Dan Bradbury Wins Open de France In Epic Final Day At Le Golf National

WHICH WAY IS THIS GOING?!

Hi all and welcome to our coverage of the back nine of the Open de France where, right now, there are more than 15 players within two shots of the lead!

I will try and keep you all updated on what is an ever-changing leaderboard as, right now, Sam Bairstow, Dan Bradbury and Francesco Laporta share the lead at 13-under. Along with the trio, Jeff Winther has just put his approach to near gimme range and will move into a share of the lead, also.

So, why not sit back, relax and enjoy what is set to be an enthralling finish at Le Golf National!

FIVE WAY TIE

Winther converts his birdie putt and joins the top of the leaderboard. It's momentarily a four-way tie, before Thorbjorn Olesen birdies the 10th and also moves to 13-under-par. Make that a five-way tie for the lead!

In terms of the overnight leader, Jesper Svensson, he has struggled today but is not out of it. He is one-over for the day and 12-under for the tournament; however, he has just pulled his approach at the par 3 11th and has got a rancid lie - near plugged and on the downslope. He may struggle to par from there...

BAIRSTOW TAKES THE LEAD

A 50-foot putt from Bairstow drops at the 11th! What an effort from the Englishman, who only just found the green at the par 3. He moves to 14-under and leads four players by a single stroke, as well as six players by two. Can he push on and create some breathing space?

Elsewhere, Svennson drops just one stroke and is 11-under-par, three back of his playing partner. Ahead, Bradbury has put his approach on the 13th close and will have a great look at the birdie to move to 14-under.

STONE CLOSES WITH A 64

Brandon Stone shoots 64 and that is the round of the day, so far. The South African is just outside the top 70 of the Race to Dubai and that will be a big bonus for him, especially with the amount of points up for grabs.

Out on the course, Johannes Veerman, who only just made the cut, has eagled the 14th and is now one back of the leaders at 13-under, with Justin Rose, who was one of the favorites, birdieing the par 3 16th to move to 12-under and two back.

WINTHER SHARES THE LEAD WITH A BIRDIE

Bairstow was in the lead for, ooooh, five minutes or so! Winther, who just birdied the par 4 13th has now birdied the par 5 14th to get to 14-under and move alongside Bairstow. His last victory was three years ago at the 2021 Mallorca Golf Open.

Behind Winther, Bradbury's birdie look at the 12th slides by and he taps in for a par. He stays at 13-under, alongside Veerman, Laporta and Olesen, who are all scattered around the back nine, currently.

EXCELLENT FROM BAIRSTOW

Glorious approach from Bairstow at the 12th! He is in the second cut following his tee shot but, striking a crisp wedge, the Englishman puts it to a matter of feet and will have an excellent look at birdie to retake the lead at 15-under.

Take a look at how he birdied the 11th hole below:

OLESEN JOINS THE LEAD

You can't take your eyes off this leaderboard! Birdieing the 10th, Olesen has birdied the 12th via a gorgeous, lengthy putt. He gets to 14-under and into a share of the lead with Winther and Bairstow, who is sizing up his birdie putt.

Ahead, Yannik Paul has birdied the 13th, as has Matthew Jordan. They both move to 13-under via excellent approaches and putts at that particular hole. I make that nine players inside two strokes of the lead.

BAIRSTOW LEADS

For the millionth time, there is another change as Bairstow rolls in his birdie putt to get to 15-under, for the first time, and regain his lead for the second time this back nine.

Elsewhere, some of the chasing pack are into the tough four-hole finishing stretch and are safely on the 15th green, as is Bradbury at the 13th, who has put it close via a controlled wedged approach.

WINTHER PARS 15

The treacherous 15th hole has been navigated safely by Winther, who stays at 14-under and one back. At the 17th, Rose misses his par putt and slides back to 11-under. It's been a brave effort by the Englishman, but he won't be lifting the trophy at the end of the day.

