Victor Dubuisson's Light Flickered All Too Briefly

Amid all the chatter over new golf ball regulations and Jon Rahm’s shocking defection to LIV Golf, you may have missed the announcement that Victor Dubuisson has decided to retire from the sport - at the age of 33.

The Frenchman, who was part of the victorious European team at the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, revealed he was quitting the game after 13 years as a professional .

Recent years have been a huge struggle for a man who possessed a mercurial talent. He finished the season ranked 1,035th in the world after a dismal year. He made just eight starts but withdrew from three tournaments and missed the cut in three others.

It had appeared Dubuisson was about to try and revive his career with an appearance at the LIV Golf Promotions qualifier, an event that handed cards to the lucrative circuit to the top three. However, he withdrew and then announced that he was quitting the sport.

He said: “Many people will say that I could have done more and that I could have been world number one. But I'm more than happy with it. I don't live in regret all the time. When I look behind me, where I started and where I am, I can tell you that I am very happy.

“I feel like I’ve reached my limits and I know I can find pleasure elsewhere, I’m convinced of that. 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.”

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

He turned pro in 2010, and set a course record of 62 at St Andrews. He won the Turkish Airlines Open in 2013 and 2015.

But I will always remember him for his incredible performance in defeat at the 2014 WGC Accenture Matchplay. He was outplayed by Jason Day but somehow managed to take Day to 23 holes before losing. During that final he produced a couple of recovery shots that Seve Ballesteros would have been proud of.

Later that year, he partnered Graeme McDowell in two foursomes victories and halved his singles match with Zach Johnson as Europe cruised to victory at Gleneagles.

He never seemed comfortable in the spotlight. I have followed his career closely ever since, willing him to win again. He may have been a troubled soul, but he will be sorely missed.