Pavon fait sensation sur les verts : une nouvelle ère pour le golf français ?
Matthieu Pavon makes history with victory at Farmers Insurance Open
French golfer Matthieu Pavon claimed victory at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday, creating a historical and unprecedented achievement for French golf on the PGA circuit in the modern era. Pavon, 31, won the tournament in only his third appearance on the North American professional circuit, having joined the PGA Tour this season after securing fifth place at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai at the end of last year.
« I’m speechless, it’s incredible, I feel like there’s still one more round to go tomorrow (Sunday), » he said, with a trembling voice, in an interview with CBS Sports. « This is the biggest moment of my career. I’ve dreamed of it since I was a child. It has been a long journey. I waited seven years on the European Tour to secure my first victory, and here I am winning in America. It’s just exceptional. »
Pavon’s victory is the first for a French golfer on the PGA circuit in 117 years, according to the PGA Tour’s X account (formerly known as Twitter). The son of footballer Michel Pavon, who played for Toulouse, Montpellier, and Bordeaux, Pavon’s victory adds to the success of French golf, following Céline Boutier’s exceptional 2023 season, which saw her claim her first major tournament victory at Evian and finish in third place in the world rankings. The French golfers will have the opportunity to shine at home during the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11).
« It is one of my goals this year to qualify and represent my country in Paris. You could say it’s off to a good start, » Pavon said with a smile during a press conference.
On Saturday, Matthieu Pavon carded a 69 (3 under par) for a total score of 275, finishing one stroke ahead of Danish golfer Nicolai Hojgaard and two strokes ahead of German golfer Stephan Jaeger, American players Jake Knapp and Nate Lashley. Pavon secured his victory in a thrilling finale in California, starting the final day in second place, one stroke behind Jaeger.
Playing in the final group, Pavon had a superb start (-3 under par after nine holes, including four birdies) to take the lead and hold a two-shot advantage over his competitors as he approached the 16th hole (par 3). However, he encountered some trouble in a bunker. After an average sand shot, a long and superb putt enabled him to salvage par. Unfortunately, he followed it with a bogey on a missed short putt on the 17th hole (par 4), entering the 18th and final hole with just a one-shot lead, under pressure from Nicolai Hojgaard, playing in the same group.
Pavon had a difficult start on the final hole of the weekend, finding himself in the rough. However, he showed great resilience with his third shot and sank the subsequent putt for a victorious birdie on the par 5 hole. The golfer from Southwestern France concludes a magnificent January, having finished 7th at the tournament in Hawaii in mid-January, his first PGA Tour event. He had previously won his first European Tour event in October 2023 in Madrid.
« That title proved to me that I was capable of great things. It gave me confidence. With my team, we are doing everything necessary to be competitive at the highest level, » Pavon stated. « I had almost no pressure coming to North America. It’s just an opportunity. If I fail, I can return to Europe and start over. I appreciate every moment here; they are precious. »
With this victory, the French golfer, ranked 78th in the world before this week’s tournament, will receive a significant boost in the rankings and has secured entry into the prestigious tournaments of the season
