PARIS (AP) — Matt Fitzpatrick secured a five-shot lead in the French Open after shooting a 6-under 65 on Saturday, aiming for his fourth title of the year. French golfer Tom Vaillant, a two-time winner on the Alps Tour, shot a 67, placing him in second and putting him in the final group with Fitzpatrick for the last round.
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Fitzpatrick started strong, making a 7-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, reaching the green in two on the par-5 third for another birdie, and hitting a wedge to four feet for a birdie on the sixth. He dropped only one shot, recovering at the 18th to finish with a total of 19-under 194.
“I feel like I’m in a position that if I go and shoot a good round tomorrow, then obviously it makes it almost impossible to catch,” Fitzpatrick said. He has previously won the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour, and alongside his brother Alex, they won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. However, he faced disappointment after missing the cut at the British Open and struggling during the PGA Tour postseason.
Eugenio Chacarra of Spain, ranked No. 3 in the Race to Dubai, shot a 62 and is among five players tied for third. Defending champion Michael Kim fell behind after hitting into the water on the final hole, scoring a double bogey and finishing with a 70.
Vaillant expressed gratitude for the support from the home crowd, saying, “It's amazing. Whatever happens tomorrow, it’s something I will never forget — the final group here in French Open. So I’ll just try to enjoy it, and we’ll see what happens.”