Tour winner announces retirement from golf

“I started there and to finish there 27 years later, its an amazing achievement. I’m pretty proud of it.”

And so he should be.

This week at the French Open, the DP World Tour is waving goodbye to one of its cherished veterans.

Gregory Havret has confirmed his 560th start at his national open will be his last on the European circuit. The 47-year-old with the most elegant of swings ends his career with three tour victories, two of which came in Scotland.

Havret’s most notable win came in the Scottish Open, where he defeated none other than Phil Mickelson in a playoff at Loch Lomond. At the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach, Havret came so close to winning a maiden major as he finished just one shot behind Graeme McDowell’s winning score.

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There are clearly no regrets, however.

Havret reflected on his career during a poignant walk-and-talk with close friend and playing partner Nicolas Colsaerts as he battled to make the cut at Le Paris National.

“It’s a lot of emotions, for sure,” he told Colsaerts. “I’ve been through many things. I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it. Its a lot of emotions coming up to my brain. I feel free. I feel good. Its quite something.”

And his finish on Friday in the fading light to delay the end of his DP World Tour career was quite something, too.

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Havret followed his first round 75 with an inspired second round 66 at the former Ryder Cup venue, nailing a nerve-shredding four footer for par on the 18th to make the cut on the number at minus one. A fistbump and a beaming smile showed just what it meant to go out on a high.

Tour golf has all Havret has known for almost three decades. So what’s next when the final putt does eventually drop on Sunday? More golf, of course.

In his interview with Colsaerts, he has revealed that he plans to work more closely with the French Golf Federation. Havret hopes to develop a talent who is capable of finally ending his nation’s major drought in the men’s game.

“I will be in charge of the male high profile stars, top guns as they say from eight, nine, ten years old until they turn pro,” he explained.

“Until university, French teams from 16 to 20, and I will put my DNA on their project. I will be helping their coach to build something that has a chance to reach what we want. What we want is top 20 in the world. Some majors. Last French (male player) who won a major was 1907 (Arnaud Massey). We feel its possible to change that.

“I just love it, honestly I’m very happy and that’s why I’m thinking this is my last one.”

And that, in reality, is all you can ask for.