As part of a new series highlighting the stories of DP World Tour members competing in this summer’s Olympics, Thomas Detry talks about his Olympic aspirations, hitting the road with young children and why meditation helped him break into the top 50 of the Official Golf World Ranking.
I always tell people about the Olympics, and as a golfer, it wasn't really something I dreamed of growing up because it wasn't actually part of the Olympics until 2016. It's been an interesting relationship, and all of a sudden in 2016 I was like, “Wow, we actually have a chance to medal as well.” But obviously we all grew up watching the Olympics on TV, so in a way, it's a dream come true. I remember watching tennis and hockey and all the other sports as a kid and seeing people bring medals back for our countries, and it would have been amazing to bring one back for Belgium.
I have big expectations for myself, but I'm also really looking forward to having a full experience this year. I went to the Tokyo Olympics, and obviously it was just the situation at the time, but because of COVID, there were a lot of restrictions and we couldn't really have the full Olympic experience. It was painful to travel to Tokyo, and it was painful to leave Tokyo. We weren't allowed to go watch different sports, we were just stuck in our hotel rooms, going back and forth to the golf course. So, I'm looking forward to having a full experience this year and watching some other sports.
Belgium is arguably the hockey capital of the world. Hockey used to be my strongest sport and I have a few friends who are on the hockey team, so I’m really looking forward to watching them play if I can. I’m also planning on going in and out of the Olympic Village. We won’t be staying in the Olympic Village, as we’ve agreed with the Belgian committee that we’ll be staying on-site so it’s convenient for golf, but if we have a free afternoon we might go to the Olympic Village or some of the event venues. I had a brief experience during the Tokyo Olympics, but it only lasted five or six hours, so hopefully we can get a good feel for the Olympic Village.
I also wish I had spent more time with Adrien Dumont de Chasal before the Olympics this year, but I think we’ll have a lot of fun together. It’s been difficult due to the PGA Tour schedule with Signature Events, so I haven’t spent as much time with him as I would have liked, but hopefully we can bring a medal back for Belgium.
Thomas Detry (right) poses with his Belgian teammate Adrien Dumont de Chassard at the National Golf Club
I am very much looking forward to the challenge of the French National Golf Club and I think previous experience will be a big benefit. Unlike other sports, we play on a course that I think most of the players in the field have played before. For me, like Adrian, I played here quite often as an amateur and then played the French Open as an amateur in 2010, and I have also played in the French Open many times. It's not like playing at home, but it's pretty close.
When we were younger, we would come here a few times because it's one of the best courses within a 2-3 hour drive, and in Belgium we don't have courses and facilities like this. It's a good place to practice because the course is very demanding. I also did well in the French Open in the past and had a few top 10s. The course has thick rough and is very difficult to play, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I think in general, going to a place you're familiar with makes a big difference. This year's PGA Tour was like that, it was my second year there. This year, most of the tournaments I played were my second time playing. So I was more familiar with the little things like where to eat, where to stay, etc. When you know the golf course, everything becomes easier. You don't second-guess yourself anymore, you know how to play the course, so I think that really helps.
I think this year and the results I’ve had in the Grand Slams this season have also made me more confident going into the Olympics. I remember a few years ago when I was a rookie, the Rolex Series used to be the big events. They’re still popular, but now you feel a little less pressure going into these types of events. My schedule and my competitions are geared around the Grand Slams – they’re the ones I really want to peak at right now – so I think in other competitions, it helps you feel more relaxed, a little less nervous, and a little more comfortable.
Overall, I feel like my career has been trending upward, which means I'm doing the right things, and I think trusting my process has been the catalyst for doing well this season. You know, we choose to believe that if I keep doing what I'm doing, keep working on things with my coach and my team, and play the mental side, I think things are only going to get better.
I think the results I’ve had this year and in the Grand Slams this season have also given me more confidence going into the Olympics.
I've been meditating a lot this year and it's really helped me a lot. I don't meditate very often, but you know what, I've had a few times where I've been a little nervous the night before a race or even the morning before a race and I feel like meditation has really helped me.
It’s not an easy thing to do. You have to trick your brain, and my brain is a forward thinker. Oftentimes, I’ll also think about a lot of negative scenarios, or worst-case scenarios, so through meditation, I try to pull my mind away from those scenarios. Even realizing that my mind is going there is already a big step forward, so I can say, “Okay, Thomas, let’s not go down that path, let’s go down the positive path and cut off the negative thoughts.” I do it before a game, and I do it the night before. I look at it as an exercise in training your brain to cut off those bad thoughts. It’s not easy, but when you realize that your brain has gone to a negative place, even realizing what’s going on is already a step forward. I used to not really realize it in the past and just continue down that negative path.
For me, this year has also been a great benefit to travelling with my family. My wife Sarah is British so we have a base in the UK and one in Dubai, so we have split the year in two, spending the winter in Dubai and the summer in London, with a small base in the Dominican Republic, where we take advantage of our vacation time and avoid travelling all the way back to the UK with our two daughters from the US.
My wife said, 'Well, if you're going to go on an adventure to the States, we have to go together and take the kids with us.' So far this year, I haven't had a week by myself without leaving the house or being away from my family, which is very helpful. I think some people who work in the city or work late at night might see their kids less than I do. I always see my kids and put them to bed every day. When I'm on the golf course, I don't see them, but I might pick them up from daycare and spend the afternoon with them, so it's fun. It also helps to take your mind off golf when you have kids with you!
To be honest, this year it all had a bit of a knock-on effect, so much so that my goals have changed a bit. For example, at the beginning of the year, my goal was to finish in the top 50 in the FedEx Cup and focus on the US, because it's hard to play both tours at the same time. Obviously, we got off to a good start, and then all of a sudden the top 50 seems to be a certainty, so now the goal is to finish in the top 30 and get into the Tour Championship, which would be an amazing achievement. I'm really working towards that. I've done well in the two majors this year, so I'm also expected to move up the rankings on the DP World Tour, so I'm looking forward to finishing the season very strongly on the PGA Tour, and then going back to Europe to try to finish as high as possible on the DP World Tour and the Race to Dubai – especially living in Dubai.
Obviously, I want to be successful in Paris too!
