French Prodigy Martin Couvra Wins Maiden Title As A Pro Thanks To Inspired Final Round In Turkey

22-year-old Frenchman, Martin Couvra galloped towards his first win as a pro after carding nine birdies during round four at the Turkish Airlines Open

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Martin Couvra poses with the 2025 Turkish Airlines Open trophy after his victory

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Young French prodigy, Martin Couvra won the 2025 Turkish Airlines Open by two strokes on Sunday after a stunning seven-under final round of 64 at Regnum Carya.

The 22-year-old triumphed with a 17-under total for the week thanks to nine birdies in round four, helping him fend off China's Haotong Li and Spain's Jorge Campillo in just his 15th DP World Tour start.

Couvra only graduated from the HotelPlanner Tour at the end of last season but has adapted to life at the top European circuit efficiently, posting three top-10 finishes prior to a T5th at the Hainan Classic last time out.

Victory in Turkey marks the second pro title of Couvra's career but his first since making the step up to the paid ranks after winning the Challenge de Espana in September 2023.

Reacting to his biggest triumph to date, the Frenchman said: “It was amazing to win in my first year on the DP World Tour – it's just a dream.

“I wake up in the morning [wanting] to win some tournaments, and to win early [in my DP World Tour career] is fantastic, so I'm really happy about that.

“Naturally, it was really difficult to keep calm and in good shape to close out this round, but I was really happy with all of the discussions with my caddie today, it was just amazing. I think tonight is going to be fun with all of the French players!”

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Couvra led the tournament after round two but stuttered to a one-over-par 72 on Saturday, putting him four strokes behind England's Brandon Robinson Thompson with 18 holes to play.

Yet, while Robinson Thompson endured a tough day - particularly on the greens - the DP World Tour rookie was lighting up a beautifully-presented Regnum Carya course.

Couvra birdied the very first hole thanks to a mid-range putt before chaining three more together between the fourth and sixth to move into a share of the lead.

His battle was predominantly with Li, who moved ahead around the turn as Couvra made bogeys at eight and 10 - cancelling out another gain at the ninth.

But as the 22-year-old made four birdies in five holes between the 11th and 15th, his Chinese rival was beginning to wobble slightly. A birdie at the 12th was quickly followed by a bogey - which resulted from hitting a tree along the way - at the very next hole.

It was around the same time that Couvra skipped a lovely low wedge shot into the par-5 15th, setting up a birdie, which ultimately proved to be the crucial moment of the day.

Two behind and desperate to avoid another runner-up finish this season, Li was unable to find any momentum as he neared the clubhouse while Couvra's unshakeable demeanour under pressure helped him navigate past potentially tournament-wrecking mistakes over the final three holes.

Only Campillo offered any late resistance, otherwise, but the Spaniard was unable to find a birdie inside the closing stretch to seriously concern Couvra, who celebrated with a handful of the other French pros still involved on Sunday.

Robinson Thompson finished fourth on 13-under after a 72, while Joost Luiten and Matthew Southgate were a shot further back in a tie for fifth.

TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN LEADERBOARD

  • -17 Martin Couvra (64)
  • -15 Haotong Li (67)
  • -15 Jorge Campillo (67)
  • -13 Brandon Robinson Thompson (72)
  • -12 Joost Luiten (68)
  • -12 Matthew Southgate (67)
  • -11 Nacho Elvira (65)
  • -11 Sam Bairstow (64)
  • -11 Chris Wood (64)
  • -11 Jordan Smith (70)
  • -11 Robin Williams (71)
  • -10 Wenyi Ding (68)
  • -10 Marcus Kinhult (69)
  • -10 Oliver Lindell (68)
  • -10 Richard Mansell (67)
  • -10 Jacob Skov Olesen (65)

Updates From...

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WELCOME

Hello and welcome to the sharp end of this year's Turkish Airlines Open at Regnum Carya Golf Club. Young French talent, Martin Couvra is putting together a stunning round and appears on his way to a first title as a pro, but while there is still golf to be played, you never know what could happen.

Stick with us and we'll bring you all of the key updates as they occur in Turkey.

TWO-SHOT SWING

Not long ago, there was a crucial two-stroke swing in the tournament. Both Couvra and Haotong Li were on 16-under, but while Couvra birdied the par-5 15th, Li bogeyed the par-4 13th after striking his golf ball against a tree. That leaves us where we are now.

At the 15th, Li fires his birdie attempt towards the hole but races it past. He's trying to throw everything at Couvra coming in.

On 17, Couvra sends his approach right down the barrel... but it's a club or two short and he has plenty of real estate still to navigate...

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Let's start with the good. Couvra had well over 50 feet to go on the 17th green and dribbled a beautifully-judged putt down the slope to kick-in range. That's a par, no problem. One hole to go and two shots clear.

Now to the bad and the really ugly, combined. Haotong Li is in a fair bit of trouble back at the 16th. Stood on the tee box which sits on top of a villa, the entertaining Chinese pro smother-pull-hooked one so far left that it went onto the 13th fairway. There was briefly some concern that he'd lost it, but the ball has been located.

Li has found the correct green from the 13th fairway, but he'll do really well to make par still.

COUVRA DOWN BROADWAY

Couvra's seven-under final round appears as though it will remain largely trouble-free after the 22-year-old finds dry land with a fairway-wood off the tee. There is water all the way down the left of 18, but he's avoided it. A good start to his final hole.

Not far behind, Jorge Campillo has moved within two shots after a birdie at the 15th. This is not the kind of course which really offers birdies down its closing stretch, though, so the Spaniard will have to pull off heroics to even force a playoff, you would have thought.

COUVRA SETS CLUBHOUSE LEAD

A tidy approach left Couvra 20 feet or so at the 18th with a putt that was fast and swinging from right to left. Most players in his position would have grossly undercooked the effort or motored it past, given the circumstances, but not Martin Couvra. He delicately pushed it down the slope and - once again - watched his ball pull up right beside the hole. He taps in for a round of 64 (-7) to set the clubhouse target at 17-under par. A great player with a superb head of hair to boot.

CAMPILLO SAVES PAR AT 16

Campillo was in the right rough off the tee down 16 but whipped one around the trees and somehow escaped with a par. He needs to finish birdie-birdie to force a playoff now. Meanwhile, Haotong Li appears to be done after making a real mess of 16 and having to roll in a long-range try for par. The Chinese pro has to hole out from the fairway on 18 to remain in contention.

COUVRA V CAMPILLO

Well, now, this might not be over... Campillo flies his approach into the 17th green, and it bounces - helpfully - to the left before rolling up to 20 feet. The Spaniard wasn't that happy with the shot in the air, which saw the ball slightly below his feet while he was trying to draw it in towards the flag at the back left, but the result is quite good.

CHAMPAGNE ON ICE

Oh, Martin Couvra can almost taste the win. Campillo is normally fantastic with putter in hand, but the Spaniard left his birdie chance painfully short while right on line. He knew it as well, Campillo, who looks down at the earth despairingly.

A hole ahead, Li drew his approach right at the flag while noting that it was on line, but the ball dug its feet in immediately and stopped 15-20 feet short. That could well be that, unless Campillo holes out from the fairway down 18...

MARTIN COUVRA WINS TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN

Campillo almost finds the water off the tee and, as a result, cannot execute the shot he needs to make an eagle. With no one able to catch Couvra, the champagne corks are popped and his fellow French professionals greet the young man outside of the scorer's hut. Brilliant scenes.