Levet a British Open doubt after celebration injury
July 5, 2011 -- Updated 1411 GMT (2211 HKT)
(CNN) -- Thomas Levet is a doubt for the forthcoming British Open after the Frenchman injured a foot celebrating his French Open triumph on Sunday.
The 42-year-old jumped into the water at Le Golf National after he carded a final round 70 to finish seven-under par, one-shot clear of Denmark's Thorbjorn Olsen and Mark Foster of England.
But Levet's joy at clinching a sixth European Tour success was short-lived after he hit his foot on rock beneath water, and the injury has already forced him out of this weekend's Scottish Open.
"I had a little problem yesterday," Levet told CNN. "When I jumped into the lake at Paris National I hit a stone with my foot. So at the moment I'm injured on my foot, that's why I can't play in Scotland.
Levet secures emotional victory
"I don't know if I can play at the British Open in two weeks. That is the only problem I had yesterday. In England, for good luck, they say 'break a leg'. I think I did that, it's not very funny but it's the way it is!"
The course on the outskirts of the French capital will be the venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup, and the locals chanted "captain, captain" as the member of Europe's victorious 2004 team played his round.
Levet said he would like the opportunity to lead Europe in the match against the U.S., but insisted it was not his decision to make.
"A lot of people asked me about it because I was part of the bid for 2018 in France. I was part of it from the start and my face was on every picture. Lots of people asked me because I knew I was going to be popular in France with the team behind me.
"If the committee of the Ryder Cup asked me to be captain, I wouldn't refuse. But it's not my choice; I will help the team as much as I can. If I can do that than yes, why not? But there are many people who can do the job very well too.
"It's not my decision. So we'll just have to see, probably around 2016, who the next Ryder Cup captain is. I know I can pull a lot of cards for the European team that is for sure."
France selected to host 2018 Ryder Cup
The Paris native first participated in the French Open 25 years ago, and he became only the second Frenchman to win the championship since the European Tour began in 1972 -- after Jean-Francois Remesy in 2004 and 2005.
"It feels pretty good to win a tournament at home. It's for the course for the Ryder Cup in 2018, so it's pretty special for me. I used to live 15 minutes away from the golf course, so it was quite a dream to win there yesterday."
Levet enjoyed his best result in one of golf's four majors at the 2002 British Open, where he finished tied for second after he lost on a sudden death playoff hole to South African Ernie Els.
This year's event is set to start at Royal St. George's in England on July 14.
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment