Golf, if it is to be played properly, is a game that demands much. To play it for a living a man must have talent on top of a soaring ambition, he must learn subtlety as well as power, he must have patience alongside a sense of urgency and, above all else, he must have character.
This must not be confused with personality. The old game allows for many different sorts of personality from the amusingly extrovert, as exampled, say, by Ian Poulter, whose technicolour fashion sense brings vivid colour to The European Tour scene, through to the tranquil, more sepia world of the quiet assassin otherwise known as Retief Goosen.
Whatever else binds together the golfers of Europe it is the forging of this character across many different playing fields that seems to be the most crucial. The Tour's global approach to the game, the siting of venues here, there and everywhere, from the northern hemisphere to far south, was initially viewed as a potential weakness by some critics. It has turned out to be one of the Tour's greatest strengths.
Merely travelling to some of these venues requires fortitude on top of an iron constitution. Flight delays can cut into a golfer's soul just as cruelly as a shot careering unstoppably towards an out of bounds fence. Patience, humour and an ability to sleep in a variety of aircraft seats are attributes learned the hard way. Either that, or a man heads for the ‘Exit’ signs.
Some, of course, do retreat, but the majority who stay and who learn to deal with these demands become better players because of it. Quite probably better people, too.
Much has been made over the last decade or so of the variation in courses and conditions that must be accommodated by European Tour players. Much has been made of it because it should be. It is by adapting to these demands that golfers have become better exponents of the game. In the United States the game is invariably played through the air, the greens are of a uniform character varying only from fast to super fast so that, by and large, the US PGA Tour golfer knows what he may expect wherever he is playing. This, rather monotonously, includes the breakfast menu.
The European player, by contrast, is never quite sure. Oh, the course will be well prepared, the greens cosseted and the fairways neat in state and shape, but everything else may be as different as may be imagined. Climate will vary from blisteringly hot and humid to cool and quite possibly damp, while the ball may have to be imaginatively chipped across terra firma almost as often as it is lofted high into the sky. Imagination, therefore, is the other thing European golfers must develop swiftly. Breakfast menus, meanwhile, are something else again…..
This character on top of a honed imagination was most vividly exhibited by The 2004 European Ryder Cup Team in Detroit. The details of this great contest are carried elsewhere in this book, but suffice to point out here that it was the character of this side, led by perhaps the greatest character of them all, Bernhard Langer, that prevailed at Oakland Hills Country Club. The record 18 1/2 - 9 1/2 victory might have taken just three days but the preparation, in effect, had taken many years and embraced several Continents.
If The Ryder Cup was the glittering highlight of The 2004 European Tour International Schedule, there was much else to admire and to reflect on with pride. Not least, amidst this catalogue of achievement, is the fact that there were 15 first-time winners on the European circuit. Once again the Tour is reinventing itself from within, a comforting thought for those charged with running it.
Germany's Marcel Siem set an early template for these first-timers when he took the dunhill championship after a play-off at Houghton GC, Johannesburg, South Africa, in January. The following month, The European Tour had its first winner from Thailand when Thongchai Jaidee won the Carlsberg Malaysian Open at Saujana GC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sweden's Christopher Hanell was next up when he won the Madeira Island Open at Santo da Serra, Madeira; American Phil Mickelson at last claimed a Major Championship at Augusta National, Georgia, USA, when the Masters Tournament endorsed his already impressive curriculum vitae; Frenchman Christian Cévaër won the Canarias Open de España at Fuerteventura GC, Fuerteventura; and then, as early summer teased in, Scotsman Scott Drummond won the Volvo PGA Championship staged at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England.
Drummond's 19 under par winning total of 269 was sensational stuff but when set against the fact that just a few months earlier the 30 year old had been finding his feet on the European Challenge Tour, then the superlatives become unnecessary. This, to be blunt, no-one could have predicted and yet, in its own way, it revealed the opportunity presented to many rookie players in Europe.
