Personal Information
Lafeber was born December 11, 1974 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. He stands 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighs 166 pounds. His first child, Guus, was born in 2007. Lafeber, according to his profile on the European Tour website, makes his home in Lake Nona, Florida when he is not playing European Tour events.
Amateur Success
A series of wins at the amateur level pushed Lafeber's progression toward becoming a professional. In 1995, he won the Dutch Amateur Stroke Play Championship. He was a force in his last season as an amateur, winning three championships in 1997 before turning professional. Those events were the Dutch Amateur Championship, the Spanish Amateur Open Championship, and the Swiss Amateur Open Championship.
Road to The Pros
Lafeber went to qualifying school in 1997 and earned his European Golf Tour card, but he lost it after the next season, when his highest finish in 13 events was a tie for 14th place. The next season, he played on the Challenge Tour and scored five top-10 finishes, including a victory and second-place tie in the Challenge Tour Championship. His performance in 1999 secured him a spot on the European Tour, where he has played since that season.
Professional Victories
Lafeber's first professional victory was at the Challenge Tour's 1999 Tusker Kenya Open. He played solid golf through the entire tournament, shooting 66, 66, 69, and 64 on days one through four, respectively, to finish with a 265, which was 23-under par. His first European Tour victory was in 2003, when he prevailed at the Dutch Open in Hilversum, The Netherlands. During that event, he shot a 13-under par to win the tournament by a single stroke. In doing so, he became the first Dutch golfer since 1947 to win the Dutch Open.
Shares in himself
Lafeber set himself apart from many other golfers when, before his European Golf Tour season in 1998, he sold shares in himself to a group of businessman. He used the cash to finish his tournaments for that season. While he struggled that year, he repaid the shareholders after the 2004 season at a profit to them of 85 percent per share.
About The Author
Larry Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2000. He has covered a wide variety of topics, from golf and baseball to hunting and fishing. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including "Fargo Forum" newspaper. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Concordia College.
