Author: Mathieu Wood
The French FedEx Open was supposed to be Nicolas Korsatz's swan song as a professional golfer. But those plans were quickly shelved after a show that saw him almost return to the DP World Tour winner's circle with a brilliant performance.
After battling illness and form in recent years, Colsutters has quietly made last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland and the continent's oldest National Open his last two. game.
So it's heart-warming to see the popular Belgian, fondly remembered for his performance in the 2012 Ryder Cup “Miracle at Medina”, now looking back and about to write another glorious one Story, this time at the Golf House.
The 41-year-old pushed one of the world's best players all the way to only 18th at St Andrews, despite missing out on nine cuts in his previous 15 games heading into the 2024 Dubai campaign. The hole was birdied by England's Tyrrell Hatton. The Old Course turned him down by one shot.
However, while admitting afterwards that missing out on his fourth DP World Tour title and first in almost five years was “bittersweet”, Kolsatz proved to himself that he still had it. ability to compete in this arena. While he may have missed the cut at National Golf Club this week, the thought of him having a final dance is a thing of the past.
“The funny thing is, when you don't care too much, you take chances and enjoy every minute of it,” he told DP World Tour in an exclusive interview in France.
“I was there [in the moment] Every second of the day, every shot of the day.
“All of a sudden, when you're not putting unnecessary pressure on yourself, you can play games again and it feels really good.”
On top of that, his runner-up finish re-qualified him for next season's DP World Tour and earned him nearly €500,000, his highest salary since winning the French Open in 2019 .
At the time, Kolsatz was trying to keep his card. When it matters most, he performs. History tells you this.
When he was told that the presence of golf's gods at the sport's most historic venue made him think twice about retiring, he said: “I'm always at my best when I'm inspired.
“If you’re not inspired by playing golf at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns golf courses… and these amazing golf courses and great weather, then you might as well not play the sport.”
Colsatz, who was invited to the event, achieved a rare feat in his third round at Kingsbarns when he hit an unforgettable albatross on the par-5 16th hole.
So, after three straight 65s, he started the final round one shot behind Hatton, who had led the night, and after initially losing more ground, the pair locked up atop the leaderboard on the 16th hole until Hatton's birdie on the final hole ultimately proved decisive.
“What's amazing is that in the last few holes at St. Andrews I was playing against a very high-level player that we all knew, and I didn't shy away from that,” he recalled.
“I gave it what I thought was a pretty good chance. A lot of people would be devastated, given what's been going on in my life over the last few years, but I definitely wasn't because I have this in my blood and it's about feeling that again The feeling of blood flowing is very satisfying.”
As Colsaerts mentioned, he has faced personal challenges – publicly revealing in the 2022 DP World Tour Player Blog that he feared for his life after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease – that have hindered his return to his full potential. , resulting in him balancing playing opportunities with being a commentator.
Earlier this season he revealed he battled “toxic” self-criticism as he found it difficult to reassess his goals after being away through illness.
“When I was making good progress, I fell into a very dark depression,” he recalls. “I never thought I would be someone who would fall into such a dark place.
“To those who know me, you are no longer the same person you used to be, very sociable, [offering] Pretty good joke about having a hard time talking to a restaurant waiter.
“It's extremely challenging and you think this is going to be your reality for a long time and then when you start to open your eyes at the end of the tunnel you realize this is a phase.
“But I understand now why people don't see the end, the ultimate choices in life. It's something that shouldn't be taken lightly.”
His wife Rachel's unconditional support has been “incredible” throughout the process, while he credits long-term DP World Tour doctor Andrew Murray with playing an incredible role in the early stages. indispensable role.
“You can't help but think about what I did to my family,” he said. “It's a mixture [of feelings]; Embarrassment, guilt and shame. “
Shortly before that, Kolsatz played his part in leading the Partizan home crowd with a “thunder shot” during the Ryder Cup at National Golf Club.
“Finally, a few weeks ago, people looked at me on the first hole of the Ryder Cup and applauded, and people thought everything was great,” he added.
“Sometimes the root of the problem is much deeper than what appears on the surface.”
Now, having overcome those difficult times, he has plenty to look forward to, including the possibility of resuming his duties as vice-captain to European captain Luke Donald at this year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage.
“I'm honored to be endorsed by Luke and no matter what he decides to do for Bethpage, I will always be rooting for Europe whether I'm in or out,” he said.
My emotions are only doubled because of you👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 https://t.co/qyBYkX7XA0
— NicoColsaerts (@NicoColsaerts) October 2, 2023
Asked if he would relish the opportunity to captain Europe one day, he added: “Does my CV qualify me for that? From understanding, identification to playing, yes.”
“But there will be others who have a bigger Ryder Cup resume than I do.
“It would be absolutely amazing if I get this job one day, but if I don't get it I'll do whatever it takes to secure it [trophy] Still ours. “
While this is for the future, knowing for now that he will be gracing fairways around the world in a playing capacity for some time is enough to keep Colsaerts happy.
“We'll probably be on the carousel a little longer,” he finished with a laugh.
