Appleby pulling struggling game out of the doldrums
By Craig Dolch, PGATOUR.COM Contributor
Stuart Appleby has learned one bad stretch of golf can almost wipe out a career's worth of accomplishments.
A year ago, Appleby could lay claim to being the only golfer to have played in every World Golf Championship event. But that number ended at 32 when he failed to qualify for last season's World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.
A month ago, Appleby could boast he hadn't missed a major since 1997, the year after he joined the PGA TOUR. Only Vijay Singh (63) had played in more consecutive majors than Appleby (52), but that achievement ended when Appleby didn't receive a coveted invitation to the Masters.
"(My streak) shows I certainly had the skill to play those majors for that long," Appleby said, "But it doesn't take long to drop off form, and they'll kick you out the door."
These are the things that happen when you're bad stretch of golf lasts more than a year. Appleby had just one top-10 finish in 2009. He plunged to 137th on the PGA TOUR's money list and had to take a one-time exemption for being in the top 25 on the TOUR's all-time money list to keep his playing privileges for this season.
He recently fired his longtime caddie, Joe Damiano, who was on the bag for all eight of Appleby's PGA TOUR victories, and hired fellow Australian Scott Sajtinac, who had worked for Paul Goydos.
Slowly, Appleby seems to be regaining his form. After starting the year by missing six of his first eight cuts (and failing to finish in the top 50 in the other two), Appleby has made three cuts in a row. There was a T30 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a T44 at the Shell Houston Open.
After having to take the Masters week off -- Appleby says he purposely didn't watch the year's first major on TV -- he re-adjusted his schedule and played in the Verizon Heritage for the first time since 1998. It turned out to be one the best decisions he's made in a while.
Thanks to a final-round 67, Appleby secured a back-door tie for eighth, his first top-10 showing in the U.S. in more than a year and just his second since 2008. Appleby said he made a conscious decision to lighten up -- not with his grip, but with his on-course demeanor.
"I'm trying to be a little more relaxed about things," Appleby said. "I felt like I probably shut down my natural abilities, talents, whatever it is to play golf. I'm trying to play more natural golf and (use) the feel that I have."
There are many reasons why a player's game head south: Age, injuries, a personal tragedy, etc. Appleby already went through a horrific time when his first wife, Renay, was killed in a car accident in 1998. Appleby, who turns 39 in two weeks, is healthy and figures to have many more good years ahead of him.
"I always say the marvelous thing about Stuart is that he knows what a bad day is, and I think you know what I'm referring to," said Steve Bann, his long-time coach. "He's had the amazing ability to come off the course and he'll be furious in the locker room because of the way he's played. Fifteen minutes later you're having a coffee and it's like it never happened. He's got the ability to let it go."
Now Appleby just needs to let it -- his talents -- go on the golf course. Despite the 16-month slump, Appleby is confident he can once again become the player who qualifies for all of the majors and the World Golf Championship events.
"It's a hiccup to my way of thinking, not a disease," Appleby said. "I'm hitting the ball as well as ever. I just haven't been able to hide some poor golf. But I'm not the most talented bloke out here. I'm one of those guys who just has to go back and work harder."
One thing he started working on at last month's Tavistock Cup was a new putting stroke: Left hand low. Appleby knows what most golf fans are thinking when a seasoned pro starts tinkering with his putting stroke.
"I'm trying to find confidence with something," he said. "It's like petting a snake. You try to befriend it, but you never know."
Sometimes, the snake bites you. Other times, you walk away with some nice, new shoes.
Appleby knows last week's run at Hilton Head, while a positive step, was just a step in his climb back to relevancy (he improved to No. 145 in the latest Official World Golf Rankings.) He needs to continue it in this week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
"I'm re-learning some skills I took for granted," Appleby said. "Everything is close enough. I'm going through the basics and trying to feel the shot, trying to absorb myself in each shot. It's the first real test I've had in my career."
And it happened so quickly.
Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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