Looking at the leaderboard, Fabrizio Zanotti has birdied the par 5 14th to get to 13-under, two back of the leaders, whilst Jordan Smith has found the drink at the 18th hole. It was, in fact, a great shot from Smith, but the ball hits the down slope and dribbles into the water. He had been 12-under, but will drop back.

ANOTHER GOOD CHANCE MISSED BY BRADBURY

Bradbury missed a makeable putt at the par 4 12th and has just missed another great chance at the par 4 13th. The 25-year-old put it to under eight-feet with the second, but the putt was always missing right as he stays in a logjam at 13-under.

WINTHER IS DIALLED HERE

The 16th is a tough par 3 with the pin cut just a matter of feet away from the aqua at the front. However, Winther is dialled in here and, thanks to an excellent iron, he puts it close and is in with a great chance of birdie.

His nearest challenger, Bairstow, is back on the 13th and he has been forced to chip out from 150-yards due to a terrible lie. The Englishman will need to get up-and-down from around 100-yards for his par. His playing partner, Olesen, has safely found the green, around 20-feet from the hole, with a birdie putt coming up.

POOR THIRD FROM BAIRSTOW

The approach, his third, from Bairstow was bang on line at the par 4, but has come up well short of the hole. He has over 60-feet for par and will need to produce a good two putt for the bogey!

Up ahead, Francesco Laporta almost holes his approach for an eagle at the 14th, with the ball hitting the flag and finishing inches from the hole. His playing partner, Jordan, plays a great shot from the bunker and will look to convert for the birdie, as both look to join the players at 14-under.

WINTHER TIES THE LEAD

Well, I said it was a good approach and, faced with a putt from no more than five-feet, Winther holes it to get to 15-under and into a share of the lead which, seconds later, is the outright lead, as Bairstow misses his lengthy par putt.

In regards to Jordan, he has missed his birdie putt at the 14th to stay at 13-under, as has Olesen at the 13th, who taps in for par and to remain at 14-under, two back of Winther.

FOUR WAY TIE AT 14-UNDER

Laporta finds his birdie at the 14th, whilst Yannik Paul also birdies the 14th so both move to 14-under and one back of Winther who, at the 16th, puts his tee shot into the thick rough and will rely on a good lie to be able to get to the green.

On the 14th, Bradbury finds the green with a fairway wood but is well back of the hole and will need a good two putt for birdie. He is still 13-under and can move to 14 if he were to convert.

BIG BIRDIE FOR WINTHER

STRUGGLES ON 17

Winther and Veerman are playing the par 4 17th and, after finding thick rough off the tee, Winther can only lay up short of the green. He will have a fiddly pitch for his up-and-down and remain ahead. Veerman, on the other hand, is in the fairway, but the American pushes his approach and will have a difficult two putt for par and to remain 13-under.

BRADBURY GETS TO 14-UNDER

He's made one! After missed putts of similar length at the 12th and 13th, Bradbury holes his birdie attempt at the par 5 14th. That's a great two-putt from the Englishman, who was over 80-foot from the flag.

Ahead, Winther has raced his pitch shot past the hole and will have a mid-range attempt for par. If he misses, he will be back at 14-under-par, which contains six players!

HUGE PUTT FROM WINTHER

Serious bottle shown there from the 36-year-old, whose 12-foot attempt finds the centre of the cup to remain at 15-under. He heads to the perilous last hole, with a par possibly being enough to win, but there are six players still in with a chance and just one shot back of the Dane.

JORDAN MAKES THE MOST OF A HUGE BREAK

The Englishman pushes his approach at the tough par 15th and it clears the water by a few feet! Despite this, he has just a four-footer for birdie, which he converts, to get to 14-under and one back of Winther.

Seven players are now at 14-under, with one of those being Olesen, who produces a stunning bunker shot that lands and grabs a foot from the hole and finishes inside three feet. He should convert to get to 15-under and a share of the lead with Winther.

