France's Grégory Havret wrapped up his DP World Tour career with a one-under-par 70 as he played his 560th and last event at the 2024 FedEx Open de France.
A three-time winner on the Tour, and runner-up at the 2010 U.S. Open, 47-year-old Havret is bringing the curtain down on his illustrious playing career to take up a role with the French Golf Federation.
He made the cut right on the line at one under after a 66 on Friday, back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th followed by critical par putts at the final two holes.
A 72 on Saturday left him level par for the week, which drifted to two over with dropped shots at the second and seventh.
After a birdie and a bogey either side of the turn, another sparkling run of three straight birdies took him back under par.
He put his tee shot to four feet at the 11th and his approach to two at the next, and holed a six-footer at the 13th.
After completing a textbook par at the last with tears in his eyes, he reflected on his career with the DP World Tour "family" as well as remembering his late father.
“My father would be, trust me, really proud. He passed away 12, 13 years ago. It’s a huge mix of emotions, this is a huge family.
“I have obviously my blood family – my kids, my wife, mother, brothers, I’ve been thinking a lot about them, and my father obviously who’s somewhere up there.”
Among French players, only Raphaël Jacquelin has played more DP World Tour events, 681, with Havret level with Thomas Levet on 560 since his debut at the 1997 Trophee Lancome.
Havret entered the winner's circle for the first time at the 2001 Atlanet Italian Open, repeating the feat at the 2007 Barclays Scottish Open and adding another win on Scottish soil the following year at the 2008 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The second of those titles, in a play-off against six-time Major Champion Phil Mickelson, figured highly among his favourite memories.
Top of the pile, though, was Pebble Beach in 2010, when he partnered – and outscored – Tiger Woods in the final round but was pipped by a single stroke by champion Graeme McDowell.
He said: “I’m always in between the win in Scotland, against Mickelson, in 07, the Scottish Open, because we have the trophy in the end, and of course that second spot at the U.S. Open in 2010 was something, playing with Tiger in the final round at Pebble Beach.
“A win is a win, but I would say the U.S. Open one because this is the last round my father saw me play, he passed away a few months later. Having him, this memory, Tiger Woods, Pebble Beach, having a chance with a six-footer on the last to force a play-off maybe, was something. So yeah, I would say that day was the one.
“I’ve loved every minute. We had quite a big dinner Tuesday night and it’s just a big family, we had so many good dinners and chats. Stopping that, it’s a little bit hard for me right now, but I enjoyed it so much.
“I can’t stop at a better moment. I feel free, I’m totally happy with it, and I don’t regret anything.
"We turn the page, it’s a new chapter - but that chapter was good.”
