Gregory Havret - A French Golfer Rises Above the Fray
Just before going into the final round at the 2010 US Open, Gregory Havret updated his facebook status:
"merci a tous.. sincerement, je ne sais pas trop a quoi m attendre, ce qui est sur c est que je me donnerai comme jamais jusqu au dernier shot, j espere vs faire vibrer autant que je vibre!! bises"
In other words;
"Thank you everyone. I don't really know what to expect, but what I do know, for sure, is that I'm going to give it everything I've got till the last shot. I hope I'll make this as exciting for you as it is for me."
Oh, and, "kisses". He added "kisses" which probably seems odd to the average American but.. cultural nuance... not to a Frenchman.
At that point Greg was getting ready to meet Tiger Woods, his playing partner for the final round. There were multiple comments from Facebook friends with whimsical French names: "Aller Greg!" and "Vas y Greg ! On est avec toi!!" ... and one from me: "Go Greg!!!!" ~ And in the end Greg was prodigious.
Dustin Johnson... who held the lead going into the final round and had the kind of youth, cool and Pebble-Beach-pedigree that made him a "sure bet" prediction for many... floundered. Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods struggled valiantly but couldn't put it all together. So it was that Gregory Havret, who qualified for his first US Open with a 50 foot putt in a playoff, found himself the lone challenger to Graeme McDowell on the final hole. Alas his final putt for birdie came up short which left McDowell needing only par to win, which he ultimately did.
But for Gregory Havret the experience was certainly inoubliable as in, unforgettable, and though a part of his heart is surely broken to have come so close, overall he must be very happy.
There's a huge potential for golf to grow in France... with the sport now part of the Olympics, and with France bidding for the 2018 Ryder Cup... and what Gregory accomplished at Pebble Beach will certainly be great for the future of the sport.
"merci a tous.. sincerement, je ne sais pas trop a quoi m attendre, ce qui est sur c est que je me donnerai comme jamais jusqu au dernier shot, j espere vs faire vibrer autant que je vibre!! bises"
In other words;
"Thank you everyone. I don't really know what to expect, but what I do know, for sure, is that I'm going to give it everything I've got till the last shot. I hope I'll make this as exciting for you as it is for me."
Oh, and, "kisses". He added "kisses" which probably seems odd to the average American but.. cultural nuance... not to a Frenchman.
At that point Greg was getting ready to meet Tiger Woods, his playing partner for the final round. There were multiple comments from Facebook friends with whimsical French names: "Aller Greg!" and "Vas y Greg ! On est avec toi!!" ... and one from me: "Go Greg!!!!" ~ And in the end Greg was prodigious.
Dustin Johnson... who held the lead going into the final round and had the kind of youth, cool and Pebble-Beach-pedigree that made him a "sure bet" prediction for many... floundered. Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods struggled valiantly but couldn't put it all together. So it was that Gregory Havret, who qualified for his first US Open with a 50 foot putt in a playoff, found himself the lone challenger to Graeme McDowell on the final hole. Alas his final putt for birdie came up short which left McDowell needing only par to win, which he ultimately did.
But for Gregory Havret the experience was certainly inoubliable as in, unforgettable, and though a part of his heart is surely broken to have come so close, overall he must be very happy.
There's a huge potential for golf to grow in France... with the sport now part of the Olympics, and with France bidding for the 2018 Ryder Cup... and what Gregory accomplished at Pebble Beach will certainly be great for the future of the sport.
