Agony and ecstasy of Khan
Source: Agencies |
May 25, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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LITTLE-KNOWN Briton Simon Khan has gone from agony to ecstasy during an emotional six months of wildly fluctuating fortunes on the European Tour.
The 37-year-old broke down in tears after losing his tour card at the Hong Kong Open in November but now occupies a proud place among greats like Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Tony Jacklin after he became a PGA Championship winner on Sunday.
"To lose you're tour card and to realize at that moment that it's gone, that was the worst I've ever felt," Khan told reporters after beating fellow Englishman Luke Donald and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed by one stroke at Wentworth, England.
"I had a good run in the final round at Hong Kong, I was going really well and I suppose that when it didn't happen in the end ... the realization of it all just hit me," he said, referring to the tears that started to flow.
Khan started the long road back by winning the six-round Qualifying School event in Spain at the end of 2009 but still needed a sponsor's invite to compete in the PGA Championship.
He has been coming to Wentworth since Ballesteros won consecutive World Match Play titles in 1984 and 1985 on the famous West Course on the outskirts of London.
"The Match Play was always a special event here," he said. "Those are my first memories of going to a golf tournament.
"This whole place is a world away, the golf course is amazing and to win here is fantastic."
Khan's second tour victory not only catapulted him from 471st to 106th in the world rankings, it also lifted him to seventh in the European money list and earned a five-year tour exemption and a three-year British Open exemption. Khan partnered Colin Montgomerie in Saturday's third round at Wentworth.
The 37-year-old broke down in tears after losing his tour card at the Hong Kong Open in November but now occupies a proud place among greats like Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Tony Jacklin after he became a PGA Championship winner on Sunday.
"To lose you're tour card and to realize at that moment that it's gone, that was the worst I've ever felt," Khan told reporters after beating fellow Englishman Luke Donald and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed by one stroke at Wentworth, England.
"I had a good run in the final round at Hong Kong, I was going really well and I suppose that when it didn't happen in the end ... the realization of it all just hit me," he said, referring to the tears that started to flow.
Khan started the long road back by winning the six-round Qualifying School event in Spain at the end of 2009 but still needed a sponsor's invite to compete in the PGA Championship.
He has been coming to Wentworth since Ballesteros won consecutive World Match Play titles in 1984 and 1985 on the famous West Course on the outskirts of London.
"The Match Play was always a special event here," he said. "Those are my first memories of going to a golf tournament.
"This whole place is a world away, the golf course is amazing and to win here is fantastic."
Khan's second tour victory not only catapulted him from 471st to 106th in the world rankings, it also lifted him to seventh in the European money list and earned a five-year tour exemption and a three-year British Open exemption. Khan partnered Colin Montgomerie in Saturday's third round at Wentworth.
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