Veteran Robert Allenby has revealed that his teenage son Harry has helped re-ignite his passion for golf after the veteran’s recent struggles with motivation and injury.
Allenby admitted he had become complacent and it took the enthusiasm of youngsters trying the game to make him re-assess his approach.
"My attitude is really good at the moment," Allenby said. "I had six weeks off in August-September and my son Harry said he wanted to get on the school golf team in Florida.
"He’s like 15 and never asked to go practise before. Just by me helping Harry and practising with those 40 kids around school was the most amazing time."
Allenby said the experience had rejuvenated him to the extent that he had finished just one shot off third place in California, the first tournament he had competed in after coaching the youngsters.
He said it was "one of my best tournaments for a long time."
"It was an eye-opener," he told News Corp. "Robert Allenby is starting to love golf again because my 15-year-old son has got the bug.
"That’s what positive vibes and being around a carefree attitude can do."
Despite becoming disillusioned with golf, Allenby said he never considered quitting.
"I sought help in many many different ways and none of it was helping. When you let negatives get at you, it’s like you are two people. You’ve got yourself and you’ve got this demon that sort of sits on your shoulder.
"I pretty much said “stuff you”, it’s not going to happen this way. I’m not a quitter.
"I kept telling myself I had to start to believe everything is positive. You’ve just got to sweep the negatives off your shoulders."
Allenby said the tension he felt while playing poorly had caused him to lose control over his shots.
"Tension creates bad swings, bad shots and negative thoughts that come out of your mouth. When you are stressed sometimes you say the wrong things," he said.
"I guarantee I’ve said, “let’s skip this day I’ve had enough”, lots of times over the past four years because of shots I’ve mis-hit."
Meanwhile, at the US PGA Tour event in Kapalua, Hawaii, Australia’s Jason Day is confident the back and thumb injuries which disrupted much of his 2014 season, are under control.
"This is really the first time that I’ve really thought that, if I could stay healthy this season, that would be…one of my goals," Day said this week.
"But you know, that’s all up to me, how hard I work in the gym to make sure that the back doesn’t (bother me).
"I know the back’s going to flare up every now and then, but as long as I’m on top of things and I don’t slack a little bit here and there, I should be on top of the back.
"The thumb issue is a little bit different because it’s just bone on bone, kind of hitting each other every time I hit balls."
Day admitted he became "angry" while sidelined for so long last year.
"It’s tough, because you know, this is what I like to do, this is what I love to do. I want to be out here competing. If I’m at home and I’ve got a lot of time off, I’m an angry man, just because I need to compete.
"My wife certainly feels it when I’m sitting there being grumpy on the couch and wanting to be out and playing, but you know, I feel like that I’ve improved over the years that I’ve been out here on the PGA TOUR.
"That’s not only a good sign for me, but it’s just the will and the want to improve, getting better in each and every year and hopefully having more than just two wins under my belt. That would be nice.
And you know, if I could stay healthy, I believe that I can win this year.
By: Robert Grant