Romain Wattel

Started playing golf as a 10-year-old when his parents bought a house near Bussy St Georges Golf Club in Paris. Remains a member there, and has been mentored by 2010 U.S. Open runner-up Gregory Havret. Over the years turned into a great amateur player, winning many events. In September 2010 at the age of 19, Wattel became just the fifth amateur to win on the European Challenge Tour, when he captured the Allianz EurOpen Strasbourg. It was the second win by an amateur during the 2010 season following Andreas Harto two weeks prior. Won the Eisenhower Trophy as part of the France team before turning professional and securing his European Tour card after finishing T-9th at the 2010 Qualifying School.
Following a successful rookie campaign in 2011, he continued to show his potential in 2012 by taking 51st place in The Race to Dubai thanks largely to a fine couple of weeks in late summer, when he was T-3rd at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and T-2nd at the Omega European Masters a week later. Clearly enjoys Crans sur Sierre, having finished in the top ten in 2014, helped by a hole-in-one on the final day ? a feat which earned him a 12-month lease of a BMW of his choice. Had another good year in 2013, his best finish was T-3rd at the Lyoness Open and 4th place at the Ballantine's Championship.
2014 Notes: Posted eight top-10 finishes, eventually finishing in a career-high 28th place in The Race to Dubai. Thanks to three superb rounds he led going into the final day of the KLM Open on 14 under par, only to fall away after a closing round of 75 to finish T-5th. His best finish was T-3rd at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and at the Dubai Desert Classic. Had a pair of 4th-place finishes, Nelson Mandela Championship and the Portugal Masters. With a T-36th finish at the DP World Tour Championship topped the million euro mark with euro1,001,984 in earnings.
2015 Notes: Struggled a bit, did have a 2nd-place finish at the Trophee Hassan. But he only had three other top-10 finishes, T-7th in the Hero Indian Open, T-8th in the Volvo China Open and 10th at the Italian Open. Cut his earnings in half from the previous year to euro502,738 as he was 69th in the Race to Dubai.
2016 Notes: Was 6th at the Handa Perth International and T-4th at the BMW PGA Championship. His start at Oakmont for the U.S. Open will be his first professional event played in the United States.