I’m raring to go after last yearTrusted article source icon
I am writing my first column for the Evening Post this week, hopefully giving you all a little insight to my life on the European tour.
I’ll also be keeping you up to date on how I’m playing and things I’m getting up to on and off the course.My season started a couple of months ago down in South Africa.
I decided to start early down there after a three-and-a-half month lay-off at the end of last season due to a bulging disc in my back.
It was a frustrating time and felt like a lot longer than that, but I think I learned a lot from the experience regarding the time I dedicate to practice and making sure I give myself time to recover from tournaments.
My game was pretty rusty for a couple of weeks, finishing 41st in my first event and missing the cut in the next one.
I then headed off to Dubai for a week’s practice with my coach, Paul Mitchell (Mitch).
After a good week there, I went on to Abu Dhabi for the first of the ‘desert swing’ tournaments. My form was starting to return and although I missed the cut by two, I knew I was starting to get my game back.
Following on from that I went to Qatar and my game was solid, as I was starting to see the week before. I played my first round in a sand storm and it was the same again Friday morning until the European Tour stopped play after I’d got through five holes!
I had a good last day – a 67 to finish 20th.
The final event of the desert swing is the Dubai Desert Classic – a tournament I love and a great golf course, always immaculate. On the Monday, I did a Lyle and Scott photo-shoot for their new 2012 range.
There is some funky stuff on the Lyle and Scott catwalk this year and there were some funky shots taken. They are always good fun.
I struggled with my back early that week. I think seven weeks on the road was catching up with me. After talking lots on the phone with my trainer back here in Bristol, Andy Wadsworth at MylifePT, I managed to get through the week and finish 20th.
I couldn’t wait to get out of the sun and home to freezing Bristol. Since I’ve been travelling a lot, you really do appreciate getting home, even if it’s just for one night. I have had the last couple of weeks off and stayed in Bristol all that time; resting, going out on my bike, getting some more back physio from Rich Bricknell at Bristol Physiotherapy Clinic and seeing Mitch and Andy – at 7am most mornings!
My next event is in Spain next week, the Andalucia Open. I cannot wait to play. I’ll be playing three in a row with Morocco and Sicily coming after that, and I’ll be keeping you posted all the way.
Rest is the key to a long and, hopefully, successful European Tour season