Levet Joins Exclusive 500-Club On European Tour

Thomas Levet celebrated his longevity in the game when he teed it up at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday at Emirates Golf Club for his 500th appearance in a European Tour event.

The Frenchman, who became the 24th golfer to reach the milestone, was presented with an engraved silver Thomas Lyte ice bucket by Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, and European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady, after he competed his first round at Emirates Golf Club.

“It feels like I’m still in my first year on Tour. I have got a bit more experience now but it’s going so quickly. I remember playing here in Dubai when there was nothing at all,” said Levet, who shot a four-under 68 in the first round.

“From the airport you could see the golf course, and now you have all these towers behind the range and there are towers from here to the airport which is about 25 kilometers.

“That’s something crazy. I’ve seen a lot of cities and countries and the growth of the game, as well, and it’s quite impressive.”

Levet has no plans to hang up his clubs just yet. “Of course, as long as I’m healthy and I keep my card on Tour, I’ll be here trying to compete with the young guys,” he said. “Some of them have mothers younger than me, which is sometimes difficult!

Born in Paris on September 5, 1968, the supremely durable Levet won his sixth European Tour title in July 2011 when he triumphed at the Alstom Open de France by one stroke from Englishman Mark Foster and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen.

Recalling the last of his victory in in Paris, Levet said: “It was one of the most pleasant wins I’ve had.
“If you win a big tournament, it’s because your game is big. If you win a small one, it’s because your game is good for the small one, and you have to be proud of every victory you have, because there are not too many of them,” said Levet.

The Frenchman’s first event was the 1986 Peugeot Open de France, when he was still an amateur, and his first professional appearance was in the 1989 Open Renault de Baleares.

Since then the 44 year old has carved out a hugely successful career, winning six times on The European Tour – the most by a Frenchman – and helping Europe to Ryder Cup glory at Oakland Hills in 2004. He came close to winning The 131st Open Championship at Muirfield in 2002 but lost out after a four-way play-off in which Ernie Els defeated Levet, Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington.

 

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Jan 31, 2013

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