Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry share a first name and a close friendship and on Sunday the pair were also sharing that winning feeling after an historic day for Belgian golf.
The pair had been sending each other messages of encouragement throughout the week and both were celebrating on Sunday night after respective victories at Made in Denmark on the European Tour and the Bridgestone Challenge on the Challenge Tour.
Pieters, who won his third European Tour title at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, underlined his Ryder Cup credentials to Team Europe Captain Darren Clarke with an impressive birdie at the last to seal a one-shot win.
Meanwhile Detry, who studied with Pieters at the University of Illinois, made Challenge Tour history at Heythrop Park Resort with a 12 shot victory, breaking the record for the largest winning margin set at 10 shots by European Tour winner Brooks Koepka in 2013.
As both players reflected on their impressive victories, they each credited one another’s influence, and the significance the day will have for Belgian golf.
“I think this must be history,” said 24 year old Pieters.
“First Challenge Tour and European Tour winners from Belgium in the same day. We only have two guys on the European Tour and one or two on the Challenge Tour.
“He's one of my best friends, as well. So for him to win today by, what, 12 shots, mind-blowing, isn't it? I only won by one, but that's okay.
“I texted him this morning and I said, ‘let's make it double.’ I also called our coach in the States Friday night, just because I was having some trouble with the attention for The Ryder Cup.
“It hadn't gotten to me, but yesterday and the day before it kind of got to me, because it was so much. Everybody was talking about it, and I just didn't really have a way to get out of there.”
Detry was similarly excited by the pair’s dual achievement.
“It is amazing,” said 23 year old Detry. “Last night we were texting each other saying ‘let’s do this, let’s win this for us, for our coach back home and our coach back in the United States’. It is awesome and we get along very well and it is really cool that we have both won today.”
