He achieved tremendous success during a very difficult year but Christiaan Bezuidenhout is eyeing bigger and better things for the new year, writes ANDRE HUISAMEN.
Having shaken off some of the holiday rust with a decent performance at this past weekend’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, South Africa’s brightest golfing talent is setting new goals to improve his game in the coming months.
Speaking exclusively to Compleat Golfer, Bezuidenhout highlighted two immediate and clear achievements he is gunning for in 2021.
‘To get my PGA Tour card and to play more consistent golf!’
READ: Bezuidenhout continues rankings rise
Those are arguably two of the most sought-after ‘possessions’ in the game of golf – something every golfer in the world would like to achieve and master.
A PGA Tour card is at the best of times seen as the ultimate competition for any golfer. As for consistency, well, let’s just say any sportsman strives to be consistent over a long period.
While 2020 presented unprecedented challenges that heavily impacted the game of golf, Bezuidenhout emerged as one of the game’s budding prodigies.
‘Last year was challenging for all of us. I was very fortunate to end it on a high. So, for me, it is important to keep the highs of last year and put the worse aspects behind me, just to focus on the good and use it as a foundation for 2021,’ he says.
Back to back ??
It’s been an incredible two weeks for Christiaan Bezuidenhout ?? pic.twitter.com/Q15m1SMoHj
— Compleat Golfer (@CompleatGolfer) December 7, 2020
Of course, the ‘high’ refers to his two exceptional weeks during the ‘Summer Swing’ of the European Tour in December. Victory at Leopard Creek was followed up by an even more dominant display at the Gary Player Country Club, where he became champion of the 110th South African Open Championship.
Those victories, added to his Andalucia Masters triumph of 2019, have now formed the basis for the 26-year-old to kick on in a hopefully ‘more normal’ world this year. Not to mention that he is ranked 35th in the world as of Monday.
‘In golf you can’t get too excited about a good shot or birdie, because you know there are still a lot of holes to come. You can also not stay angry at yourself for too long, because you have to regroup and make sure your next shot is a good one.
‘I’m privileged to have learned quite a lot during last year and I wish to use what I learned for what lies ahead this year. I’m again going to spend much of the year in the United States and hope to get my PGA Tour card by applying everything there.’
To get to those goals, however, Bezuidenhout recognises the massive amount of work that still needs to be done.
Technically and mentally he is ready to apply himself for further success and to achieve more maturity along the way.
‘For me, important that I always work hard, while remaining humble, doesn’t matter how good or bad it goes. To keep calm during the difficult times and not to give up but, more importantly, to be cool-headed during the better times and to focus on what is important.’
