MATTHEW SOUTHGATE
It’s a nice feeling writing this and knowing I have my card secured for next year. I always had confidence in my ability and never expected to finish outside the top 110 in the Race to Dubai, but when you’re close to the mark quite a long way into the season, it does play on your mind a little bit.
Thankfully I put together a really good week in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and finished second to move to 40th in the Race to Dubai. I’ve had some good finishes on links courses in the past – a 12th and a sixth and the 2016 and 2017 Opens, for example – but the last couple of years at the Dunhill it’s been really cold and I’ve struggled to hit the knock-down and feel shots you need. This year it was pretty mild and it suited me so much better.
I’ve been hitting the ball really well for the whole season, I just hadn’t managed to put everything together at the same time until the Dunhill. I drove the ball as well as I ever had and just gave myself so many chances. I couldn’t believe I’d got it to 20-underpar through three rounds – that’s once-in-a-lifetime kind of scoring.
I really enjoyed the Pro-am element. I played with Peter Dawson, the former chief executive of The R&A, and I’ve got a good relationship with him. He’s such a nice guy and he was so supportive – he had a really calming influence. I can get a bit hot headed sometimes, but when I’m around him I want to behave – he’s friends with my dad and a lot of people from my home club, Thorpe Hall, so it’s not really the time to be cursing and banging clubs! He was a member years ago and good friends with Sir Michael Bonallack. When Michael stepped down from his role as secretary of The R&A, he suggested Peter as a replacement. So there were back-to-back heads of the R&A out of Thorpe Hall!
On Saturday night, I went out for dinner by myself and made a few phone calls. I was quite surprised at how calm I was given I was leading the tournament. I was playing so well that I was quite relaxed. I kept reminding myself that new experiences give you the best opportunity to learn something. Win or lose, I was going to learn something priceless. I also know that every time I go on a golf course I try my best, and that’s all you can do.
I played well on the Sunday, but I just made a couple of errors at the wrong time. I was a bit disappointed at the time, but it’s not the end of the world. I didn’t feel nervous all day, which was encouraging. I duffed a chip shot on 14 – I’ve been struggling with my short game all year – but that stuff can happen. I probably hit a couple of shots in the final round that were just a little bit too safe when they didn’t need to be, but I played pretty well for the most part.
I holed a nice par putt on 13 and I was two ahead at that point, and I was thinking to myself that I’d win the tournament in a couple of hours. I was very comfortable out there. I was also half expecting Victor Perez to hit a bad shot at some point coming home, because of the fact his swing means he has more chance of hitting one out to the right – something that’s not advisable on the Old Course’s back nine! I was thinking if he made one bad swing it could pretty much be game over, but he never let up and hit so many quality shots. It was impressive.
It was such a special moment for both of us on the 18th green. Obviously I wanted to win, but if I couldn’t I really wanted him to do it. I was really chuffed for him. Neither of us had won on tour before and I didn’t want an established winner to prevail. We had a great tussle and it was played in the right spirit. He’s a lovely guy and we had a great day on the golf course.
It was a good end to what’s always a fun week. It was nice to be able to turn things around, as it’s not been the easiest year. I feel I’m in a much better headspace now and I’m looking forward to hopefully doing well in the season-ending events.
“I was quite surprised at how calm I was given I was leading the tournament”