Søren Kjeldsen has set his sights on becoming the record appearance holder on the DP World Tour after making a milestone 700th appearance at the European Open.
The Dane joined David Howell, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Sam Torrance as just the fourth player to play 700 or more events when he teed it up this afternoon at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
His career spans four decades and has resulted in four DP World Tour titles since turning professional in 1995.
Despite his best golf behind him, the 49-year-old doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon as he chases down Howell’s record of 723.
“I am very proud [and] very grateful,” he told the DP World Tour.
“It has been 27 amazing years [of playing on the DP World Tour]. I love this tour and I'm very proud of being able to stay out here for that long.
“I'll certainly take it tournament by tournament, but for sure I'd love to be on top of that list, and Howler knows that!
“But, we'll see, 700 is a good number. But you know, if I could get to 724 then it would be even more special.”
Now, nearing his 30th year as a professional, Kjeldsen has seen the game transform.
The likes of John Daly were renowned for their unhealthy habits in the 90s, while today’s elite players spend arguably as much time in the gym as they do on the driving range.
"I feel a bit more like the old guy over in the corner smoking the pipe, but no it has changed a lot," he said.
"When we came out, the old guys said to us, we were boring and we were too ambitious and all that.
"Now I'm the old guy looking at the young generation being incredibly ambitious and very dedicated. So, I suppose that's like a generational thing, but no it it's been great. I still love it and I don't want to go anywhere really.
"The sport is evolving like any sport.
"There was obviously Gary Player and the guys before that who were into the physical stuff but I think what Tiger [Woods] did with all the physical stuff changed a lot. You struggle to get into the gym now because it's packed and it wasn't like that in ’98, I can guarantee you that.
"Statistics and analysis has become a big part of the Tour now and technology has changed a lot.
"Nothing stays the same. But you know it's all for the better."
