Anthony Wall Becomes Newest Member Of European Tour 500th Club.

Londoner Anthony Wall reached an historic milestone this week at the Volvo China Open as the Englishman made his 500th appearance on the European Tour.

The 41 year old has an enjoyed a remarkable career, playing 20 consecutive seasons on Tour and earning two titles, the latest of which came at last year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Paul Lawrie Match Play.

That victory marked the longest period of time between two wins in the history of the tour, coming 16 years after his maiden triumph at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg back in January 2000.

The popular Sunningdale-based player will be joined by family and friends at next month’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club to be presented with a unique personalised video book of his career, after being greeted with a celebratory cake at Topwin Golf and Country Club.

Ben Cowen, (L) Director of International Policy for the European Tour holding the cake with Anthony Wall of England before celebrates Anthony Wall’s 500th European Tour appearance (Getty Images)

Wall said: “I can’t believe it. I am truly honoured to have reached 500, I truly am. You know as a kid you don’t expect those sort of goals to materialise and to do it in a part of the world where golf is growing as well. I think I will look back when I am 60 or 70 – and there will be 60 or 70 Volvo China Opens – I will be quite proud of that fact that I achieved this milestone.

“My first event was down in South Africa, which I won I think three years later. I wasn’t at the races that first week but I’ve learnt and stuck at it to make a decent career for myself.”

Having represented England boys and youths at amateur level – playing a part in Great Britain and Ireland’s victorious Jacques Léglise Trophy team in 2003 – and having practiced with Sir Nick Faldo as a junior at Sunningdale Golf Club, Wall turned professional in 1995.

Wall played on the Challenge Tour in 1996 before earning his way onto the European Tour through Qualifying School at the end of that year, splitting his time between the two tiers for the 1997 season after an injury early in the season.

“I played with David Duval and Mark O’Meara at the Trophée Lancome when I got my card, and at that time it was World Number One and double Major champion, so it was an incredible thrill for a 22 year old to just come straight off Qualifying School,” he said.

“To have that in your first season was incredible and I think that stood me in good stead for my career because I performed well and felt comfortable from that day on really.”

He became a fully-fledged European Tour player in 1998 and has been there ever since in an incredibly consistent career.

While his first victory came in 2000, Wall’s most successful campaign came in 2006 when two runner-up finishes helped him qualify for The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where he duly finished as the highest-placed Englishman, sharing 11th place with two others.

His victory over the in-form Swede Alex Noren at last year’s Paul Lawrie Match Play was greeted with genuine warmth from the golf community and was seen by many as well-overdue for a player who has already spanned three decades on the European Tour and currently sits in 48th position in the all-time Career Money List.



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