American tour player's island roots established

PLAYING on the USPGA tour may seem nothing more than a dream for Guernsey golfers, but there is a link to it that has a distinctly local flavour. If you trawl through its website and scroll down the money list to 168th place, above the likes of Jay Haas, Steve Elkington and Thomas Levet, there you will find a chap called Jeff Brehaut.

No one will have see him on the fairways at L'Ancresse as the last time any of his family were in Guernsey was about 200 years ago. But as a direct descendant of Henry and Elisabeth Brehaut, both Guernsey residents until their emigration to Prince Edward Island in 1806, he probably counts as the island's most successful golfer.

Local genealogist Terry Dowinton has managed to establish a link to Brehaut through his mother, Marah, who is interested in researching the family history.

'I had never heard of Guernsey until Terry tracked down my email and asked if I was related. My mum followed up with him and came up with the link,' said 43-year-old Jeff.

He was born in Mountain View, California and currently lives in Los Altos with his wife and two children.

He has been a pro since 1986 and on the PGA tour since 1999. In his best year, 2005, he rose to 119th and earned $1.2m.

But it has not always been that easy and Brehaut has battled hard to reach the position which he now finds himself in. Unlike Tiger Woods, who picked his first club up at the tender age of five, the Sarnian descendant did not consider golf until he was 14.

'I didn't start until I got my butt kicked in high school football. I was a small freshman and got slammed around pretty good. That's when I thought maybe I'll try this golf stuff,' he said.

He steadily improved his game on the Los Altos High School golf team and then gained a partial scholarship at the University of the Pacific. 'I thought it was a place I could fit in well and play tournament golf because it was not one of the top programmes,' he said.

The UOP has recently inducted him into its hall of fame. 'I was surprised, but I guess it is because I am one of the few golfers from UOP to make it onto the tour.'

After college, Brehaut played on the Asia, Golden State and Nationwide tours in his efforts to get a PGA tour card.

After six years on the Nationwide, he gained his card by finishing in the top 30 in the six-day tour qualifying tournament.

Brehaut has taken a more circuitous route to the top than many but he never stopped believing he could do it.

'I was motivated by seeing others I was playing with qualify. I thought if he can do it, I can do it. I kept believing and trying and it happened. I have had a totally different journey than the average guy,' he said.

His friend and golf pro, Brian Inkster, told the Los Altos Town Crier newspaper that Brehaut was 'playing his best golf' and that 'he is at an age where others are winding down and he's winding up'.

In the same interview, Inkster said: 'He has a great work ethic I have never seen anyone work on his game as hard as he does. He is not a big guy but he bombs it: his drives are hard and straight.'

If there is a weakness in his game it has been his putting but he has been practising hard. 'I would not be surprised if his putting steps into line he will win a tournament,' Inkster told the Town Crier.

So far this season Brehaut has not played his best golf.

'At this point my game has been a little slow, but typically I play better in the summer so I am hoping for some good finishes soon,' he says.

Jeff currently stands at 175 in the official world rankings and has career earnings of nearly $3.1m. So far this year he has earned $142,439 from the 17 tournaments he has played

Will we see him gracing the fairways at L'Ancresse? 'Well, I don't have any trips planned in the near future to come over, but some day perhaps. I'll be concentrating on playing over here and moving up the money list, but say hello to all the relatives and keep them rooting hard.'