DAN BRADBURY’S TOUR DIARY – Golf News

In the latest instalment of his exclusive column in GolfNews, DAN BRADBURY reflects on a somewhat frustrating Summer Swing on the DP World Tour, which has been bookended by strong results in between a run of near misses

It’s been a tale of highs and lows for me on the DP World Tour this summer. When I look back at the run of tournaments I’ve played, the results don’t tell the whole story.

On paper, four missed cuts from six events doesn’t look like the kind of form you want at this stage of the season, but then you see a top-three finish at the Italian Open, a top-20 at the British Masters, and a couple of flashes of really good golf in between, and it all starts to feel a little more positive.

Golf rarely runs in a straight line – and this summer has been a perfect reminder of that.

After the Dutch Open at the start of June, where I finished seventh, and then Italy, where I came third, I really thought I’d found a groove.

Both results came with a mix of good play and a fair dose of frustration. In Italy, for example, I started hot – five under through seven holes of the opening round – and just kept myself in the mix all week.

But even walking away with my best finish in a long time, I wasn’t entirely satisfied. I made some poor decisions, like hitting a conservative seven-iron off the tee on a drivable par four and somehow managing to find the water.

On Sunday, I couldn’t buy a putt on the back nine, yet there I was on the leaderboard, shaking my head at what might have been. That’s golf: sometimes you feel like you’ve underachieved even when the result looks pretty good on paper.

The frustrating thing about this game is that when you’re playing well, you’ve got to take advantage of it.

Momentum doesn’t always stick around. Guys like Kristoffer Rietan and Marco Penge have had a great run in the last few months or so where everything clicks – a win, a second place, a string of top-10s – and that short run of hot form can change an entire season, and potentially the future direction of your career.

That’s the mentality: make hay while the sun shines. I’d love to have bottled that Italian form and carried it forward, but golf doesn’t work that way.

MID-SUMMER RECHARGE

One thing that has made a real difference this year is the freedom of having my card secured for next season after my win in France last year.

It’s changed the way I’ve been able to approach my scheduling. Normally, if there’s a big event on the calendar, even if you don’t love the course or it doesn’t fit your game, you force yourself to play because you need the rankings points.

This year I’ve been able to step back, skip the odd week, and trust that it won’t cost me. That freedom has been invaluable. It’s also given me a bit of time to recharge.

I took my girlfriend on a break to Corfu in July, and it was great to not have to think about golf at all for a week or so.

I also skipped the European Masters at Crans last month, as it’s not a course I have played well on in the past.

I spent the time practicing and playing at home instead. I had a game at Alwoodley with some friends and made nine birdies in a casual round and it kind of reminded why I love the game.

No stress, just playing shots. It also reinforced something important: I’ve always played my best golf when I’ve separated practice from competition.

On the range, I’ll grind – drills, numbers, Trackman data, wedge testing, the works, but when I get out on the course, I want freedom.

I don’t want to stand on the tee thinking about swing planes or wrist angles. I just want to play golf.

That’s why I avoid using training aids – they clutter my head. Some guys like them, but for me, I need to keep it simple and focus on feel.

That said, technology has become a bigger part of my routine. I invested in my own Trackman GC Quad last year, which I bought with some of the winnings from the French Open, and it’s been great to have it to hand for when I’m out on tour or working on my game at home.

Knowing my carry numbers down to the yard, especially with wedges, is huge. Sometimes it only takes one well-judged shot in the right moment to pay back that investment.

Of course, practicing in the UK has its challenges. At Alwoodley, I’m often hitting off mats and using two-piece range balls, which makes it hard to get a true picture of ball flight and spin.

It’s not like Dubai, or some other venues where you can practice on pristine grass year-round.

I’ve thought about basing myself somewhere warm over the winter, and I’ll often tag on an extra week when we’re in the Middle East swing in February and March, but I’m not sure I could live abroad full-time.

I like the seasons here in the UK, I like being home with friends and family, and as much as I love Dubai for a visit, I don’t want sunshine every day.

FROM SCOTLAND TO THE STATES

I played in both the DP World Tour’s Scottish events in July, the Nexo Championship at Trump International and the Scottish Open at Renaissance, although both sadly ended in missed cuts.

The Trump course was stunning – every tee box felt like an Instagram moment – but some of the design elements didn’t quite work in the wind.

Raised tees and greens, combined with strong winds, made some holes unplayable at times.

Still, it was in immaculate condition, and the scoring reflected the challenge: if you were under par, you’d had a good week.

I had a few brief look at the second course that has just opened there and it looks a stunner. I’m sure the tour will come back there one day – but hopefully when it’s less windy!

The Scottish Open at Renaissance was another story. I just didn’t play well enough there, and the greens, with their mixed grasses and growth patterns, added to the difficulty.

Being just a week before The Open, it was a strong field and it was just one of those weeks where I couldn’t get anything going.

One highlight of the summer was getting the chance to play in my first PGA Tour event – the Barracuda Championship in California.

It’s a co-sanctioned event between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and about 50 of us Europeans travelled over.

I’d always wanted to experience an event in the States, and the set up in Tahoe in the mountains was breathtaking.

The week itself didn’t go how I’d hoped – my game just wasn’t sharp enough – but I loved being back in America. I went to university there and still miss aspects of that lifestyle.

I took the opportunity to catch up with some old friends in Texas on my way back and it was great to see some familiar faces over there.

The PGA Tour has an undeniable pull: the prize money, the atmosphere, and the golf courses, which kind of suit my style of play.

That said, the DP World Tour still has things the PGA Tour doesn’t – the variety of courses and playing conditions, the history, and the friendships – but I’d be lying if I said the financial side of the PGA Tour wasn’t attractive.

BELFRY BOOST

Back in Europe, the British Masters at The Belfry gave me a much-needed boost. Having my coach, Steve Robinson, with me that week made a huge difference.

We didn’t overhaul the swing – sometimes it’s not about big changes, but little reminders and sharpening things up.

The real breakthrough was with the putter. I’d been struggling with too much arc in my stroke, especially on short putts, and it was becoming a bit of a struggle.

By making the setup a little more upright and simplifying the motion to more of a straight-back, straight-through stroke,

I suddenly felt freed up. For the first time in months, I trusted myself on the greens. That change alone might have saved my season.

FINAL PUSH FOR POINTS

Looking ahead, I’ve got some big weeks coming up – the Irish Open, The PGA Championship at Wentworth, then defending my French Open title.

Unfortunately, it’s a different venue than last year, but I’ve heard good things about La Bretesche and I’m looking forward to going there and hopefully putting up a good defence of my title.

Those are three brilliant events, and they’ll go a long way toward deciding whether I can push into the playoffs. Top 70 is the magic number to make it to Abu Dhabi.

A good finish at one of those tournaments could change everything. I know my game is close – it’s about piecing it all together over four rounds, staying patient, and trusting the work

DAN’S SPONSORS