Whether Drummond now goes on to establish himself as a regular winner we shall wait and see. What is clear, however, is that he has the game to do what he wants. Given a break here and there he may well be a star in the making but what is certain is that the victory in the 50th Volvo PGA Championship, and coincidentally the 1000th European Tour tournament, is an inspirational achievement for every other hopeful player.
Just how inspirational, was shown the following week when Simon Khan won The Celtic Manor Wales Open. A couple of years ago Khan, too, was chasing a dream on the lower level Tours and when he lifted the trophy at The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales, he quickly admitted that Drummond’s victory had lifted his spirits hugely. “It is not just thinking ‘if Scott can do it then so can I.’ It’s the injection of greater self-belief that comes from seeing one of the guys you regularly play with do so well in such a big event. Confidence in your own ability is crucial to any sort of success,” said the Englishman.
Of course this logical thought supplies its own circular problem: If you cannot be truly confident until you have won and you cannot win without great self-confidence how does one break this circuitous mould? The answer, as ever, is simple...Just Do It.
Philippe Lima of France did it with his win in the Aa St Omer Open at Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, France, before largely unheralded American Todd Hamilton did it in the greatest style possible in the 133rd Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon GC, Ayrshire, Scotland. A 500/1 outsider when play began in mid July, it would, however, be ludicrous to describe this American as a rookie except in the strictest European Tour sense. The fact is he had stiffened his resolve with a bagful of wins on Far Eastern circuits over a dozen years before arriving in Scotland.
His was a sensational victory, a win carved out of a resolute game plan and a desire that overcame even the hardest stuff that runner-up Ernie Els could throw at him during a play-off that embraced the game's most attractive components, each man playing to the highest standards and in the most impeccable manner. Hamilton, he assures us, will be a frequent visitor to these shores from now on. He will be most welcome.
A fortnight later, one of the most significant wins of the year for Europe came when young Englishman Luke Donald took the Scandinavian Masters by Carlsberg at Barsebäck G&CC, Malmö, Sweden. No-one has ever doubted Donald's pedigree. What one doubted was his attitude to The European Tour. One of the most outstanding college players in American history, his decision to stay in the United States after graduation was the cause of consternation in some quarters.
Even by June it seemed that his reluctance to cross the Atlantic would mean he could not be considered for The Ryder Cup Team, but then wiser counsel prevailed. This advice came from Ken Schofield, the Executive Director of The European Tour, and from Captain Langer, too. So Donald came to Europe, the best decision he has ever made. No sooner had he arrived, he won in Sweden and no sooner had he done that, he won again, this time at Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland, to take the Omega European Masters and clinch his Ryder Cup place. He, too, will be back.
Meanwhile the first-time winners continued with England's David Lynn prevailing in The KLM Open at Hilversumche GC, Hilversum, The Netherlands; another Englishman Gary Emerson being successful in the BMW Russian Open, at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club, Moscow, Russia; and then Stewart Cink of America winning the World Golf Championship - NEC Invitational that was once again staged at the testing Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio, USA. Huge approval, too, for Stephen Gallacher, nephew of former European Ryder Cup Captain Bernard, when he won the dunhill links championship over the Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns in his native Scotland; and South African Richard Sterne, who won the Open de Madrid at Club de Campo, Madrid, Spain, to not only claim his maiden European Tour title, but also guarantee his playing privileges for 2005. A truly gutsy performance from the 23 year old.
The WGC events are, in some way, the next best thing to a Major Championship, which will be of some small consolation to Tiger Woods who suffered a strangely muted year illuminated by his victory in the WGC-Accenture Match Play at La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, California, USA. Els, too, was more than slightly pleased when he won the WGC-American Express Championship at Mount Juliet Conrad, Thomastown, Co, Kilkenny, Ireland, after a frustratingly close tilt during each of the year's Major Championships. That victory, in addition to winning the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne GC, Victoria, Australia, in February, helped take the South African to Number Two on the Official World Golf Ranking, ahead of Woods at last, but, at that time, behind European Tour Honorary Member Vijay Singh. However, his pursuit of the Number One spot once again gathered pace on his favourite course – the West at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England – where for a record sixth time he won the HSBC World Match Play Championship.
