USA TODAY International Edition
Schwartzel plans to play through
Injury from pro- am won’t sideline champ
As soon as Charl Schwartzel arrived at Innisbrook Resort this week for the Valspar Championship, his mind was flooded with great memories from last year’s tournament.
He came from five shots back in the final round and won in a playoff against Bill Haas by making a par on the first extra hole on the Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Fla. It was his first title on the PGA Tour since he won the green jacket in the 2011 Masters, a drought that led him to wonder if he’d ever win on American soil again despite winning four times overseas during that time.
So everywhere he looked it seemed a good memory popped into his head, like the 65- foot putt he made for birdie on the 13th hole, the par- saving up- and- down on the 16th and the 25- foot birdie putt on the 17th that led to his 4under- par 67 to get into the playoff.
All was good in Schwartzel’s world until he got to his tee shot on the first hole of Wednesday’s pro- am. As he stood waiting to hit his approach shot, one of his amateur playing partner’s shots ricocheted off a tree and struck Schwartzel on the left wrist.
“My whole hand went numb,” Schwartzel said. “I’ve played golf for 28 years now, and I’ve never been hit by a golf ball until this morning. Really bad luck.”
Schwartzel kept playing but was forced to stop after 10 holes. He said he couldn’t move his wrist properly, took painkillers and anti- inflammatories and would ice the wrist to combat the swelling.
“I never pulled out of a tournament with an injury after I’ve started. I’m planning on playing; whether I have to limp around or not, I’ll tee off,” said Schwartzel, who has a 7: 56 a. m. ET tee time Thursday. “I just hope it’s not something serious, because I feel like I’m playing really well and I want to play.”
Schwartzel, ranked No. 28 in the world, battled a knee injury this year that kept him on the shelf for a few weeks. The knee is fine, and Schwartzel feels fresh after a long break. Last weekend he finished in a tie for 38th in the World Golf Championships- Mexico Championship and was feeling optimistic until the first hole of the pro- am.
“I’m sort of just starting out my year, and everything feels in great shape,” he said. “I’ve worked hard, my swing’s great, my putting feels good, so just need some rounds. I need to start playing some golf.”
Schwartzel thought he’d play a lot of great golf after he won the Masters. But he struggled and said he started swinging “a bit badly in ’ 13 and ’ 14.” In 2015 he watched footage of his old swing and started to fix himself. Slowly his form returned.
“You win the Masters, and your expectations rise so much. And you have a drought for four or five years without winning, you start doubting yourself,” he said. “Anytime you can win out here, you’ve got to be really proud of yourself. You know, last year was a nice breakthrough for me just mentally to realize that you are capable of winning out here.”
Now he hopes his left wrist will allow him to defend that title.