FedEx Open de France: Day two digest

Fitzpatrick leads the way, Winther continues Le Golf National birdie run, Perez makes an ace, and Couvra sinks a birdie at the last to make the cut.

Here's what you need to know from day two of the 2026 FedEx Open de France at Le Golf National.

Fitzpatrick makes excellent 18th hole up and down to hold a one shot lead at the halfway stage

Matt Fitzpatrick preserved a flawless scorecard with an excellent up-and-down from the back-left of the 18th green for a bogey-free 64 and a one stroke lead after 36 holes.

The World Number Four made five birdies and an eagle on Friday afternoon before his foot slipped on the 18th fairway and he was left needing to produce a brilliant chip to retain his lead.

"Yeah, the shot itself, we were wondering whether to go for it," he said.

"I was kind of happy to go for it. Took the extra club just to make sure.

"And then as I took my backswing, I felt my right foot slip. So I kind of obviously was then in search for the ball, I kind of throw my right arm and managed to sort of make contact, it's just gone a long way and a long way left.

But, yeah, obviously nice to be in the fairway, be able to have some control on the ball and hit one in close."

Winther continues phenomenal run

Right behind him is Jeff Winther, who is an astonishing 47-under-par combined for his last 14 rounds at Le Golf National. Which, it's worth nothing, is nine strokes better than anyone else in that span.

The Dane finished tied eighth in 2022 and then tied second in both 2023 and 2024, before the event was moved last year while Le Golf National underwent renovations.

The changes didn't matter for Winther, who set the early target with the joint-lowest round of the day, a bogey-free 64.

"I love coming here," he said. "This is one of my favourites of the year. I've got a lot of great memories from here, hitting great shots, making a lot of birdies. It's just trekking along, hitting fairways, hitting greens. And the greens are great.

I think I just love this place too much."

Perez gets hole in one prize with ace!

Victor Perez had a difficult end to his day, but that didn't take away from him producing a highlight of the afternoon.

The Frenchan delighted home fans as he earned the 42,000 euro prize with a hole in one at the 11th hole of Le Golf National, using an 8-iron from 182 yards!

Couvra's final hole birdie to make the cut

Speaking of home talent....

With the cut line at -3, Martin Couvra needed to make a birdie at the hardest hole on Le Golf National to make his way into the weekend at his National Open. There were just 19 birdies recorded all day at the par four 18th, and Couvra's was one of the most important, sinking his putt from 16 feet to make the cut.

Asked how nervous he was during the putt, he responded "Just a little, like the hands shaky, like I didn't see the line, just terrible."

"I think it's one of the most important things for me to play here the weekend. Like it's special to play in France, special to play on this golf course where we had the World Amateur Team Championship, was four years ago here. So, yeah, it was really special for me, and even here part of the French Open."

Michael Kim arrived a bit early for his tee time

Fog was the early story on day two, but defending champion Michael Kim missed the memo. Literally.

Not realising the tee times got pushed back, he arrived a little early, but it was nothing an extra bowl of pasta couldn't fix.

"I didn't realise it got pushed back. I didn't have the notifications on for the European Tour. So I didn't know until after I had lunch. So I got here about 40 minutes early.

But it was still fine, just went for another bowl of pasta. And, yeah, preparation was still good today."

Hole outs

While there were plenty of low scores, there weren't quite as many chips ins as there were on day one of this year's FedEx Open de France.

There were these though. A hole out bunker shot from Thomas Detry, and this chip in eagle from Yuvraj Sandhu!