Look Who Pulled a Van de Velde in France

By Thomas Bonk

June 30, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Jean Van de Velde just won’t let anyone forget about him, which makes the swashbuckling, 39-year-old Frenchman a colorful figure, win or lose. Usually, Van de Velde falls into the lose category, probably because he produced one of the most famous collapses in history, at the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie, when he made a triple-bogey seven on the 72nd hole, knocking his third shot into a creek, and wound up losing in a playoff.

Last week at the French Open, his country’s national championship, Van de Velde was at it again. He led by one with one hole to go but knocked his ball into the water at Le Golf National near Paris, made a bogey, fell into a playoff, played the 18th hole again -- and this time hit his approach into the water, made a triple-bogey seven, and lost to countryman Jean-Francois Remesy, who won with a double bogey.

But just as he accepted defeat with aplomb at Carnoustie, Van de Velde was not crestfallen this time either, probably because he feels fortunate just to be playing again.

After falling to 709th in the rankings and enduring two knee operations, Van de Velde may be on the right track again. He has earned a trip to St. Andrews for the British Open, the tournament that defined him six years ago.

He charmed everyone, standing by the door to the interview room and greeting reporters as they entered. He smiled and joked and filled notebooks with colorful quotes, such as when he spoke of his job as the head pro at Euro Disney: “I basically have to test all the rides and go around with all the costumed characters and take photos with them.... First it’s Minnie, then it’s Mickey.”

If Van de Velde can somehow capture his usual form, the Old Course may turn out to be one huge roller coaster ride.

After a year’s absence, Ian Woosnam will be playing in the British Open at St. Andrews, surviving 36-hole qualifying at Sunningdale Golf Club in England.

“Now I’ve just got to get the right amount of clubs in the bag,” Woosnam said.

He was referring to the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham, where he was tied for the lead with 17 holes to play but wound up third after receiving a two-shot penalty for having 15 clubs in his bag, one over the limit.

Tom Pernice and Geoff Ogilvy had the low scores in British Open qualifying at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., where Duffy Waldorf and Robert Allenby also qualified.

It might turn out to be a noteworthy week for Tiger Woods, who needs to earn $56,974 at the Western Open to pass $50 million in his career. Woods has averaged $400,000 in 12 events this year. Vijay Singh is the only other player with more than $40 million.

Jack Nicklaus made $5.7 million in 44 years on the PGA Tour. Singh has made $5.6 million this year.

U.S. Open champion Birdie Kim is 23, and her $560,000 winning check from Cherry Hills represents 87.52% of her career earnings.

She tied for second with fellow amateur Morgan Pressel at the U.S. Open, but Brittany Lang is changing her status right away. Lang, 19, will turn pro and play in next week’s Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, as will Pressel and Kim.

Lang is leaving Duke after a sophomore season in which she helped the team to the NCAA women’s title. Last year, Lang was the NCAA Division I freshman of the year.

When does 2006 start? If it’s the European Tour, it starts in 2005, in November -- there are three tournaments in China and two in South Africa to kick off the new/same year, according to the tour schedule released this week. To complete the globe-trotting, the World Cup will be played in Portugal between the tournaments in China and South Africa.

Gary Player, 69, shot better than his age for the second time this year on the Champions Tour, with a 68 at the Bank of America Championship at Concord, Mass. ... Padraig Harrington’s second PGA Tour victory, his come-from-behind victory at the Barclays Classic (after missing the cut his two previous weeks at the Booz Allen and the U.S. Open), moved him back into the top 10 in the official world rankings, to No. 8. Harrington began the year ranked sixth. ... It was also a good week for Dean Wilson, who was sixth at the Barclays and made $207,000, the biggest payday of his career. Wilson’s previous claim to fame was that he was Annika Sorenstam’s playing partner at the Colonial in 2003. He said they still stay in contact. “We talk every once in a while. It seems like every time she wins, I congratulate her. That’s every other week.” ... The Masters contributed $3.4 million to golf programs and charity from the proceeds of this year’s tournament, with $1 million earmarked for the First Tee program.

This week

PGA TOUR:

Western Open

* When: Today-Sunday.

* Where: Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, Dubsdread Course (7,326 yards, par 71); Lemont, Ill.

* Purse: $5 million. Winner’s share: $900,000.

* TV: USA (Friday-Saturday, 4-6 p.m., delayed) and Channel 7 (Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.).

* 2004 winner: Stephen Ames.

* Next week: John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill.

LPGA TOUR: HSBC Women’s

World Match Play Championship

* When: Today-Sunday.