Former Ryder Cupper’s emotional farewell to the DP World Tour came with a message
Nicolas Colsaerts officially announced his retirement last year, but former European champion Ryder Cupper wanted to make one trip on the DP World Tour before saying goodbye to professional golf.
There is no better place to say goodbye than the place closest to your heart – home.
Colsaerts made his 505th and final career start on the DP World Tour this week at the Soudal Open in his native Belgium. 2012 Ryder Cupper made his way around the Rinkven International GC in Antwerp with a 1-over 72 in the first round, meaning he came into Friday knowing that the next 18 holes could be his last as a pro.
The “Belgian bombshell” bogeyed the third hole but then made an eagle at the 5th to send the buzzer to her homeland one last time. He followed with birdies on 6, 7 and 8 but played his final 10 holes in 2 to miss the cut by two.
“Listen, I won a lot,” Colsaerts said after his round. “It was almost like the old Colsaerts on the front nine. I started to believe again. I forgot what it was like. When that eagle putt went in, it was probably the biggest roar I’ve heard in a few years. It was amazing. It’s just a shame I couldn’t finish it by playing on the weekend. But I put the whole story down, Col spent the rest of my life.”
When he reached the 18th – the last hole of the tournament and his professional career – Colsaerts made an emotional journey with his parents, his wife, Rachel, and his sons, Jackson and Oliver, by his side. As Colsaerts reached the 18th green, his teammates – good friends Marcel Siem and Alexander Levy – and family stepped back to let him soak in the moment and the adoration from the crowd as he wiped tears from his eyes.
“As you can tell, it means the world,” said an emotional Colsaerts. “When you go through something like this with your whole family and your parents, look, I go through it again. It’s normal. I learned a few years ago that it’s okay to show emotion. I don’t have a problem with it. I just hope people understand what it means to a lot of us to do this for a living – to have good times but also to go through bad times. That’s why it brought tears.”
Colsaerts entered the closing stages and broke down as he embraced Siem and Levy as the Belgian champion gave their hero a well-deserved send off.
Colsaerts’ career, which began in 1998, included wins at the Volvo China Open, Volvo World Matchplay and the French Open. He finished T7 at the 2012 Open and T10 at the 2013 US Open. But the highlight of his career was being a member of the 2012 European Ryder Cup team, when he and Lee Westwood defeated Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker on Friday four balls at Medina. That was the only point Colsaerts recorded in the Ryder Cup, but it was crucial to what ended up being a miraculous comeback for the Europeans.
Colsaerts’ pro sendoff included a farewell to the Alfred Dunhill Links in St. Andrews, at the French Open, and in Australia. But Friday in Belgium was a final, and a meaningful farewell, for the long-time bombed Belgian. As he prepares to take both feet into retirement, the 2012 Ryder Cupper has a message for all those who love the sport that has given him so much.
“I thank everyone who has followed, clicked on my name, clapped their hands anywhere in the world,” said Colsaerts. “We’ve traveled everywhere. I had so much fun doing this. But all good things come to an end. I’m out of gas. But I had a blast, so don’t feel bad for me.
“Just keep going to the golf course. It’s a great game. It’s fun at times, but that’s why we come back every weekend to play it.”
And with that message, Nicolas Colsaerts officially bowed to Belgium.
