BETTER DELAET THAN NEVER
First Tour win eludes Graham, Hearn
After a whirlwind 2016 that included a trip to the Rio Olympics, Canadian golfers David Hearn and Graham DeLaet are looking forward to a more straightforward year on the PGA Tour.
Both Hearn, 37, and DeLaet, who turns 35 on Sunday, are aware of the expectations they face as they chase a first PGA Tour win. DeLaet got as high as 26th in the world rankings a few years ago, but the veterans have since seen younger players Nick Taylor and Mackenzie Hughes capture PGA Tour victories before they were able to crack the winner’s circle.
“I’d certainly love to get that first win soon,” Hearn said from his home in Delray Beach, Fla. “The guys are getting younger on tour, there’s no doubt.
“Actually, they’re coming on at the same age, and I’m getting a little bit older,” he added with a laugh. “I’m excited and proud to see the young Canadians find success on the PGA Tour and winning tournaments, but I don’t think that puts extra pressure on me.” DeLaet agreed. “My motivation has always been the same no matter who I am competing against. Obviously these guys (Hughes and Taylor) are a new breed of golfers, but at the end of the day you just have to concentrate on your own game,” he said from Boise, Idaho.
While both Hearn and DeLaet enjoyed a rare experience in Rio, where golf made its return to the Olympics after 112 years, DeLaet had another off-course highlight. He and his wife Ruby welcomed twins Roscoe and Lyla in late 2015 and it was his first full year as a father.
Although DeLaet said it was “the best year of (his) life,” he admitted he got frustrated battling injuries as he earned the least amount of money since his 2011 season. He also withdrew from a tournament midsummer, citing anxiety while chipping and putting.
“Battling injuries throughout most of a season is something no golfer wants to go through,” he said. “I think I learned not only how to take care of my body properly, but also how to fight through adversity.”