Ryder Cup winner who beat Tiger Woods quit golf at 33 and refused prize money on comeback

Victor Dubuisson went from winning the Ryder Cup and securing titles over Tiger Woods to enjoying golf more leisurely. The Frenchman did make his return to the sport earlier this year, winning on the Alps Tour to secure the Biarritz Cup, but he refused his portion of the £41,000 prize pot as a "gesture of personal principle."

Dubuisson turned professional in 2010 and played on the European and PGA Tour throughout his career. The golfer won four titles and was also part of the European stars who triumphed at the Ryder Cup in 2014. That was two years after Team Europe's first away win since 2004, where they won 14.5-13.5 at the Medinah Country Club. The 2014 triumph at Gleneagles Resort represented the third consecutive win over Team USA, and Dubuisson certainly played his part. The Frenchman beat Phil Mickelson and current team captain Keegan Bradley in the Friday foursome match with Graeme McDowell, before repeating this feat on the Saturday against James Walker and Rickie Fowler.

Dubuisson tied his match against Zach Johnson in the singles rounds on Sunday, leading to a 16.5-11.5 victory for Team Europe. In his regular golfing life, the French star's biggest win was over the iconic Tiger Woods in 2013 when he clinched the Turkish Open for his first professional win.

Woods, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter were all competing at the tournament, posting scores of 19-under - but it was Dubuisson that hit an incredible 24-under par to triumph over all the big names. Speaking after the victory in 2013, the Frenchman said: "I'm really proud of what I did because it was the toughest golf day of my life."

However, after securing three more professional wins, the Ryder Cup star decided to take a step back from golf in 2023 at just 33 years old. Citing "solitude" as one of the main factors in his decision, Dubuisson told Bunkered earlier this year that his new job as a French travel agent - specialising in golf holidays - is "a dream".

He said: "I've had a very warm welcome here. We have an amazing academy, a 350-yard range, wedging area. It's the best place I've seen in my life for practicing.

"I spend time with many different people every week and I've made many new friends. When you spend a week with people you get to know them. I've met many, many nice people and it's a completely different life."

Reflecting on his beginnings in golf and the journey to success, Dubuisson added: "When I started, my mother and sister had no money so I was very motivated with money for the first year. I had to make money. But then no. It's not the money.

"To have the feeling when you win, it's a special feeling. It's a feeling you cannot describe. You can only have it in golf because it's so difficult. It's special when you make your last putt on a Sunday afternoon. With golf you always have 90% disappointment and 10% of happiness. When you do well you really need to enjoy it."

When asked about his favourite moment in golf, there was only going to be one answer. Dubuisson said: "It was amazing, the feeling of playing the Ryder Cup. It's a completely different tournament.

"I won in Turkey, played many majors, played well at the US PGA in Valhalla, made many top-10s, but this was completely different. You feel much more stress, but it's a good stress. I was very nervous the day before starting but when you're on the course you don't feel nervous.

"You are in your small bubble and you focus. The day before it was difficult to sleep. It's completely different than playing for ourselves. It's the best feeling, but it can be the worst feeling if you miss. The feeling is multiplied because you play for a team. We are not used to it in golf."

Most recently, Dubuisson made his return to the greens by competing on the Alps Tour, making it potentially likely that the allure of the professional golf scene may be enough to draw him back into playing regularly. The Frenchman won the Biarritz Cup in July 2025, beating out Jorge Maicas in two play-off holes for the title.

However, despite hoisting the trophy high in his return to the sport, the 35-year-old declined to receive his share of the £41,000 prize pot. Dubuisson would have received £6.6k for his efforts, but handed the cheque back to be given to Maicas as a "gesture of personal principle."

It remains to be seen whether Dubuisson will return to the European or PGA Tour schedule in the future, or if his dip into the Alps Tour was just a way of keeping his golfing game fresh.