Wow that was a better performance in Jo’burg last week, definitely the best I have played for well over a year. In case you didn’t catch the result I managed to finish tied 2nd, and qualify for The Open Championship at St Andrews in July. Result.

Looking at things more deeply I came into the week after two weeks off, courtesy of a horrible missed cut in Malaysia where I bogeyed the last hole from only 15 feet away to miss the cut by one shot. This was far too much pain for Bro and I to bear so we withdrew from Thailand and scurried off home with our tails between our legs.

Sometimes doing this job, you just know deep down that the right decision is to say, sod it, let’s go home and recharge the batteries. What a good decision that turned out to be. Two weeks spent with the kids, forgetting to shave and spending some time at The Els Club with Justin Parsons working on my game. I turned up in South Africa thinner, with more facial hair, and a new putter (a replacement Calle by Yes Golf) a new set of Taylormade RSI irons and a swing that was working far more consistently. All in all a pretty good mix it would seem.

On a serious note, boy the RSI irons are nice, as soon as I hit my first shot with them I knew they were going straight in the bag, which is no mean feat as time and again the boys at Adams and Taylormade have tried to get me to switch over the last three with no success. I don’t mind saying I have no idea how much they cost but if you’re thinking of switching irons soon I’d give them a try if I were you.

Anyway more about me, the beard seems to be a little controversial, its been growing because of a basic lack of time, courtesy of our three lovely children being very little children that suck the last vestiges of energy, from any adult human who is privileged enough to look after them. Then I started well the first couple of days in Jo’burg and thought I’d best keep it growing, then I thought about the trophy photographs and whether I would look ridiculous in them if I managed to win, but then I thought I’d rather look ridiculous in the photos than not get to have the photos because I shaved off a beard that was clearly improving my game so I stuck with it anyway. And I’m not even superstitious.

In the end a bad swing on the 14th hole and a missed putt on the last cost me the chance to pip Andy Sullivan from winning for the second time in 2015. Another great performance and final round from the man from the Midlands, as for me, well I played really very nicely indeed, if you’re a close follower of my game you hopefully will have noticed a swing that looks calmer and smoother. Even Raymondo (my father) noticed a difference and he doesn’t know much so that’s saying something.

So there you have it, my game is in great shape, we are in The Open and our season is off and running in a positive way now, I am as excited about my golf as I have been for some time which is a very enjoyable place to be in again.

On a final note, one of my closest supporters has had some tough times of late with his health, I hope to see him at St Andrews making his way around the Old Course this July, if he can get there so if you can Mike, I will see you there.