Though throughout Darren Fichardt’s golf career he has been cut from both the US Open and the Open Championship, he enjoys worldwide success through steady scores on the PGA European Tour. Though not yet a household name, this golfer has proved he can succeed in the face of career adversity. If his track record of increasing PGA European Tour wins has taught the golfing public anything, it’s that Darren Fichardt will likely continue to remain a dominant force in golf for years to come.
Early Career:
Darren Fichardt was born May 13,1975, in Pretoria .South Africa. Fichardt began playing and placing in key golfing competitions in the early 1990s. In 1992 Fichardt won the Northern Transvaal Junior Championship, and in 1993 he won Northern Transvaal Stroke Play Championship according to International Sports Management Limited. He also received team honors for his performance in the 1993 South African Boys amateur tournament
Early Pro Career:
Although Darren Fichardt began turning heads in the early 1990s, it wasn’t until years later that his pro career would begin to take off with several crucial wins In 1997, Richard won the Bearing Man Highveld Classic. In 1999, he took home a win at the coveted Sun City Pro-Am meet. As the new millennium dawned, Fichardt’s prospects continued to improve. In the early 2000s achieved a series of successive wins at minor, yet still pro-level, international events. Early 2001 saw Fichardt’s first performance at the PGA European Tour.
Later Pro Career:
As of 2009, Fichardt’s primary efforts have shifted to European markets, competing consistently in the PGA European Tour every year since his 2001 debut. Fichardt has remained steadily average throughout his continued participation in the tour, finishing most years with midrange rankings. His scores, which are never overly impressive or overly poor, have allowed him to keep returning to the Europe tour, but he has never garnered the impressive statistics necessary to play through an entire tour at the US Open or the Open Championship without being cut. Unfortunately, while most of his performance has been steady, his 2009 scores placed Fichardt at startling low 190th place.
Stats
Darren Fichardt’s best PGA European Tour rank puts him at 39th, but like his 190th placement in 2009, this number is not consistent with the bulk of his career. Overall, Richard ranks around 100th among top European golfers. In African markets, Fichardt was a top-rated pro in the late I990sand early 2000s. Unfortunately, the mid 2000s saw a lull in key wins, culminating with his being cut from the 2007 US Open. However, Fichardt’s scores in the late 2000s indicate a rise in his skills despite a low 2009 PGA ranking. He started 2009 with win at the Nashua Masters and then won a 2nd place tie at the S*\A Invitational Pro-m.
Personal Life:
Darren married in 2000. His wife, Natasha, is a sports psychologist who is credited with helping Darren mentally prep for matches. She also regularly serves as his caddy. Darren and Natasha have two children: Ethan and Tristan. According to the Doha Golf Club, Darren enjoys fishing, rugby and water sports
While his career has had its rocky points, Richard remains a player to watch, as he is typically good at recovering after defeats, as is evinced through his overall golf record. His European performances overshadow the cuts that dogged his US Open attempts, and Fichardt is still a prime candidate for international, professional tours.
