Dan Bradbury (-16) has won the Open de France after carding a 66 in the final round to edge out a large group of players (Olesen, Bairstow, Paul, and Winther, all with a total of -15), giving us an idea of the tremendous parity (and excitement) experienced at the Golf National until the very last moment.
This victory for Bradbury is one of confirmation, following his absolutely astonishing breakthrough into the top tier of competitive golf. Here’s the story, for those who don’t remember. The young Englishman (he’s 25 years old) turned professional in July 2022, after a solid stint in American collegiate golf, where he didn’t exactly dazzle, far from it (barely reaching the top 100 in the world amateur rankings at his peak). Immediately, that same July, he was already enjoying invitations to the DP World Tour and the Challenge Tour, although he didn’t need many to carve out a place in the elite on his own merits, as he won the Joburg Open in his sixth professional appearance.
Since then, he has appeared here and there, but in reality, he remains a newcomer who has just confirmed himself as a player to watch, even though he hasn’t yet played sixty tournaments at the highest level of professional golf. There must be something about this Englishman, who arrived well-supported in European golf, that’s evident, but who knew how to immediately seize opportunities and today, in a very tight tournament finish, kept his game in order and even sharpened under pressure.
Admittedly, good fortune has also played in his favour. His tee shot on the 15th hole didn’t go into the water by a couple of feet. And it’s not just a figure of speech: it literally stopped two feet from the edge, as he would have almost certainly lost any chance of victory. Immediately afterwards, as he himself confessed, he missed the second shot, as a slight pull left the ball near that tucked pin, flirting with the water throughout its journey… He made the birdie, of course. And then another on the 16th, a par 3, where he did hit a great iron.
There must be something about this Englishman, we said. Indeed, there is. To start with, he’s a player who drives longer than average and hits many fairways, because in reality, when he has the driver, he doesn’t usually shift into a sixth gear that he does possess. Moreover, he’s an excellent iron player. He handles them with ease and great confidence. His weak point is the short game around the green and putting, but this week his statistics in this area have been remarkable. That’s going to be the main reason for his triumph on French soil…
He arrived this week ranked 98th in the Race to Dubai with the primary goal of making the cut and securing his playing rights. And he leaves with a guaranteed spot in the Final in Dubai (rising to 25th in the rankings) and even fully involved in the fight for a PGA Tour card. Watch out for this guy, as he seizes opportunities on the fly.
