Member of the very closed circle of the French who played in the Masters (eleven with Victor Perez this week), Thomas Levet is also the one who achieved the best result: 13th in 2005. Record to beat. Well of anecdotes, he shares with us his best moments in Augusta …
Thomas Levet is with Victor Dubuisson the Frenchman having played the greatest number of Masters: three. He is also the one who signed the best result in French golf. * A thirteenth place in 2005 giving him the right to come back the following year. This will be the last time as a player (after his debut in 2003). Consultant for the group Canal+, the Racingman installed for a long time in Florida, also covered on the spot twelve times (between 2008 and 2019) the most legendary of the Grand Slam tournaments. Not to mention those watched on television since the mid-1980s …
His most vivid memory
“Without hesitation, Jack Nicklaus putt at 15 in 1986. When he puts his eagle putt in with his arm raised… He takes the lead here. An incredible clamor then resounds… All Augusta trembled. It’s an extremely difficult putt, a crucial moment in the tournament on a Masters Sunday… He confirms that he is the greatest player in history at that time… There is Ballesteros who is very close behind, with Greg Norman and Tom Kite… The best golfers of the time… Nicklaus made 30 (-6) on the last nine holes. Doing that on a Sunday in Augusta is exceptional. All that sums up the guy’s class, his career… And then it’s his 18th and last success in a Major. At 46! ”
The coolest opponent
“The opponent? But I never had the slightest opponent, I only had partners (laughs). The coolest is José Maria Olazabal (winner in 1994 and 1999). I shared a lot of training sessions with him at Augusta… From the first day, he showed me two-three tips that will quickly make you understand the philosophy of the course. How to attack the holes, how to position yourself around the flags… These two-three little tips were very useful to me! ”
The most painful partner
« (Big burst of laughter) Joker! It doesn’t say … But I had a fabulous experience at the Masters. I played with Ray Floyd (winner in 1976). In 2005, he had already passed the age (63 years old) but he almost passed the cut. And this is where we realize that a champion remains a champion all his life. He had extraordinary respect for the players around him. I have fond memories of it. Really fabulous! ”
The most emblematic hole of the Masters
“They all are, but I have to talk about the return nine, because they are the ones we see the most on television. There are several but the one where we very often experience incredible outcomes, it is certainly the par 3 of 16. It looks like nothing like that, but there are holes in one… It is there that Woods had made his historic chip in 2005. For me, it will always be the ultimate golf shot in a Masters. And then it is regularly this hole that makes the difference on the leaderboard. The position of the flag on Sunday, we know it. It is 28 meters from the green entrance, left side, near the bunkers. And then the balls come back towards the hole with this right-left slope… There are holes in one, birdies but also bogeys. That’s why I think this hole makes the difference. ”
The crispest anecdote
“I had lots of little stories… One day, I ran into Tom Watson (winner in 1977 and 1981) who goes to the Champions Dinner on Tuesday evening. He has his green jacket on his back. We greet each other, we talk about the course and the tournament and I tell him: “you have a nice jacket, say so” He replied: “Yes, but this one, I bought it” You should know that the jackets that we deliver to you as the winner of the tournament, these are jackets that we lend you. Except that we can also buy them. And it costs, I think, around $ 1,000. You then have your jacket with your name embroidered inside. It really is class. ”
The hardest time in Augusta
“My first day in Augusta. In 2003. Since you were a kid, you dream of playing the course and there, unfortunately, I cannot train because it is raining downpours. It has been the most frustrating day of my entire career. You’re hot as embers, you say to yourself: “I’m finally going to start in Augusta” and in the end, it’s not possible. And the worst part is that it lasted for two days. ”
The most legendary golf shot at the Masters
“Tiger Woods’ chip at 16 in 2005, Sunday. He is completely amazing. The same year, I had the same to negotiate. I was almost in the same place, a little more in line with the flag, and I bogeyed my fingers in the nose (laughs). It is an incredible blow that we will never see again… ”
The most charismatic Masters winner
“I would say Fred Couples (winner in 1992)… Ballesteros, that was ok too (winner in 1980 and 1983)… Tiger (winner in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), it was good too… In fact, there are a lot of them. It depends on the country you are from. For the Germans, I think it’s Bernhard Langer (1985 and 1993). And I hope that for the French, it will come one day. ”
His most accomplished Masters
“Obviously, the one in 2005 where I finished 13th. I played really well that year. Without making a lot of mistakes. I had learned a lot from 2003, my first experience, without really having the course in my eye since we had not been able to train. In 2005, I had a strategy in place for each hole, and I stuck to it. For 72 holes. I was very proud of it. I had beaten the course (71 Thursday, 68 Saturday) and I qualified for the following year. ”
The image forever etched in his memory
“When you are at the start of 1 and you contemplate the whole route. Being at the top of 1 and seeing the whole valley is quite magical. It is this photo that will stay with me until the end. ”
* Ten French people have participated in the Masters since its creation in 1934. Albert Pélissier (1952), Henri de Lamaze (1958), Jean Garaialde (1964, 1966), Philippe Ploujoux (1982, 1983), Jean Van de Velde (2000), Thomas Levet (2003, 2005, 2006), Julien Guerrier ( 2007), Grégory Havret (2011), Victor Dubuisson (2014, 2015, 2016), Romain Langasque (2016). Victor Perez will be the eleventh this week.
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