Jean Van de Velde
Name:
Jean Van de VeldeCountry:
FranceBorn:
May 29, 1966 in Mont-de-Marsan, Aquitaine, France.Original/Home Club:
Mont de Marsan GC, Saint-Avit.Occupation:
Professional golfer; television commentator; UNICEF ambassador.Turned Pro:
1987 (+2 hcp)Ryder Cup player (1999). French Youths champion (1985, '86); French Amateur champion (1986). European Tour wins (2).
Van de Velde enjoyed an excellent amateur career, twice winning the French Youths title (1985, '86) and the French Amateur Championship (1986). He turned professional in 1987 and joined the European Tour for his rookie season in 1989. His first win came in 1993.
The defining moments in his career came in the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. Needing no worse than a double-bogey six to seal victory at the final hole, the would-be French victor imploded with some serious course management errors. He took seven. Compounding mistake upon mistake, he hit a wayward driver, then clattered into a spectator grandstand going for the green in two. His third was hacked into the Barry Burn from deep rough. After a bare foot paddle in the Burn, he reluctantly took a penalty drop (four), hit the ball into a greenside bunker (five) and finished with a sand save from the bunker (six & seven). He subsequently lost out to Scotland's Paul Lawrie in a three-way playoff that also included Justin Leonard (USA). It should be said that Van de Velde heroically took the defeat on the chin, and cheerily moved on.
Europe
CGD
Played as the Madeira Island Open Caixa Geral de Depositos (March 23-26). Second-placed Lee Slattery (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Van de Velde (Fra), who recorded his first European Tour win since the Roma Masters in 1993. [Santo da Serra GC, Machico, Madeira].
Europe
x
Played as the Roma Masters (April 15-18). First-time European Tour winner Van de Velde (Fra) beat Greg Turner (NZ) with a par at the third playoff hole. [Castelgandolfo CC, nr Rome, Italy].
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
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Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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