ANOTHER BIG BREAK

We've seen some huge breaks in the past few moments and, at the 15th, we've just seen another, this time from Bradbury. The Englishman has pushed his tee shot right and it finishes a foot from the drink. From there, he pushes his approach and, once again, it lands just over the water and onto the green! It's almost a copy of Jordan's and, what could have been a potential double bogey is now looking like a potential birdie. Huge moments for Bradbury!

OLESEN MAKES HIS BIRDIE

Olesen joins his fellow countryman at the top of the leaderboard as he taps in for birdie at the 14th. He is 15-under and in with a great shot of claiming a ninth DP World Tour title.

LENGTHY WAIT FOR WINTHER

After a long wait on the 18th tee, Winther finally hits and finds the fairway. That's the first part done, but it's still an intimidating second into the green, so it's not over yet for the experienced Dane...

He has the potential to set a great clubhouse target for the chasing pack and, amongst the pack is Bairstow who, at the 15th, finds the fairway. It was closer to the water than he would like, but it's a chance to go close at the tough par 4.

On the 15th, Bradbury, who has received two slices of huge luck, converts his birdie putt to get to 15-under and into a three-way tie for the lead. That could have easily been four shots worse but, at the end of the day, those are the breaks which could decide the tournament.

APPROACH SHOTS

At the 15th, Bairstow draws his approach in beautifully over the flag and will have a quick putt for birdie. His playing partner, Olesen, does find the green but was agonisingly close to spinning back into the drink... They will both have birdie attempts.

Ahead, Bradbury hits a nice shot in from 170-yards and will have 15-feet to take the outright lead. He has found some form over the past few holes with the flatstick so will be confident of converting.

BAIRSTOW CONVERTS ON 15

Four way tie for the lead! That looked calm and assured from Bairstow, whose birdie putt at the 15th doesn't look anywhere else but in! He joins the leaders at 15-under with just three holes remaining.

BRADBURY LEADS

I said he fancied it and that's exactly what happens! Bradbury starts his putt just outside the left-side and it slides into the centre of the cup for birdie. That's three on the spin for the Englishman, who is the first player to get to 16-under with two holes remaining.

WINTHER FINDS THE GREEN AT 18

That's part two done for Winther who, importantly, finds the green at the 18th. There's been just two birdies made there today so Winther would join an exclusive club if he did convert that putt from 60-feet.

Back on the 17th, Zanotti and Jordan have produced excellent approaches and will have looks at birdies to move closer to leader, Bradbury, who has found the fairway at the 17th hole.

BIG PUTT FROM BRADBURY

Is this the winning putt from Bradbury?

EXCELLENT FROM WINTHER

That putt was near-impossible, but Winther manages to cosy it down to the hole and sets the clubhouse target at 15-under. Superb seven-under 64 from Winther, who now waits to see if he has done enough.

Back on the course, Jordan and Paul have holed their putts for a birdie at the 17th and both move to 15-under. On the 16th, Bairstow has lipped out for birdie in what was a fine effort! He should hole that and keep at 15-under.

GREAT CHANCE MISSED FOR OLESEN

Olesen puts a dart in at the 16th but his birdie putt slides by the right side. He stays 15-under and one back of Bradbury who, at the 17th, sees his approach come up short from the fairway.

It's similar to Winther's around 30 minutes ago and, playing it differently to the Dane, Bradbury judges the pitch well as it finishes pin-high and around four-feet from the flag for par.

BRADBURY PARS

Bradbury converts his par putt and stays at 16-under as he heads over to the difficult last, which has played +0.33 today.

Ahead, both Jordan and Paul find the fairway on 18, whilst Laporta also finds the centre of the short stuff. All three will have chances to put one close but, given how tough the hole has played today, a par would still be a great score.

SHOT FROM OLESEN

From the second cut, Olesen strikes an excellent iron from 190-yards to the right of the pin. He will have 13-feet for birdie and to join Bradbury, who is waiting on the tee for Jordan, Paul and Laporta to hit into the green.

