come when you follow the right steps. I’m lucky to have a great team that helps me constantly evaluate my body, mind and swing, leaning into what’s work- ing and taking out what’s not. I’ve made a few swing changes to hit the shots I want to hit more often, and I’ve got stronger, which has given me more speed. On a broader level, I’ve worked with my performance coach, Dr Ara Suppi- ah, to better control how I feel day to day – he calls it my “availability” – so I can get more out of all the other things I’m doing. Let’s take a look at what I’ve focused on to push my game to the next level. I think you’ll see some ideas here that’ll work for you, too.
Last year at Royal Troon, after the speeches were done and the crowds were gone, my dad and I finally had a moment to reflect and enjoy it all. I remember, he was scanning the names on the claret jug, then looked up at me and said, “You still suck.” We had a good laugh over that one. Maybe you have to understand my dad to get his little jokes, but those words actually packed a lot of meaning. He was reminding me that, despite the success of the day, there’s always more to do, more you can achieve, a higher bar. That’s how we look at it. Winning the PGA last May and then following it with the Open Championship was amazing to me but not unbelievable. I’m a process person. Results
PREP FOR GOLF OFF THE COURSE
I’ve always been a pretty clean eater, but I wasn’t putting the right fuel in my
isn’t primed for action, it’ll break down under stress. When it comes to fitness, mobility was our first stop. One issue for me was something a lot of people struggle with – thoracic- spine mobility, which dictates body turn. So we started with that and added strength work with my trainer, David Sundberg, also addressing
my upper back and shoulders to fight the “caved-in” posture that golfers tend to get. Cardio was another target because a better cardio base helps me train harder, hit balls longer, compete six weeks in a row, and so on. Golf is sneaky demanding on your body. I prefer the bike for cardio because my
running form isn’t great, plus it’s way easier on your joints. The last piece was rest and recovery. I was doing some goofy stuff, like cold showers and working out at night. Ara got me thinking about winding down, sleeping in a cool, totally dark room. Also, I’m better about chilling out without feeling lazy, letting my energy bounce back.
body. I’d avoid carbs and go stretches eating less to try to feel fit. Ara had me add low-sugar carbs, like brown rice and sweet potatoes, and healthy fats – nuts, avocado, eggs. I actually increased my calorie intake. If your body
50 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JULY/AUGUST 2025
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