Van de Velde enjoyed an excellent amateur career, twice winning the French Youths title (1985, '86) and the French Amateur Championship (1986). He turned professional in 1987 and joined the European Tour for his rookie season in 1989. His first win came in 1993.

The defining moments in his career came in the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. Needing no worse than a double-bogey six to seal victory at the final hole, the would-be French victor imploded with some serious course management errors. He took seven. Compounding mistake upon mistake, he hit a wayward driver, then clattered into a spectator grandstand going for the green in two. His third was hacked into the Barry Burn from deep rough. After a bare foot paddle in the Burn, he reluctantly took a penalty drop (four), hit the ball into a greenside bunker (five) and finished with a sand save from the bunker (six & seven). He subsequently lost out to Scotland's Paul Lawrie in a three-way playoff that also included Justin Leonard (USA). It should be said that Van de Velde heroically took the defeat on the chin, and cheerily moved on.