FedEx Open de France 2024 Preview, Picks & Analysis

The French Open takes place at Le Golf National this week and takes on extra significance as it is the penultimate mainstream event of the regular DP World Tour season. 

The players head to Spain next week for the Andalucia Masters. It will be followed by the Genesis Championship in South Korea, which is jointly sanctioned with the PGA Tour and will feature a restricted field.

So this is a big week for many players, some of whom will be looking to confirm their positions at the top of the Race to Dubai as they eye a prized PGA Tour card. 

But for others it is last-chance saloon territory as they aim to retain their playing privileges. Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard have no such concerns. Nicolai was one of those who claimed a PGA Tour card for 2024 after his victory at the DP World Tour Championship and Rasmus is certain to follow his twin brother.

The pair have won eight titles on the DP World Tour between them since bursting on to the scene in 2019, one year after representing Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup in Paris.

Rasmus, who came close to winning here last year, claimed his fifth DP World Tour title at the Irish Open at Royal County Down recently, while Nicolai will be returning to Le Golf National having represented Denmark in the Men’s Golf Competition in this Summer’s Paris Olympics, finishing seventh.

They will also be joined by Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who represented Belgium at the Olympic Games, Italian Matteo Manassero, who is the youngest winner in DP World Tour history, and Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin. There will also be a strong home presence, including Matthieu Pavon, Victor Perez and the DP World Tour’s most recent French winner Frederic Lacroix.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Also teeing it up will be major champions Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari and Danny Willett, and 2013 FedExCup winner Billy Horschel, as the 2024 Race to Dubai nears an exciting conclusion.

"I had a fantastic experience representing Denmark at the Olympic Games so it’s nice to have the opportunity to go back to Le Golf National so quickly." said Nicolai. "I got a lot out of that week and I’m hopeful that I can make even more of an impression next month."

"I’m looking forward to returning to Le Golf National," said Rasmus, who finished runner-up at the Open de France in 2022 and fourth last year. "It’s a venue where I’ve come close in the past and I’d love to get over the line this time around.

"The course is a tough test of golf and there’s a lot of excitement out there. It should be another great week."

"I’m really excited to get back to Le Golf National in October," said Rose. "It’ll actually be my first time back at the course since that incredible Ryder Cup week, so I’m looking forward to getting re-acquainted with the venue. I have some wonderful memories of that week and it’ll be great to return to Paris later this year." 

Rose is sure to start as one of the favourites after enjoying a return to form in 2024, including a runner-up finish at The Open Championship at Troon.

It is easy to forget what he has achieved during a wonderful career. He won gold for Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the US Open in 2013 and five years later won the PGA Tour’s season-long FedEx Cup as he joined a small list of players who have won the season-long standings on both sides of the Atlantic, following his Order of Merit victory on the DP World Tour in 2007. 

Four of Rose’s 11 DP World Tour victories have been national opens, adding the Scottish Open, Hong Kong Open and two Turkish Opens to his US Open success. 

The 43-year-old won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last year - his first victory in four years - and then earned a Captain’s Pick from Luke Donald for the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone as he helped Europe regain the famous trophy. 

Twelve months ago, Ryo Hisatsune became only the third Japanese winner in DP World Tour history as a brilliant back nine of 30 saw him lift the trophy. He entered the final day four shots off the lead and did not look a likely winner as he turned in level par at Le Golf National.

But three birdies in four holes to start the back nine put him in a share of the lead and he added two more at the 15th and 17th to sign for a 66 and finish at 14 under, two shots clear of England's Jordan Smith and Dane Jeff Winther.

Rasmus Hojgaard finished on 11 under, one clear of Austria's Lukas Nemecz and two ahead of home favourite Julien Brun, Japan's Kazuki Higa, South Korean Tom Kim and German Yannik Paul.

The oldest national open on Continental Europe, this year marks the 106th edition of the Open de France. Past champions include Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Byron Nelson and Walter Hagen.

The tournament occupies a prime position on the DP World Tour’s ‘Back 9’, which encompasses nine of the Tour’s most historic tournaments and national opens, giving members their final opportunities to secure playing rights for 2025 and also advance to the season ending ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Bernd Wiesberger, in 2016 by Thongchai Jade, in 2017 by Tommy Fleetwood, in 2018 by Alex Noren, in 2019 by Nicolas Colsaerts, in 2022 by Guido Migliozzi and last year by Ryo Hisatsune.

The Course:

Le Golf National is a magnificent par 71 that measures 7,247 yards. It features plenty of natural spectator areas, proper rough, narrow fairways, water hazards, and well-protected undulating greens. This is a real test.

Form Guide:

Billy Horschel is enjoying a wonderful run of form, winning the BMW PGA Championship in sensational fashion, and he clearly loves competing in Europe. Rasmus Hojgaard made a good run at this title 12 months ago and won the Irish Open and it would be a surprise if he does not contend this week.

To Win:

Rasmus Hojgaard. Loves this course

Each Way:

Billy Horschel. In superb form

Each Way:

Nicolai Hojgaard. Would love to go head to head with his brother

Five to Follow:

Rasmus Hojgaard. Has had a terrific year

Billy Horschel. Wondrous short game

Nicolai Hojgaard. Has moved to a different level

Matthieu Pavon. Having the year of his life

Thriston Lawrence. A top-10 machine