Staff WriterAdrien Saddier will have the French galleries firmly behind him this week as he looks to turn red-hot form into silverware at the FedEx Open de France.
The 31-year-old has been riding a wave of consistency in 2025, and he arrives at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche with momentum, confidence, and the small matter of being France’s highest-ranked golfer.
Saddier sits third in the Race to Dubai Rankings after a tie for fifth at the Amgen Irish Open and a heart-breaking play-off loss to Alex Noren at the BMW PGA Championship. Still, the near-miss pushed him to a career-high 78th in the Official World Golf Ranking—an achievement that makes him the flagbearer for French golf heading into his national championship.
“It feels great. Nice place. Family on my side. Exciting week ahead,” Saddier said with the quiet assurance of a man who knows his game is firing. “I think my game was pretty good this season with some great results like last week, and I just showed what I can do on the big stage, and I just look forward to do another good week here in France.”
Back to Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche
This week’s venue brings an added sense of occasion. For the first time since 1982, France’s national open returns to the storied fairways of Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche. Saddier admits it’s unfamiliar territory but relishes the challenge.
“The course is quite nice. Honestly I’ve never been here. This is my first time. It’s a kind of old-style course with tricky fairway, slopy greens. It’s a very good course. I think it will be a challenging week here. I’m not sure the score will be really low.”
Saddier’s not alone in carrying home hopes. Fellow French stars Victor Perez, Matthieu Pavon, Julien Guerrier, David Ravetto, Martin Couvra, and Frederic Lacroix bolster a strong tricolore charge.
Pavon, fresh off his 2024 Farmers Insurance Open victory on the PGA TOUR, will no doubt relish the chance to add another French chapter to his growing resume.
Bradbury Back to Defend
Standing in their way is Englishman Dan Bradbury, who won last year’s edition at Le Golf National. The 25-year-old showed nerves of steel then, closing with three birdies in his last five holes. He returns this week determined to prove it wasn’t a one-off.
“Obviously we’re at a different venue this year. So this does feel a little bit different but saw my picture on the last. We played the back nine this morning. That’s pretty cool. It brings back a few memories,” Bradbury said. “It actually reminds me a little bit of Houghton in Joburg where I won my first event. It’s a little bit shorter, a little bit more tree-lined. Smaller, trickier greens… It’s nice out there.”
Fox Hunting in France
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox—who’s turned 2025 into his personal highlight reel with two PGA TOUR wins—also brings pedigree and perspective.
“I’ve always really enjoyed coming to France. Food, wine, the people are great. The golf courses feel a little bit like home, as well,” Fox said. “I like a golf where, like this week, it feels very old school, tree-lined, tight. And that’s what I grew up on.”
World No. 26 Corey Conners and Australia’s Min Woo Lee add further depth to a field that blends flair, form, and firepower.
Golf with a Cause
Beyond the fairways, the DP World Tour and FedEx Cares are planting roots of their own. The “Eagles for Good” initiative will see at least 500 trees planted nearby in Noisy-le-Roi, with 25 more for every eagle recorded during the tournament. It’s golf with a conscience—proof that even birdies and eagles can leave a greener footprint.
A Defining Week for Saddier
For Adrien Saddier, this week is more than just another tournament. It’s a chance to cement his place among Europe’s elite while playing in front of friends, family, and fans who’ve watched his rise.
The Italian Open champion has finished inside the top 20 here in both 2023 and 2024. A repeat, or better, could see him lock up a spot on the DP World Tour’s grandest stages in 2026.
If recent form is anything to go by, expect the Frenchman to be right there come Sunday, with Parisian air thick with anticipation and perhaps, just perhaps, the sound of La Marseillaise ringing out.
