Chris Paisley updates us on his time in the desert and life at home, and looks forward to returning to the UK for the British Masters
Since my last column, I’ve travelled back to the desert for events in Oman and Qatar. I then had a week of practising in Dubai where my coach, Andrew Nicholson, came out for a few days. I rounded out the early season with the Maybank Championship in Malaysia and I’m currently heading into the final stretch of my 28-hour journey back to Orlando to see my girls. Once I’m back home, I’ve got four weeks off to prepare for a busy summer.
The three events were somewhat successful. I made all three cuts, with my best finish coming in Oman with a tie for ninth place. The most positive thing I have taken from the season so far is the amount of cuts I have made. I’ve only missed one so far and I have not had my best stuff by a long shot. This shows a lot of experience and maturity. A few years ago I would have missed several of those cuts.
The down side is that I haven’t played well enough to compete or win, although I was close at one point in Oman. This isn’t something I am worried about. I have a clear plan of what I am working on in all aspects of my game, and I feel as though I am heading towards that same top form once again. It’s just a case of working hard, being patient, and letting it come to me.
Most of the long haul events are now finished and the events will be closer to home for the rest of the season, which is a relief! I love playing in the Middle East and Asia, but the travel can be difficult. It’s one of the very few down sides to this job. We took the bold step of travelling as a family to most of the events so far this season and it has been wonderful. Ella is an extremely relaxed baby and she travels very well. Having her on the road has certainly made life more enjoyable, and she continues to give me great perspective. It’s sometimes easy to get lost in your own world when travelling on your own for long periods.
I have some really exciting events coming up. Morocco is played on a wonderful golf course and then I am playing at Hillside in the British Masters. My good friend Tommy Fleetwood is hosting. It’s so nice to see how well he has done the past few years. He really is a top player, but an even better person. If you’re an aspiring pro, Tommy is a wonderful role model in all aspects. Hopefully we will see a lot of the readers down there supporting what is sure to be one of the best events of the season.
