Insider: Return to Kapalua completes Appleby's comeback

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Stuart Appleby was named Comeback Player of the Year after regaining his footing on TOUR in 2010.

It was poet/songwriter/free spirit Joni Mitchell who may have said it best when she penned these words in her immortal song "Big Yellow Taxi." Ms. Mitchell wrote, "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone."

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Can we get an "Amen" from you, Brother Appleby?

Stuart Appleby may understand that song as well as anyone on the PGA TOUR. He knows from first-hand experience what it's like to lose something, in his case the ability to play golf at the highest level in the world. Not that he ever took anything for granted, but you can only imagine how sweet the South Pacific winds must smell to Appleby this week when he returns to the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. You might argue that no one appreciates being in Kapalua this week more than the son of a dairy farmer from little town Down Under.

The return to form in 2010 was welcomed by Appleby and those who follow and appreciate the play of the working-class Australian who nearly won the 2007 Masters. It came after going three seasons without a win and after his Official World Golf Ranking went from 21st after the 2006 season to 105th after the 2009 season.

Understand that the difference in those two seasons is remarkable for many reasons. Appleby won twice and earned $3.47 million in 2006. In 2009 he had only one top-10 and won only $562,837. He went from being a guy who was accustomed to being paired with the game's best to playing alongside others whose glory had faded. The diminished bank account hurt, as did hearing the whispers from members of the gallery who asked the inevitable, "What happened to him?" question. And with his 40th birthday yet to arrive, it was too late to close the curtain on his good career.

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Perhaps it was his background and his willingness to work hard for everything he had achieved, but Appleby decided he was too young to go quietly into that good night. So when the 2010 season began, Appleby's goal was to win again. He began to work with mind coach Gio Viliante to help become more mentally prepared and "mentally free" to compete on the course. Allenby spent time with Steve Bann, his instructor since he was a junior and even went to a left-hand-low putting stroke.

Nothing was working early in the season. He suffered more cuts than a bad bantamweight. The first glimmer came at Hilton Head, where he tied for eighth at the Verizon Heritage. The next week he was sixth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Just when there appeared to be light approaching, Appleby's game regressed. He missed the cut in his next four events.

But then his ability began to emerge again. He played well at the U.S. Open (T-29) and the Travelers Championship (T-27) and contended at the AT&T National, where he tied for 11th. By this time Appleby was in the middle of his win-or-die-trying phase; he was determined to play every week until he won.

Finally, in his 11th consecutive event -- a streak that is remarkable by today's standards -- Appleby did it. He not only won The Greenbrier Classic, he did it by shooting a 59 on the final day. He had won eight previous times on TOUR, but none had as much meaning. It validated his hard work and thrust him back in the conversation. His world ranking is only No. 73, but he's now got two exempt seasons (and a guaranteed spot in the Masters) to pick and choose his events and spin that number lower.

And he's not through winning, either.

"I want to be a yearly holder of a trophy for sure," Appleby said. "It's not easy. Four years. I should be getting older, wilier and more experienced and that's maybe how I'll use some of that timeline ... to make sure I don't ever have a break like this again."

Now that Appleby has steadied the ship and returned to form, he can echo another Joni Mitchell song. He's looked at life from both sides now. And there's no question that he likes the winning side a lot better.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.