Par‑3 18th outside Paris. One swing, one bunker blast, one 16‑footer. Michael Kim drains it to win the French Open Golf in a three‑beat thriller.
Sunday, just outside Paris… a par‑three finisher waiting like a plot twist. Three beats tell the story.
The hammer swings. Brooks Koepka and Min Woo Lee began tied at −11, with Michael Kim one back and Jeong weon Ko two. Koepka looked inevitable—32 out, eagle at the par‑5 8th to touch −15—until the course punched back on the closing stretch. He posted 68 (−14) for solo 4th.
Kim lights the fuse. Bogey‑free Michael Kim poured in a long one early, then stacked birdies at 7, 9, 10… added 16, stuffed 17—standing on the last at −16 while pressure surged behind: Ko (−15) in the house after a 25‑ft EAGLE on 16; Elvis Smylie to −15; Lee and Koepka chasing.
The par‑three stage. Narrow green, bunker left, water glaring right. Kim tugged it into the sand, splashed to 16 feet… to win. He buried it—stone‑cold.
Michael Kim 65 at −16; Jeong weon Ko and Elvis Smylie, 65s at −15; Brooks Koepka 68 at −14; Min Woo Lee in the T‑5 at −13. First American to win the French Open here in 53 years.
If you enjoy high‑wire finishes and elite shot‑making under fire, hit Subscribe. What’s your take on a par‑3 finishing hole—love it or hate it?
#Golf #FrenchOpen #OpenDeFrance #MichaelKim #Highlights #Clutch #BrooksKoepka #MinWooLee #Paris
Sunday outside Paris, a par three finisher waiting like a plot twist. Brooks began tied at minus 11 with Min Wu Lee. Michael Kim won back Jong Wong Code two. He looked like the hammer. Front nine jump 32 out. And this Eagle at the par 5/8 briefly to minus 15. Then the course punched back. A wayward approach at 14 needed a rescue just for par. Bogey at 15 after a poor chip from a free drop. played the back in plus one and never saw the lead again. Card 68 minus14 from co-leader to solo fourth. Michael Kim won back at the start lit the fuse early about 40 ft at the second and kept stacking. Birdies at seven and nine, a tidy 4-footer at 10. Bogey free, relentless. Five pars to steady the pulse. Then the turn of the screw birdie 16 and he stuffed 17 converted to minus 16. The home favorite answered Jong way on co from 25 ft for eagle at 16 house down posting minus5 and the clubhouse target after a safe two putt at 18. Elvis Smiley matched minus15 with birdie at 16. Pressure everywhere with 1 to two holes left. Co in at -15. Smiley minus15. Kim standing on the par three finisher at minus 16. Brooks and Lee chasing at minus14. Good. A par three finisher is rare in pro golf. And this one was the week’s drama stage. Narrow target bunker left. Water glaring right. Par felt like a number. Kim tugged the T-shot into the left bunker. The blast ran out 16 ft to win. He buried it. Stone cold minus 16. Lee and Kepka couldn’t conjure the miracle behind him. Feels uh feels amazing. Um I haven’t uh won a tournament since uh 2018. Final numbers, Michael Kim 65 at -16. Jong Wan Co and Elvis Smiley 65s at -15. Kepka 68 at -14. Lee among the T5 atus3. And a note for the books.
