Summary
Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka carded five straight birdies on the back nine Saturday, finishing with a 6-under 65 that puts him atop the French Open. He's aiming for a victory that has eluded him for more than a year. Min Woo Lee, with a 68, joined Koepka in the lead, both with a total of 11-under 202, one stroke ahead of a group that includes Michael Kim, another American in Paris for a week-long break from the PGA Tour.
This is Koepka's third consecutive European Tour tournament, having missed the cut at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. He has also missed the cut at three of his four majors this year. His last win came in August 2024 at the LIV Golf League at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.
“I feel like my game is improving,” Koepka commented. “The results haven't arrived, but I feel closer. I'm pleased with the work I've done over the past few months, although it hasn't yet been reflected in the results. I hope to have a chance to win tomorrow.”
Key details
The player attributed his strong round at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche to strong putting. In total, Koepka recorded eight birdies, although he finished with a bogey on the par-3 18th, missing a six-foot putt.
Lee, who won the Houston Open earlier this year, is looking to cement his first PGA Tour title, though he failed to advance past the first week of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Kim was joined in the group one stroke behind by Guido Migliozzi of Italy with a 66 and Marcus Armitage of England with a 71, who also shot 66.
