Ryder Cup champ beat Tiger Woods but quit aged 33 and refused to take prize money

Victor Dubuisson once defeated Tiger Woods and helped secure a famous Ryder Cup victory. But at just 35 years old, the Frenchman is spending time away from the sport after retiring in 2023.

Despite making a triumphant return earlier this year by winning the Biarritz Cup on the Alps Tour, he declined his share of the £41,000 prize money in a move he described as a "gesture of personal principle."

Dubuisson turned pro in 2010 and had an illustrious career on both the European and PGA Tours. He won four titles and was a big part of the European team that won the 2014 Ryder Cup.

This win came two years after Team Europe's first away victory since 2004, where they narrowly beat Team USA 14.5-13.5 at the Medinah Country Club. The triumph at Gleneagles Resort marked the third consecutive win over Team USA, with Dubuisson playing a crucial role.

The Frenchman teamed up with Graeme McDowell to defeat Phil Mickelson and current team captain Keegan Bradley in the Friday foursome match. They repeated this success on Saturday against James Walker and Rickie Fowler.

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Dubuisson then held his own against Zach Johnson in the singles rounds on Sunday, with his draw contributing to Team Europe's overall 16.5-11.5 victory. In his regular golfing career, Dubuisson's most notable achievement was defeating the legendary Tiger Woods in 2013 to clinch his first professional win at the Turkish Open.

Woods, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter were all competing at the tournament, posting impressive 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."

Yet after bagging three additional professional victories, the Ryder Cup ace chose to step away from golf in 2023 aged just 33. Citing "solitude" as a key factor behind his choice, Dubuisson told Bunkered earlier this year that his new role as a French travel agent - focusing on golf breaks - 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."

Looking back on his early days in golf and his path to stardom, 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 questioned about his favourite moment in golf, there was only one answer in his mind. 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 comeback to the fairways by competing on the Alps Tour, suggesting that the appeal of the professional golf scene may be enough to lure him back into playing regularly. The Frenchman claimed victory at the Biarritz Cup in July 2025, defeating Jorge Maicas in two play-off holes for the title.

Despite triumphantly lifting the trophy in his comeback to the sport, the 35-year-old turned down his share of the £41,000 prize money. Dubuisson would have pocketed £6,600 for his efforts, but he returned the cheque to be given to Maicas as a "gesture of personal principle."

It's still up in the air whether Dubuisson will make a return to the European or PGA Tour schedule in the future, or if his stint on the Alps Tour was merely a method to keep his golfing skills sharp.