Sabbatini goes from 'bad boy' to role model
Source: Agencies |
March 8, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ONCE considered one of golf's bad boys, life has thrown a few tests in the direction of Rory Sabbatini who on Sunday claimed his first PGA Tour win in nearly two years with victory in the Honda Classic and acknowledged he was a changed man.
Sabbatini made a level-par 70 to finish nine under par overall, one stroke clear of South Korean Yang Yong-eu who closed with an impressive 66.
The Texas-based South African has had to deal with two major health scares - a skin cancer operation and a serious problem for his American wife Amy, who spent four days in cardiac intensive care after childbirth.
"It's been a stretch, a tough road. My wife had some health issues with the delivery of our baby and it was very concerning. Then obviously having to go through what I went through with my skin cancer and then her father just went through that recently too," he said.
Nine days after the birth of the Sabbatinis' third child, Bodhi Mac, the golfer went under the knife to have a cancerous growth removed from his face. The scare has led to him wearing a broad rimmed hat and smearing his face in a special sun-cream each time he steps on a golf course.
At first glance, the cowboy hat seems to enhance his old image as a maverick but it is clear from the composed way in which he approached his golf this week in Florida that he is now a focused and settled man.
Sabbatini's reputation for being fiery and emotional came largely from some public spats with Tiger Woods and an incident in 2005 where he protested slow play by storming off to the next hole leaving Ben Crane on the green on his own.
Yet on Sunday, after holding off a challenge from Yang, it was Sabbatini's "emotional stability" that his opponent praised.
"I'm a passionate golfer, I really I am. I love the game of golf and I have had my moments. I'm not proud of everything that I've done out here (on tour) but I'm trying to learn," he said.
He credits fatherhood for his more mature approach and a rebuke from his wife.
"I'm trying to be a role model for my children and I know, as my wife has said to me, I wouldn't want my son doing some of the things that I have done in the past.
"I definitely have to take into account that my son is old enough now that he understands everything that I do and I really try to be a role model for him," he said.
Sabbatini has also been rewarded for sheer hard work and persistence - the Honda Classic was his eighth straight tournament without a break.
"I have been feeling like things are going in the right direction and was trying to build on it each and every week. I felt like something good was going to happen. Really, I guess, I have been trying to flush a win out.
"I guess if you flip coins enough times, you are eventually going to end on the right side"
Yang, made his push with birdies on the 13th, 15th while Sabbatini wobbled with a bogey on the 14th before recovering with a birdie on the 16th.
Just after Sabbatini put his tee-shot on the difficult par-three 17th safely on to the green, the horn blew to suspend play due to lightning in the area.
After a 28-minute break, play resumed and with both players making par Sabbatini had a two-shot lead going into the par-five 18th.
"Y.E. (Yang) is a fantastic competitor....like a bulldog he's not going to let you get away easily. I had to remind myself to be patient," Sabbatini said.
Sabbatini made a level-par 70 to finish nine under par overall, one stroke clear of South Korean Yang Yong-eu who closed with an impressive 66.
The Texas-based South African has had to deal with two major health scares - a skin cancer operation and a serious problem for his American wife Amy, who spent four days in cardiac intensive care after childbirth.
"It's been a stretch, a tough road. My wife had some health issues with the delivery of our baby and it was very concerning. Then obviously having to go through what I went through with my skin cancer and then her father just went through that recently too," he said.
Nine days after the birth of the Sabbatinis' third child, Bodhi Mac, the golfer went under the knife to have a cancerous growth removed from his face. The scare has led to him wearing a broad rimmed hat and smearing his face in a special sun-cream each time he steps on a golf course.
At first glance, the cowboy hat seems to enhance his old image as a maverick but it is clear from the composed way in which he approached his golf this week in Florida that he is now a focused and settled man.
Sabbatini's reputation for being fiery and emotional came largely from some public spats with Tiger Woods and an incident in 2005 where he protested slow play by storming off to the next hole leaving Ben Crane on the green on his own.
Yet on Sunday, after holding off a challenge from Yang, it was Sabbatini's "emotional stability" that his opponent praised.
"I'm a passionate golfer, I really I am. I love the game of golf and I have had my moments. I'm not proud of everything that I've done out here (on tour) but I'm trying to learn," he said.
He credits fatherhood for his more mature approach and a rebuke from his wife.
"I'm trying to be a role model for my children and I know, as my wife has said to me, I wouldn't want my son doing some of the things that I have done in the past.
"I definitely have to take into account that my son is old enough now that he understands everything that I do and I really try to be a role model for him," he said.
Sabbatini has also been rewarded for sheer hard work and persistence - the Honda Classic was his eighth straight tournament without a break.
"I have been feeling like things are going in the right direction and was trying to build on it each and every week. I felt like something good was going to happen. Really, I guess, I have been trying to flush a win out.
"I guess if you flip coins enough times, you are eventually going to end on the right side"
Yang, made his push with birdies on the 13th, 15th while Sabbatini wobbled with a bogey on the 14th before recovering with a birdie on the 16th.
Just after Sabbatini put his tee-shot on the difficult par-three 17th safely on to the green, the horn blew to suspend play due to lightning in the area.
After a 28-minute break, play resumed and with both players making par Sabbatini had a two-shot lead going into the par-five 18th.
"Y.E. (Yang) is a fantastic competitor....like a bulldog he's not going to let you get away easily. I had to remind myself to be patient," Sabbatini said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
