Columnist Dean Juipe: No relief for weary Frenchman

Dean Juipe

Friday, Oct. 13, 2000 | 10:08 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

Every golf fan in the world likes Jean Van de Velde and they always will.

Aside from his jaunty disposition, charismatic personality, dashing European looks and graceful, fluid swing, there's the little item of the 1999 British Open to further endear him to sports fans.

In that tournament, held at Carnoustie, Scotland, the Flying Frenchman distinguished himself not only as an accomplished player but as a man of exceedingly strong character. And, perhaps, as a man too quick to gamble or challenge fate.

Perhaps you recall the storyline.

Van de Velde, much to everyone's surprise, came to the 18th tee of the final round leading the great tournament by three strokes. Victory seemed assured.

But victory is never assured in golf until the final putt is down, and what happened to Van de Velde as he attempted to make no worse than double bogey and get to the clubhouse will forever be replayed on sports-blooper shows.

He hit his ball into a green-side pond and compounded the error by electing to swing at it again, despite the fact it was submerged. It was a little too tense to be a comedy of errors, but he wound up with a triple bogey and lost a playoff for the championship to Paul Lawrie.

A sympathetic public bonded with Van de Velde when he good-naturedly accepted his loss and ridiculed his own misguided decision to pull up his pant legs and set foot in the pond. He became a textbook example of a gracious loser.

Since that lingering moment of infamy, Van de Velde has rallied where others may have retreated. If anything he is more visible than ever, playing professionally on not one but two continents.

This week he's on the PGA Tour and participating in the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas, where he stands four under par after two rounds. Yet, for Ryder Cup reasons, every other month he plays the European Tour.

"It's a lot of travel and it's difficult," he said after his Thursday round at the TPC at Summerlin. "For instance, I'm drained today."

On the course, however, he was ebullient and talkative, seemingly enjoying his amateur companions' company. But his play was a bit spotty and the volcanic sigh he let out as he reached the 16th tee reflected a weariness that could lead to him missing the cut here.

"I don't know if I'll do this next year," he said of splitting time between Europe and America. "But, if I do, at least I'll be familiar with the courses. I think of all the courses I'm playing on the PGA Tour, I had played only two prior to this year."

As a newcomer to the tour and the U.S., he has no point of reference for many things other players can take for granted.

"Like hotels," he said. "It takes experience to find ones where you're comfortable.

"So the year has been a struggle, although no one said it would be easy."

He has, however, finished second twice this year (at Tucson and Reno) and is a secure 51st on the PGA money list with $774,249. He also stands 30th on the European money list despite playing only 11 events.

It was tempting, of course, to ask him about Carnoustie but compassion came into play. Having a soft spot for him precluded opening old wounds.