1. The interview after the 1st round
After winning the PGA Championship a couple years back, I think Martin underwent some changes for some reason or another. Winning a major championship gives a PGA Tour player a five year exemption on tour, not having to worry about making cuts or finishing high on the money list gave him the time he needed work on his golf swing.
What struck me most about the interview was the contrast in thinking on the golf course and not thinking. Martin talked about as he went through changes he was consciously thinking about every shot, what went wrong, how to fix it, etc. Recently, something in his golf swing clicked and he stopped thinking on the golf course, just hitting shots.
Martin talked about the thinking needed to get information, pick a club, strategy, etc., and then turning the mind off, being focused on targets, and letting things happen. Too much thought about positions and fixes clouds the mind and takes away the brain power needed to execute in big events.
2. Understanding Tournament Golf
Martin seems to be uber aware of the process of tournament golf. The process includes the playing conditions each day, his strategy, his golf swing, his relative standing in the tournament and most importantly the impact these conditions have on him. A big event on a demanding golf course can melt some players minds, he seemed committed to his strategy, and very comfortable playing with the lead all week.
3. Gutsy Finish
After that crazy good putt on the 17th, Kaymer talked about staying aggressive on 18 tee and attacking the golf course. Pulling 3 wood on that tee doesn't make the tee shot any easier, and in my opinion, there are times during the last nine holes of a tournament, you have to step up and hit big shots trying to win the event. This does not guarantee you'll hit a good one, although staying on the attack and giving yourself permisson to let it rip and be ok with the outcome is fantastic.
I also loved the two times he pulled out the putter on the last three holes, not because he won the tournament, or the decisions worked out in his favor, I like it because the putter was the club he was most comfortable with. The only thing that matters is how many, just because you're in the fringe, or rough, doesn't mean you have to choose one club or the other. When the pressure is turned up, comfort is a highly sought commodity, and if the putter made the shot more comfortable, perfect.
Congrats to Martin on a great win, he seems to have an affinity for the biggest stages in professional golf.
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