CADDIE'S ROLE:THERE was such an air of tranquillity around the Victoria course near Vilamoura early last Sunday on the southern coast of Portugal you could hear a caddie rub his towel across the grooves of his player's soil-filled wedge and rightly worry that his playing partner could hear it as he played his shot, writes COLIN BYRNE
It had been the most idyllic week of weather you could wish for in southern Europe towards the end of October, it was warm from early morning and even during the stronger heat of the day the breeze had freshened enough to cool you without over-taxing the shot-making of the players. The shepherds’ warning about a red sky in the morning was obviously not applicable on the Algarve. The red-skied morning created a mystical light for the early starters to enjoy.
We had a few early starts last week, having just made the cut on the mark and not played particularly well on Saturday, myself and my boss Alex Noren got to savour the picturesque and peaceful autumnal dawns.
The cut was four under on a course that most of us had predicted would be a low-scoring one with relatively light rough and the habitual soft greens on the European Tour. Such a combination results in a feeding frenzy of birdies and eagles for these very talented professionals. Likewise, the previous week in Madrid the cut was four under on a course that was relatively easy but certainly no giveaway . The high standard of play runs right through the tour and it is no place for golfers who are not breaking par every day.
Alex enjoyed a strong weekend in Madrid, shooting 12 under and catapulting from just above the cut mark to tied fourth position. After a similar first couple of indifferent days on the Algarve, Alex had to hole a three-foot putt on the final green on Friday to make the cut on the mark. It is always worth making the cut even if you are playing badly.
Noren had not been happy with his swing and in particular the lack of synchronicity between his arms and his body was causing him to hit too many shots left.
A quick call to his swing coach Pete Cowan and a few hundred balls later he was getting the hang of what he needed to do. His coach is aware he needs to keep all his tour players match fit. In other words he cannot tamper with too much technical detail while his pupils are playing tournaments.
Alex felt happier with his new move by Friday afternoon. Having played early and after completing his constructive practice session he decided to spend the afternoon by the pool at his hotel on the course. This can be a dangerous proximity for young golfers. They could easily spend all day every day on the range, especially in good weather, with their hotel but a wedge shot from the range.
This would be a rare bit of relaxation for a young, ambitious golfer, who is in the gym if he is not playing golf. His physiotherapist and trainer travels with him most weeks and put him through some serious gym sessions, even when he is playing a tournament. Strange as it may seem to those, including myself, who would have thought that hard work-outs during events would be detrimental to good performance.
I had noticed that Alex would take an odd anti-inflammatory tablet when his trainer was around, he obviously feels some pain post work-outs. With his performance in recent weeks, after some months of working with his new physical trainer, it would be hard to argue with his work-out policy. Not only is he much fitter, he has gained distance and is brimming with energy no matter how long he has spent in the gym or on the range.
So we rose early again for our final round. Alex was chirpy and up-beat as always. He arrived in the lockerroom with his physio, who had come specially to deal with a foot problem that I had developed and kindly offered to take care of it for me. We went to the range and Alex felt like his swing was in a much better position, having already spent time in his room practising a particular move that helped him get into the correct position while listening to his iPod.
Nothing happens by chance with these hugely talented players, their success comes from endless searching.
We started with three birdies, then cooled down to turn only in three under. He birdied the 11th, 12th and 14th. Then suddenly he had a surge of genius that resulted in a 10-under-par 62 which catapulted him from 50th position at the start of the day to tied sixth.
Alex had a hole in one with a five-iron from 198 metres on the 16th followed by an eagle three at the 17th with a four-iron narrowly missing the pin from 224 metres, coming to rest less than two metres from the hole. Alex had one hole in one in his life before and that was when he was 12.
As the numbers would suggest he is indeed punching above his weight when it comes to the distance he hits the ball. His past two weekend performances are a testament to sound technique, tenacity, toil and temperament.
His good spirit is worth shots each round. It is always worth making the cut and it is always worth playing hard to the very end. Because with the talent of most of these players you never can tell just when that talent is going to surge through their veins and result in back to back eagles in what is just another day at a very unpredictable office.
