Veteran Chapman set for milestone appearance
13/04/2005 - 08:58:53England’s Roger Chapman will tomorrow become just the third player in European Tour history to appear in 600 events.
Chapman, whose debut came in the 1982 Tunisian Open, plays in the Jazztel Spanish Open at San Roque and will join Sam Torrance (690) and Eamonn Darcy (610) in reaching the milestone.
The 45-year-old finished as a runner-up six times and had to go back to the qualifying school before winning in Brazil on his 472nd tour start in 2000.
He lost his tour card again last season, failed to regain it at the school, but earns a spot this week on the basis of his 122nd place on last year’s Order of Merit.
“The time has actually gone a lot quicker than I would have anticipated – it certainly doesn’t feel like 23 years on tour,” said Chapman.
“I suppose I had the advantage that I didn’t go to America or anything and I kept playing in Europe, whereas people like (Ian) Woosnam, (Sandy) Lyle and (Nick) Faldo haven’t even got to 500 yet and they were on tour before me.”
Faldo is not even close to 400.
“It has been fantastic – a great journey. I wouldn’t change a thing. Firstly, I love the game of golf, and secondly, I don’t know what I would have done anyway,” added Chapman.
“From an early age of 13 I always wanted to play golf. I knew that I wanted to be a professional golfer.”
Reflecting on that first tournament in 1982, Chapman recalled: “My good friend Gordon Brand Jnr finished third. We couldn’t get home on the Sunday night, so I went to the prize-giving.”
Torrance was due to be playing this week as well, but has now pulled out with a neck problem after flying to the Masters last week for television commentary work.
The event does not have a single player from the Masters in it, with Paul McGinley the highest ranked at 64th in the world, and Seve Ballesteros’ planned comeback after 17 months out injured was called off last week.
But four of the last six winners of a championship which dates back to 1912 are present – Swedes Jarmo Sandelin (1999) and Robert Karlsson (2001), England’s Kevin Ferrie (2003) and defending champion Christian Cevaer, of France.
Former Open champion Paul Lawrie is hoping to bounce back from his bitter disappointment in the Portuguese Open when he triple-bogeyed the 71st hole and then, needing a birdie to force a play-off with Paul Broadhurst, left his putt short.
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