Michael Kim expecting 'intimidating' Le Golf National test on title defence in France

Michael Kim is preparing for a step up in challenge as he makes his first defence of a DP World Tour title at the FedEx Open de France.

The American won Continental Europe's oldest national open on his debut last year at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche, while course renovations took place at long-time host venue Le Golf National.

But after a near two-year transformation, driven by the construction of the Grand Paris Express metro project, the historic tournament returns to the venue of the 2018 Ryder Cup and 2024 Olympic Games golf competitions.

Since it last staged France's national open, the Albatros course at Le Golf National has undergone a redesign to holes four, five and six, while remodelled greens, bunkers and a new championship tee on the 15th form part of further enhancements.

Perhaps best known for its lake-strewn closing stretch, Kim is in no doubt that he will have to be at his best at a venue where he sees parallels to the PGA West Stadium Course, host of The American Express on the PGA Tour.

"First time here," he said at his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday. "Obviously watched it for the Ryder Cup in '18. I remember some of those shots that I saw on TV.

"I really like it. It's going to be a little tougher than last year at Saint-Nom. But the course kind of reminded me of a course I grew up playing a lot, the Stadium Course where they host the Amex.

"But if you pull it off, I feel like you can make some birdies."

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He added: "There's just a lot of intimidating shots with the water. There's nothing hidden. It's just the water is staring right at you, usually on one side of the fairway.

"So controlling my misses, making sure I keep my golf ball dry and trying to have as many birdie putts as I can. Hopefully it will be good from there."

Kim produced a birdie-birdie-par finish, getting up and down from a greenside bunker at the last to win by one shot from France's Jeong weon Ko and Australia's Elvis Smylie last year.

By doing so, he ended a seven-year worldwide wait for victory and became the second American winner of the FedEx Open de France since it first appeared on the DP World Tour schedule after Barry Jaeckel in 1972.

The victory, followed soon after by a top ten at the inaugural DP World India Championship, helped him qualify for the DP World Tour Play-Offs as he reached a career-high 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking after the DP World Tour Championship last November.

Reflecting on the boost his French success provided, he said: "Anytime you feel like you have a chance to win a tournament, it can be pretty rare, and you remember the moments when you have a chance like that and you step up and you actually do it.

"That's a massive confidence boost. And hopefully I have a chance again this year and produce the same or very similar results."

While the PGA Tour is the focus for the America-based 33-year-old over the remainder of the year, jockeying for position through the FedExCup Fall, he is determined to continue to broaden his horizons by competing internationally through the DP World Tour going forward.

"I always enjoy coming back, playing the DP World Tour. Obviously last week I wish I was at Wentworth, but I'm still playing for a bit of position on the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour," he said,

"But I think I've always wanted to be a world-travelling player. I absolutely want to play this one again, the Korea tournament [Genesis Championship] on the DP World Tour. I think that's the last one of the regular season. I just have a prior commitment; I can't go this year. But that's one I absolutely want to play.

"I'd love to go back to India [for the DP World India Championship] again. I thoroughly enjoyed that last year.

"There are way more interesting, unique courses on the DP World Tour that I would love to check out.

"For the most part, I enjoy going to new places and seeing different countries. So in the future, I'll be over here for sure."