in the hole.

Striking his birdie putt, it goes down the hill and to the left. From three-feet out, Fitzpatrick starts walking after it, such is the confidence he had of it going in.

PARS AND BOGEYS

Vaillant bogeys the 15th, while Stone makes par after going long. Vaillant is 14-under and Stone is 16-under, with both men remaining inside the top 10.

Up ahead, Reitan and Chacarra get up-and-down at the par 3 16th, as both remain 16-under. Hidalgo, meanwhile, also safely parred the hole, meaning we have a three-way share of second.

SAFELY DOES IT

That's all he needs to do, with Fitzpatrick safely finding the green at the par 3 16th, leaving a 30-footer for birdie.

In his group, Stone comes up short and finds the water, which is extremely costly given his position in this event (T2nd) and the Race to Dubai standings (104th).

Vaillant, meanwhile, is more aggressive and finishes pin-high and left of the flag. He will have 15-feet for birdie to move to 15-under.

NEVER A DOUBT

ANOTHER SAFE PAR

Superb from Fitzpatrick, who rolls his putt down to inches at the par 3 16th. He remains five clear.

COSTLY FOR STONE

He was inches away from being on the green, but after finding the water and taking a drop, Stone goes over the back and leaves a tricky up-and-down at the 16th.

In fairness to Stone, he does make the putt for a double bogey, but he goes from 16-under to 14-under. That equates to T2nd to T6th.

17TH HOLE SCORES

The 17th is playing straight into the wind, with the 480-yard par-4 even longer than usual.

In the penultimate group, though, Chacarra makes a solid par via a lengthy two putt, while Reitan bogeys after coming up short of the green with his approach.

Failing to get up-and-down, Hidalgo has a huge chance to move into solo second, with the Spaniard doing just that after two putting from the back of the green.

Going to the last, Hidalgo is 16-under, while Pavon, Chacarra and Reitan are 15-under. What's more, Hidalgo currently holds an Open Championship spot, with one up for grabs in Le Golf National.

ANOTHER SOLID SHOT FROM FITZY

All three men have found the fairway at the 17th and up first is Fitzpatrick.

Leading by five, his iron shot never leaves the middle of the green and he is safely aboard, leaving 35-feet for birdie.

Stone, meanwhile, comes up short and right, while Vaillant is left and in a tough spot.

MORE FAIRWAYS FOUND

There's still a lot to play for at the 18th and, in the penultimate group, Hidalgo, Chacarra and Reitan find the fairway.

As it stands, Hidalgo would wrap up his spot at The Open Championship next year, while Chacarra needs a birdie, at best, to overtake his fellow countryman.

WINTHER MOVES SOLO 10TH

Ahead at the 18th, Jeff Winther rolls in a mammoth putt at the final hole for birdie.

It's a big putt for the DP World Tour winner, who moves into solo 10th at 13-under.

APPROACH SHOTS AT THE 18TH

Chacarra is first to play and, from 180-yards, his iron approach is over the flag but slightly long. He'll have a birdie putt, albeit a 40-foot one.

Reitan, meanwhile, is stuck between clubs but plays a nice shot in, finishing around a similar distance away to Chacarra's.

Hidalgo is the final player to play and, from 145-yards, his wedge is superb! Landing over the water, it spins right towards the flag and is just six-feet from the hole.

FINAL GROUP

All three men par the 17th, with Fitzpatrick two putting and Vaillant and Stone getting up-and-down from either sides of the green.

In terms of tee shots, Fitzpatrick is in the semi rough at the 18th, while Vaillant and Stone find the fairway, with the former slightly closer than his playing partner.

EUGENIO AND REITAN MAKE PAR

Chacarra misses his birdie attempt on the right side at the 18th, with Reitan following him on a similar line.

Both men finish 15-under and alongside Pavon in a share of third.

HIDALGO IS GOING TO ST ANDREWS

What a finish from Hidalgo, who secures his spot at The Open Championship next year!

Firing a four-under 67, Hidalgo finishes solo second at 17-under, which puts him into St Andrews in 2027, as well as inside the top 50 of the Race to Dubai standings.

Excellent week for the Spaniard!

SAFELY DOES IT

Vaillant and Stone both find the green at the 18th, with Fitzpatrick going, understandably, long with his second.

MORE NOISE

Brilliant from Vaillant who, after watching Stone miss on the right-side, holes his birdie putt to send the home fans into raptures.

The Frenchman birdies the last and finishes at 15-under, which is alongside Reitan, Chacarra, and fellow countryman Pavon.

MATT FITZPATRICK WINS THE FEDEX OPEN DE FRANCE

AN 11TH DP WORLD TOUR WIN

He's made 22 up-and-downs from 23 this week and, although he failed to save par at the last, a closing bogey gives Fitzpatrick a one-under final round of 70 and an 11th DP World Tour victory.

THE CHAMP REACTS

WINNING MOMENT FOR FITZPATRICK

CHAMPAGNE SHOWERS

YOUR FEDEX OPEN DE FRANCE WINNER