DeLaet anxious, but won’t rush back
DISC INJURY TESTS CANADIAN GOLFER’S PATIENCE
Graham DeLaet celebrated his 36th birthday on Monday, but, most days, his back feels much older than that. “Forty-six or 56 (years old), probably,” DeLaet quipped Tuesday from his Phoenix, Ariz.-area home.
“I’m getting old, man. I mean, I don’t feel any older than I did two days ago, but my body’s hurting a lot more than it did in my 20s, that’s for sure.”
Plagued by chronic back problems for much of his PGA Tour career, DeLaet recently underwent a cutting-edge treatment that included intradiscal stem cell injections to help him with his back mobility and long-term stability.
The procedure took place last month in Orange County, Calif.
“We will see; time will tell,” said DeLaet. “I’m doing OK. I’m progressing just a lot more slowly than I kind of anticipated, but they said it’s not really abnormal, either.”
DeLaet admits he was in quite a bit of pain for about a week after- wards, but he has talked to too many people — who have either had or know of people who have had the treatment done with amazing results — to be pessimistic.
“This was a pretty non- invasive way to attack it,” added DeLaet. “It was really worth a try because there have been so many people who have reacted well to it. Now it’s kind of just sitting back and playing the waiting game. What it ( injection) does is that it goes in and regenerates the discs. “We will see what happens.” DeLaet, a native of Weyburn, Sask., had previous back surgery seven years ago in 2011. He played in only two PGA Tour events that year.
The f ormer Presidents Cup player has played in only three events during the current season and he has not played since withdrawing from the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in Korea last year for his third WD in 2017.
So far, he has earned US$251,630 for the 2017-18 season. That includes a top-five finish at the Safeway Open last October.
At the end of last season, DeLaet was forced to withdraw from the FedExCup playoff opener, The Northern Trust, after tying for seventh at the PGA Championship for his best- ever finish through eight major appearances.
DeLaet does not have a return date just yet. He admits it’s tough missing out on this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, one of his favourite stops on tour.
He won’t be playing next week in another fave, the Waste Management Open in Phoenix.
“I want to be back as soon as possible, but I’m also not going to rush into anything,” said DeLaet. “Nobody ever comes back too late. In 2001, I came back too early and then you play hurt. I want to come back and be healthy and be at a high level when I do.”
DeLaet has made $ 11,233,926 in career money on the PGA Tour since 2009. His best years, so far, were in 2013 and 2014 when he won $2,834,900 and $2,616,518, respectively.