Ryder Cup cult hero Victor Dubuisson, who retired from golf aged 33, made his return on the Alps Tour and immediately scooped a win before refusing to take his winner’s cheque
Victor Dubuisson of France resurfaced on the Alps Tour(Image: Getty)
Former Ryder Cup star Victor Dubuisson came out of retirement after two years to win an Alps Tour tournament in his first Official World Golf Ranking event since 2023.
The 35-year-old, a Ryder Cup cult hero who rejected advancements from breakaway Saudi Arabian Tour LIV Golf, scored rounds of 62, 65, and 61 to win the Biarritz Cup at Golf de Biarritz, proving he hasn’t lost any talent in his two-year absence.
Dubuisson defeated Jorge Maicas and gave his $9,000 winners’ cheque to his Spanish rival. Donald Trump, meanwhile, has been accused of cheating as his caddie was caught on camera taking a shortcut on Sunday.
“In a gesture of personal principle,” Dubuisson said after rejecting his paycheck.
“I’m very happy, and especially pleased for Gerald. He’s the title sponsor of the tournament and the one who invited me to play this week. We met through golf and developed a strong friendship.
“I admire how he supports young golfers and professionals — that’s created a special bond between us. I’m also proud to coach some of his players, and this week, the plan was for him to caddie for me so we could experience the tournament together. It definitely turned out to be a great week.”
“You couldn’t ask for a better sponsor than Gerald or a more professionally organized tournament than this edition of the Biarritz Cup. It was a real pleasure to be part of it,” he added.
It was the 35-year-old’s first Official World Golf Ranking event in two years(Image: Getty)
“Those putts are never easy—especially uphill ones, which I don’t particularly like—and I had a few more than usual today. But once you hit a good putt, it’s out of your hands whether it drops or not. That last one was an excellent putt to finish with.”
Dubuisson became a fan favorite before walking away from the sport.
He captured two Turkish Airlines Open titles on the DP World Tour, winning in 2013 by fending off a star-studded field that included Tiger Woods in the final round. He claimed his second win in 2015.
He also helped Team Europe win the Ryder Cup in 2014. Dubuisson revealed that he walked away from golf in 2023 as he wasn’t happy. In 2023, he made just shy of $9,000 from eight tournaments after making the cut in just two.
Dubuisson won two Turkish Airlines Open titles on the DP World Tour(Image: Getty)
“The solitude had become extremely heavy,” he said. “I started from nothing, so I’m extremely satisfied with what I’ve done. I see myself as a little kid with my little bag and my Decathlon clubs.
“I spent 15 years alone on the Tour, curled up on myself. I missed contact with people.
“So it’s just simple human relationships around golf that I want to have.”