Revitalised Henry adamant he can still ‘make something big happen’
● Clydebank man feels ready to ignite after learning to ‘manage body better’
It’s probably a toss-up between Chris Doak and Scott Henry to decide the happiest player in the field for this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
Doak, for instance, is delighted to be teeing up in a world-class field at his home course, having been attached to The Renaissance Club for two-and-a-half years, while Henry has overcome physical problems and the loss of a sponsor to secure his spot in the $7 million Rolex Series event after both came through a weekend qualifier at Longniddry.
“I have been struggling a bit with my body,” admitted the 32-year-old, who won the 2012 Kazakhstan Open as he graduated to the European Tour, where he then finished just outside a play-off for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles the following year before going close again as he ended up second in the Madeira Islands Open in 2015 only to find himself back on the Challenge Tour for the last five seasons.
“My back and hip have both been sore for a while and I was forced to pull out of Open final qualifying at Fairmont St Andrews last week after the first round. I had two chiropractor sessions and another one with a physiotherapist recently and I am hopefully getting to the bottom of why I have really struggled with my body over the last year or so. Time will tell if I have, and I just have to keep doing what they are telling me.”
The Clydebank man was certainly back to his best as he shot brilliant rounds of 65 and a course-record-equalling 61 along the East Lothian coast before beating Calum Hill at the second extra hole to secure his fourth Scottish Open appearance, having made it to the weekend in 2013 and 2014 at Castle Stuart and Royal Aberdeen respectively before making an early exit at Dundonald Links two years ago. “At Longniddry, it was nice to be able to feel as though I was moving the way I am supposed to move and that allowed me to hit the shots I needed to,” said Henry. “I guess it’s a case now of managing my body better. I’d say that over the years I have probably worked on the wrong things on my body and my golf swing. I know that now looking back and I wish I could turn back the clock and do it again with the knowledge I have now.
“I have made plenty of mistakes and being a bit sore now is a combination of not getting the best information I could get when I was younger and I have definitely done some damage. But, when I play the way I did at Longniddry, I feel I can still play proper golf.
“I’m still only 32 and I feel there is definitely time for me yet. The thing that has held me back in the past had definitely been working on things that have hindered me rather than helped me. I would love to have had a successful pro guide some of my decisions back when I started out. I hate to admit it, but I remember my dad saying to me when I started working on my swing and maybe going off at a tangent then working on my body and going off on a tangent as well, ‘Why are you changing?’.
“But I still definitely feel there is time for me to push on and make something big happen in my career. I’ve had a few close calls, producing some great performances that could easily have fallen the other side and earned me a win in tournaments or great performances that help you secure your card. I’ve been a fraction away from big results a few times so I know what it is like to be on the raw end of things. But, at the end of the day, and I always say this to (wife and fellow professional) Kylie and also my brother, John, you always get what you deserve in this game.”