CARL PETTERSSON CHASED DOWN Dean Wilson on the back nine Sunday to win the RBC Canadian Open, his fourth PGA Tour title and a nice comeback for a good player who struggled in 2009. Pettersson made the cut on the number and then posted a 60 in the third round. Not much was happening on Sunday until the North Carolina resident got to the 8th and then bang, a birdie, followed by five more birdies on the next six holes.Pettersson said he was a consistent top-30 money winner on the PGA Tour until he decided to try to take things up a notch. He looked in the mirror and saw Mr. Pudgy. Maybe getting in better shape would help him improve his game, he reasoned.
“I thought, well, I’ll get fit,” Carl said. “So I actually lost 30 pounds, and my game completely left me.”
Don’t head off to the fridge just yet. There’s more.
“I guess the timing of the swing and everything was thrown out,” he added, “and I really struggled in ’09.”
That makes sense to me. It’s happened to other players. David Duval comes to mind.
Whether the swing, equipment, putting, mental game, or, in Pettersson’s case, fitness, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer for this crazy game. Look for Carl in the buffet line rather than the fitness trailer.
“I’m not your typical Swede, as you know. I don’t have a 28-inch waist, and I don’t eat bananas at the turn, stuff like that.”
The workouts didn’t work out. But that’s OK, because now his game is coming back and he’s the Canadian Open champion.
“You know, I’d love to be fitter,” Carl said, “but I’m not going to go down that road again.”
−The Armchair Golfer
(Quotes via ASAP Sports at RBC Canadian Open)
7 comments:
a very interesting post on weight and golf performance.
This is a funny post. That is why I always do jogging thrice a week to maintain my fitness.
Good call on Duval - he had that Weeble body pretty much until he won the British Open.
John McEnroe had a little pudge to him (relatively speaking) until Lendl came in and made tennis a fitness game. McEnroe got in shape and started getting stomach muscle injuries.
And don't forget the great Detroit Tigers pitcher who slimmed down and couldn't muster up a fastball - Mickey Lolich.
Interesting, I am trying to reduce my weight as well. Thanks for sharing it
it may have not given best of the results now, but on a longer run it is always good to have a fit healthy body.
You don't normally associate golf with being fit, but if you look at all the pros they are in shape.
Hey Carl if you ever see this hit me up. It is Adam Coker from school. coker08@gmail.com.
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