The European professional circuit DP world Tour travels this week to the foot of the famous Fujiyama near Tokyo. Out of 156 professional players entered, 12 French will be on the trip including the head seed Matthieu Pavon the “Frenchie” who the golf world is talking a lot about at the moment.
This 31-year-old native of Toulouse, son of late 90s footballer Michel Pavon, won his place for the 2024 season on the American “PGA TOUR” circuit, the highest level of professional golf.
And against all odds he only waited 3 tournaments to win his first title, the Farmers Insurance Open last January.
A historic performance for French golf since no one before him had won on the US circuit since its creation in 1929.
Matthieu is now ranked 21st in the world thanks to this performance and other good results this year.
He nevertheless decided to play a few tournaments in 2024 on the European circuit of which he remains a member.
Sunday evening after finishing 49th at the prestigious RBC Heritage in South Carolina, he made a long trip to Japan to compete in the ISPS HANDA championship, of which he is one of the recent ambassadors.
Will the one who will most likely represent France this summer at the Olympic Games (golf has been a new discipline in recent years) be able to perform after a 15-hour flight and especially a 13-hour time difference?
Answer tomorrow for a departure at 7:00 a.m. (20:00 p.m. this evening St. Martin's time) in the company of ex-prodigy Mattéo Manassero and Japanese Keita Nakajima on the magnificent Gotemba course at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Another Frenchman in good shape to follow this evening at 20:10 p.m., Romain Langasque, 5th during the last tournament at the end of March and who won the ISPS HANDA in Scotland in 2020.
Leaderboard on: https://www.europeantour.com
What is ISPS Handa?
The non-profit International Sports Promotion Society was founded in Japan in 2006 by Dr. Haruhisa Handa to develop the “transformative” power of sport around the world.
ISPS HANDA funds and promotes sporting events in archery, football, rugby, boxing, golf, polo, rowing, bowling and swimming, putting the emphasis on golf for those who do not have 100% of their physical capacity. “We use the power of sport to help change lives. Sport has the unique ability to create hope, break down educational and cultural barriers, and inspire people in a way that can unite communities around the world. It's my life's work and that's why I organize so many competitions. I will always help promote golf for the disabled and the blind. I'm getting older, but thanks to golf, I feel like I'm getting younger." Dr. Handa.
Thought for the day
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people like few other things do. Sport can create hope where there was only despair…” _Nelson Mandela
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