Cevaer: It pays to be happy

Features

bruced
June 1, 2009

Christian Cevaer is living proof of the fact it takes only one good week on the European Tour to make it a great year.

Christian Cevaer is living proof of the fact it takes only one good week on the European Tour to make it a great year.
Down at 449th in the world and starting to think about what he might do if he lost his Tour card at the end of the season, the 39-year-old Frenchman was also in pain from a bowel problem.
But that was a few days ago. on Sunday he won the European Open at the London Club in Kent, picked up a cheque for £300,000 and earned himself a five-year Tour exemption.
“Wow,” said Cevaer, now able to look forward to the birth of his second child in a few weeks with his future secured.
“I am ecstatic to come out on top. I am in a fabulous job but there are hardships and now I have peace of mind.
“Especially with these economic times, I am sure we are going to be a lot more careful with our money. No sports car or any stuff like that.”
After eight months without even a top-30 finish, just to be joint leader with a round to go was a joy for Cevaer, particularly as management worries had probably contributed to the pains he was suffering.
“I am a human being and it got to me health-wise. I will spare you the details but it drains energy from you,” he continued.
“I made a point that no matter what happened (on the final day), just enjoy my golf, enjoy my skills and hang in there. It’s amazing what choosing to be happy can do.”
Cevaer had not won since the 2004 Spanish Open but he took the title by one from England’s Steve Webster, Scot Gary Orr and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.
And he did it despite a closing 74 – the highest final round by a winner all season – and with a seven-under-par total that was 13 strokes worse than Ross Fisher’s score last year.
Strong winds contributed to that and nowhere did they have more of an impact than on the 471-yard 18th, now to be rated one of the toughest holes in golf.
During the week the par four played to an average of nearly 4.7, with 154 bogeys, 48 doubles and 26 sevens or worse, but Cevaer parred it the first two days, birdied it in the third round and finished with the par he needed.
Webster and Quiros both bogeyed it, Quiros after hitting spectators with both his wild drive and his second over the green.