Michael Kim Breaks Two Losing Streaks At Open De France

This past weekend, the DP World Tour saw the Open De France take place.  This season was Michael Kim’s first in the European circuit, since he won’t be in the Ryder Cup.  Although it wasn’t his first event in the circuit, it did mark his first victory not only on this tour but also in seven years.  With this victory in France, he also marked a historic moment for American golfers playing in Europe.

American And The Open De France

The European golf tournament has not been too kind to American players over the years.  Since the event’s inception, there have been only three other American victors since 1920.  Starting with Walter Hagen in 1920, notable players included Byron Nelson in 1955 and Barry Jaekel in 1972.  Each victory has been decades apart, with the longest stretch only being broken by Michael Kim’s victory.  After 53 years, Michael Kim not only broke his own losing streak but the American losing streak as well.

Kim On His Victory

Michael Kim’s victory came in a massive clutch on the last hole of the tournament.  His drive landed him close to the green, but in a bunker.  His next two shots had the crowd on their toes as they started getting excited with how close victory came until he finished the hole in just three shots.  When asked how it felt to win, Kim had this to say:

“It’s fantastic. I always wanted to be a player that plays on the international stage, not just on the PGA TOUR, and I feel like this is a fantastic start to that career,” Kim told reporter Matthew Joule.  

When Kim was asked why he decided to join the DP World Tour, he answered with this.

“I had a very nice season on the PGA Tour. I can’t improve my status too much in the fall, and like I said, I’ve always wanted to play international tournaments on the DP World Tour. Everyone talks about how great Wentworth is and how great this tournament is. I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to come out here. Yeah, I’m super grateful and happy that I did decide to come here.”

Michael Kim’s last victory was the 2018 John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour.  Since then, Kim has come close several times with thirteen top ten finishes on the PGA Tour alone.  Now the streak has been broken on two fronts.

Michael Kim On The DP World Tour

Last week, Michael Kim missed the cut for the BMW PGA Championship.  Now he claimed his first victory in seven years, and the first for an American in over fifty years.  When asked if he will continue to play for the European tour, Kim told Joule that he is aiming for Abu Dhabi this year, and that he now has enough points to get in.  When he was asked if he would play as a defending champion next year, Kim stated that it was still up in the air.  Kim has a lot of plans for 2026, including playing with LeBron James.  He does want to make a return and will be doing what he can to play the part.  Until then, Michael Kim remains victorious with a massive win for his career and as an entry in golf history.