Never has a French golfer won a tournament on the prestigious American circuit. On only his third attempt, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, 30, won the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday, on the very selective South Course at Torrey Pines, in San Diego. With a score of -13, he is ahead of some of the best in the world and ensures a golden future on the biggest stages of international golf.
Matthieu Pavon made golf history this Saturday by becoming the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour. On the very selective South Course at Torrey Pines, in San Diego, the 30-year-old from Bordeaux won the Farmers Insurance Open. It was only his third tournament of the year on the prestigious American circuit which he joined full time at the start of the season.
Co-leader at the start of the last round, Pavon, despite a bogey from hole no. 1, following a throw into a bunker, kept at bay the German Stefan Jaeger who shared his game by showing himself uncompromising on the ‘go thanks to four birdies on holes n°4, 6, 8 and 9.
On the return, he made a series of pars thanks to miraculous saves, like on the 14th where his second shot that was too long put him in a delicate position, in the rough below the green. A marvel of chip, reversed hands, allowed him to save the 4. On the 16, it was a bunker exit followed by a 7m putt, the seventh putt at this distance or more since the start of the tournament, which remained in the lead with two shots in advance.