No matter what his final score this week, The European Open will be a hugely significant milestone in the career of Peter Fowler as he makes his 500th European Tour appearance at The London Golf Club.
Fowler, whose first appearance on The European Tour was at the 1983 Jersey Open, becomes the 17th player in Tour history to pass 500 appearances, a formidable landmark that Fowler himself describes as “an achievement for longevity and hard work.”
Having turned professional in his native Australia in 1977, Fowler embarked on a career that has seen three defined stages so far, from his early successes to a loss of confidence and form to a return to The European Tour where he has been competing at the highest level for the past eight seasons.
The highlights of Fowler’s time on the world’s fairways are his three global victories at the 1983 Australian Open, the 1989 World Cup of Golf (Individual title) and the 1993 BMW International Open, where he overwhelmed the likes of Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam with a superb final round of nine under par 63 to secure his only European Tour victory to date.
“That win was probably the biggest the highlight,” said the 48 year old. “I played pretty well for the first three rounds but was still four or five behind and finished with a 63.
“I played fantastic. I hit every par five in two, hit the flag on nine and finished a couple of feet away for an eagle there, rolled in a few birdies. It was a pure day. I played with Joakim Haeggman. It was memorable as I beat Woosie by a couple of shots and Langer and Lyle were at the top then so I got ahead of them.”
Fowler was one of The European Tour’s consistent players in the early days of his career, finishing in the top 50 on the Order of Merit every season between 1986 and 1991. He lost his way not long after that stunning BMW International Open victory, but the fact that he managed to battle his way back to the top level gives his 500th appearance even more relevance.
“Around the mid 90s I didn’t think I would be back so it is nice to be here for my 500th event,” smiled Fowler.
“It would be nice to have 500 wins but…It’s an achievement for longevity and hard work. It is a competitive business out there so it shows I can stay up there. I’m glad to be out here playing and it’s nice to be celebrating my 500th event at a tournament as big as The European Open.”