It was during two of the recognised career-defining Major Championship weeks that two European Tour stalwarts acquitted themselves brilliantly. Firstly, Goosen won his second US Open Championship title after a typically calm last round that was played out against the most vicious of winds sweeping in off the Atlantic at Shinnecock Hills GC, Southampton, New York, USA. Two weeks later, Goosen went on to win the Smurfit European Open at The K Club, Dublin, Ireland. Then Singh won his second US PGA Championship, and third Major title, with a superbly controlled performance across the spectacular Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, USA. Suddenly Tiger, for Vijay, was toast.
The year's multiple winners were led by Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, who won the Johnnie Walker Classic at the Alpine G&SC, Bangkok, Thailand; the Algarve Open de Portugal Caixa Geral de Depositos at Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort, Portugal; the BMW Asian Open at Tomson Shanghai Pudong GC, Shanghai, China; and finally the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Nord-Eichenried, Munich, Germany, as well as a smattering of applause for his pony-tail. Seriously this was a serious year for the Spaniard who found the fast lane again by returning to Europe as he climbed from outside the top 200 in the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 20. Jiménez had played in 45 events on the US PGA Tour between 2000 and 2002 and fallen to 255th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Back on The European Tour International Schedule, he opened the door again to all the Major Championships and the World Golf Championships - climbing to 17th in the Ranking by the end of the season. Indeed it was another record breaking season for European Tour Members with, following Ian Poulter’s win in the Volvo Masters Andalucia at Club de Golf Valderrama, no fewer than 20 earning places in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking - the likes of Luke Donald, Joakim Haeggman, David Howell, Thomas Levet and Nick O’Hern in addition to Jiménez moving from outside the World Top 100 to inside the top 50 and, significantly, through points gained in Europe.
Sergio Garcia, beaten in a play-off for the Volvo Masters Andalucia, enjoyed being back on Spanish soil as two weeks earlier he won the Mallorca Classic at Pula Golf Club on the island of Majorca.
Young South African Trevor Immelman cemented his reputation by firstly defending his title in the South African Airways Open at his home Erinvale GC, Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa, and then winning the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe at St Leon-Rot, Heidelberg, Germany; while Ireland's Padraig Harrington won the season-opening Omega Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong GC, Hong Kong, and the Linde German Masters at Gut Lärchenhof, Cologne, Germany.
Elsewhere familiar names came out to play and win. These were: England’s Brian Davis (ANZ Championship at the Horizons Golf Resort, Port Stephens, Australia); Mark O'Meara of the United States (Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates GC, Dubai); Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman (Qatar Masters at Doha GC, Qatar); Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie (Caltex Masters, presented by Carlsberg at Laguna National G&CC, Singapore); Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez (Open de Sevilla at Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Spain); Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (61st Telecom Italia Open at Castello di Tolcinasco G&CC, Milan, Italy); Barry Lane of England (The Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters at the Marriott Forest of Arden, Warwickshire, England); fellow Englishman Miles Tunnicliff (Diageo Championship at Gleneagles at The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland); Jean-Francois Remesy of France (Open de France at Le Golf National, Paris, France); another Frenchman Thomas Levet (The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, Glasgow, Scotland); Australian Brett Rumford (Nissan Irish Open at Co Louth GC, Baltray, Drogheda, Ireland); and Henrik Stenson (The Heritage at Woburn G&CC, Buckinghamshire, England).
Along the way there were 31 holes-in-one and six albatrosses. This, by way of further commendation, is a record, while 21 course records were either broken or equalled and Els took his number of cuts made to 55, a sequence that began in 2000.
These statistics are impressive, no doubt about that, but what they also show is not just the level of play on the current European Tour but the character and determination of the players. Travel, be assured, does not just broaden the mind.
Bill Elliott
Reproduced by kind permission of The European Tour Yearbook 2005
