A Girl Ruined My Golf Game
by Motte Brown on 06/17/2009 at 1:54 PM
Relationships can really mess you up. Take professional golfer Sergio Garcia for example. In a USA Today article featuring Garcia and his return to the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black after nearly winning there in 2002, he talks about how his break-up with Greg Norman's daughter, Morgan-Leigh, has affected his game this year.
Garcia, who has slipped to No. 4, said in May that he has been reeling since his relationship ended with Greg Norman's daughter, Morgan-Leigh.
"A couple of personal things happened, and that didn't help," Garcia said about the state of his game. "Then, obviously, you lose a little bit of confidence, and it's harder to recover from that. When your head is not where it should be, it doesn't matter how much you practice, because you are not thinking about what you are doing.
Even when relationships are done biblically, there's almost always an emotional investment that requires healing if it ends. When they're not done biblically, they can feel like mini-divorces requiring a sports psychologist. (Not that Garcia needed one though.)
It'll be interesting to see how Garcia does this weekend. Especially given the focus required for a sport like golf where the slightest distraction can give you the yips .
1. DannieA said the following at 2:39 PM on Jun 17:
Oh goody...maybe I can beat him at golf then :)
I'm playing Friday with a friend.
Breakups can affect things for a bit. I hope time will heal the wounds
2. Scott Arnold said the following at 5:00 PM on Jun 17:
Heh, it's important to never forget that athletes are human too. They have their lot of struggles and trials, and sometimes it can weigh heavy on them and affect their performance!
(not that it's all about performance :3). That's why stories like Mickelson are way more touching than Tiger winning a billion championships in my mind.
3. Todd said the following at 7:09 PM on Jun 17:
I doubt that will really matter since Tiger is back!
4. BY said the following at 4:28 AM on Jun 18:
I like the article on relationships done biblically. I wish that more young people could read it and realize that everything we do is for God's glory, and not for our own glory and pleasure.
5. Kate said the following at 7:27 AM on Jun 18:
a girl messed up his game? Really? It should if he was dating a girl.... oh, do you mean a woman messed up his game? Because he is a little old to be dating a girl (someone under 18)... just a thought on word usage...
6. BDB said the following at 9:11 AM on Jun 18:
Curiously enough, one's golf game would probably be best by following St. Augustine's advice in Confessions to give one's heart to no one - that way you'll never be hurt OR distracted.
I wonder if Augustine played golf.
7. BDB said the following at 9:39 AM on Jun 18:
Phil Mickelson's golf game seems to be affected by his wife's cancer battle.
8. T.Smith said the following at 9:48 AM on Jun 18:
Garcia needs to man it up. Life is about assiduously overcoming adversity, not using adversity as an excuse for failure.
9. kaj said the following at 10:57 AM on Jun 18:
I wonder how the discussion would be different if it was a female golfer who broke up with a boyfriend and it was affecting her performance...
10. Ariana said the following at 2:01 PM on Jun 18:
# 8 said: "Garcia needs to man it up. Life is about assiduously overcoming adversity, not using adversity as an excuse for failure."
I think Garcia's line here, explains it all: "When your head is not where it should be, it doesn't matter how much you practice, because you are not thinking about what you are doing."
People can't predict how grief will affect them. And different people grieve differently. Some people cope by distracting themselves with something else, and others have to address the issues before they're able to move on. Anyway, I don't think that other people can judge how deeply something should have affected someone. He gave it his best, continued to practice assiduously, and didn't make it. But that's what happens when you actually invest your heart.
11. Jeff said the following at 3:29 PM on Jun 18:
5. Kate said the following at 7:27 AM on Jun 18
a girl messed up his game? Really? It should if he was dating a girl.... oh, do you mean a woman messed up his game? Because he is a little old to be dating a girl (someone under 18)... just a thought on word usage...
Yeah true, but we know what he meant. It would be similar to me saying "God blessed me with a wonderful girlfriend." We universally recognize that the term girlfriend can include a grown woman (due to what the term has come to mean over the years).
12. Dannie said the following at 7:40 PM on Jun 18:
My tee time is at 11:04 am tomorrow in Riverside....BDB you play golf????
13. Dannie said the following at 7:41 PM on Jun 18:
I mean for future reference....we have 2-3 players usually...one of these days it would be nice to have a foursome....the complete number
14. BDB said the following at 12:38 AM on Jun 19:
>>My tee time is at 11:04 am tomorrow in Riverside....BDB you play golf???? <<
Alas, no, despite seven years in the Advertising industry, and seven more years working across the street from a course. My boss'golf game suffered while I worked for him.
15. Dannie said the following at 9:22 AM on Jun 19:
Oh well!
16. Esther said the following at 11:27 AM on Jun 20:
hehehe, I like the comments about 'girl' and 'girlfriend'...it just made me think about if a man introduced his new love as his "womanfriend".