Koepka leads the French Open after a year without victories

Brooks Koepka Seeks Victory at the French Open

American golfer Brooks Koepka, winner of five majors, put together an impressive streak of five consecutive birdies in the second half of the round on Saturday, culminating in a score of 65 strokes, six under par. This performance put him at the top of the French Open, where he is seeking his first victory in over a year. Koepka shares the lead with Min Woo Lee, who signed a card of 68 strokes, for a total of 202 (-11). Both lead by one stroke a group of pursuers, including Michael Kim, another American golfer participating in the tournament during a week off on the PGA Tour. This is the third consecutive week that Koepka has competed on the European Tour, after failing to make the cut at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Koepka’s last victory dates back to August 2024, in the LIV Golf League, in Greenbrier, West Virginia.

I feel like my game has been going in the right direction. The results haven’t been there. I feel a lot closer. I’m happy with the work I’ve put in over the last few months, and nothing has been proven, so I hope to have a chance to win tomorrow.

Brooks Koepka

Koepka attributed his outstanding round at the Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche mainly to his good performance in putting. He achieved eight birdies in the round, although he closed with a bogey on the 18th hole, a par 3, by missing a six-foot putt. Lee, for his part, won his first title on the PGA Tour this year, winning the Houston Open, although he did not advance beyond the first week in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Guido Migliozzi of Italy, with a round of 66 strokes, and Marcus Armitage of England, with 71 strokes, joined Kim in the group that is one stroke behind the leaders. Kim completed his round with 66 strokes.