Speaking of the trio, Laporta puts it into the heart of the green from 185-yards, whilst Jordan puts it fractionally closer on a similar line. The last player to go is Paul who, from 170-yards, is pin high and to the right of the flag, around 25-feet from the hole. If he birdies it he will tie the lead.

BRADBURY GETS ANOTHER BREAK

Bradbury can thank Mother Nature for that one! He pulls his fairway wood off the tee at the 18th and, thanks to the rain that fell on Wednesday, the ball lands softly and short of the water. Had it not rained, it would likely have found the drink!

On 17, Olesen has a chance to join Bradbury at 16-under, but his putt dives left and edges past the hole. Missed chance for the Dane, who may need to birdie the 18th with Bradbury in the fairway on the 18th.

CLEARING UP ON 18

With every group now on the 18th, it's Laporta's group who clear up their rounds, with the Italian safely parring the final hole and finishing 14-under. Although he didn't get the victory, it's been a great week for Laporta, who has all but secured his card and playing rights for next season.

Up next is Jordan and, after getting a great read off his playing partner, pushes his putt well right and leaves himself a little knee knocker for par. In terms of Paul, he has a chance to tie with Bradbury but, somehow, his putt agonisingly slides by at dead weight! We all thought that was in and so did Paul, who finishes at 15-under.

After that miss, Jordan has five-foot coming back up the hill but it misses on the left side. That is costly for the Englishman, who falls out of a share of second position and into a share of sixth with Laporta.

BRADBURY ON THE GREEN

Perfect shot from Bradbury on the 18th. He doesn't even look at the flag and guides his approach into the heart of the green. He'll have 45-feet for a potential second DP World Tour title.

BACK ON THE TEE

Moving back to the tee and, realistically, one of these players needs a birdie to force a playoff. First up is Bairstow, who finds the fairway with an excellent drive, whilst Olesen follows his playing partner and also finds the short grass. They will, likely, go for it with their approach shots.

Regarding Svensson, who led going into the final day, it's been a round to forget as he sits three-over-par for the day and 10-under for the tournament.

BRADBURY REMAINING CALM

PRESSURE FOR BRADBURY

There's obviously adrenaline in the putt of Bradbury's who, striking the ball, has seen his effort glide five-feet by. He will have a nervy one coming back with the new putter.

HUGE FROM BRADBURY

That is serious bottle from the Englishman! After racing his putt by, Bradbury rolls it into the centre of the cup for a blemish free five-under-par final round 66. He made three straight birdies on the back nine and, setting the target at 16-under, forces Olesen and Bairstow to birdie the last to force a playoff.

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR BAIRSTOW AND OLESEN

Both Bairstow and Olesen need birdies and, striking their second shots into the green, Olesen comes up short, left, with a lengthy putt needed for birdie. It's a similar story for Bairstow, who finds the heart of the green albeit well away from the flag. The odds are still in Bradbury's favor...

THE WINNING PUTT?

Excellent from Bradbury at the final hole!

DAN BRADBURY WINS THE OPEN DE FRANCE

ACTION AT 18

Bradbury wins the Open de France! At the last, Olesen steps up first but his birdie attempt slides by the left side. From there, it's Bairstow who has a chance to tie with his countryman, but his attempt is low and left. That hands the trophy to Bradbury, who moves inside the top 30 of the Race To Dubai standings and secures his spot at both playoff events.

For Olesen and Bairstow, they both make par and finish in a four-way tie for second alongside Winther and Paul, who both finished 15-under. At one point, there was an 11-way tie at the top, but it's Bradbury who finishes first for a second DP World Tour title.

KEEP HIS CARD

Bradbury revealed that the plan this week was to make the cut and keep his DP World Tour card so he didn't have to head to Korea in a fortnight's time. He hasn't just wrapped up his card, but has jumped to 25th in the Race To Dubai standings and secured a spot in the final two events of 2024.

HEAR FROM THE WINNER