Belgium’s Thomas Detry put on a clinic at Le Golf National, lighting up Round Two with a stunning eight-under-par 63 to claim a share of the lead heading into the weekend at the FedEx Open de France.
Detry’s bogey-free round was the lowest of the week, equaling the 63 he posted during the second round of the Men’s Olympic Golf Competition at the same venue back in August. It seems like Le Golf National just brings out the best in him.
At 31, Detry began the day five shots off the pace, but by the time he’d walked off the 18th green, he had collected four birdies on each side of the course. Not a single mistake in sight.
He now finds himself tied at the top of the leaderboard with Sweden’s Jesper Svensson and England’s Dan Bradbury—setting the stage for an exciting weekend at the FedEx Open de France.
Svensson, who shared the lead after Round One, wasn’t about to let go of his grip on the top spot easily.
His three-under-par 68 kept him in the hunt for a second DP World Tour win. The Swedish rookie already tasted victory earlier this year at the Porsche Singapore Classic in March.
And don’t let his calm demeanour fool you; he’s got that quiet confidence you see in someone who’s hungry for more titles.
Meanwhile, England’s Bradbury had his own moment of magic, sinking a birdie at his final hole—the ninth—to sign for a five-under-par 66.
Like Svensson, the 25-year-old Bradbury is chasing his second win, with his first coming at the Joburg Open in 2022. It looks like experience isn’t the only thing making noise at the top of this leaderboard; youth is showing up in full force.
Not to be forgotten, five golfers are lurking just behind the leaders, tied for fourth place at eight-under-par after 36 holes.
Among them are Denmark’s dynamic duo, Rasmus Højgaard and Thorbjørn Olesen, along with Sweden’s Simon Forsström, England’s Paul Waring, and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti.
Each of these players has the game to challenge for the title over the weekend, making this a wide-open contest.
One of the day’s most heartwarming stories came from Frenchman Grégory Havret, who carded a brilliant five-under-par 66 in what marks his 560th and final DP World Tour appearance.
Havret made the cut by the slimmest of margins after his first-round struggles with a 75, going nine strokes better on Day Two. His emotional final tournament is giving the French crowd plenty to cheer about.
As we head into the weekend, all eyes will be on the top of the leaderboard to see if Detry, Svensson, or Bradbury can hold off the chasing pack.
Whatever happens, Round Two of the FedEx Open de France has set us up for a thrilling finale at Le Golf National.
