Brandt Snedeker still motivated at Travelers despite difficult period

CROMWELL, Conn. – Brandt Snedeker knew the gator face mask he wore for Thursday’s first round of the Travelers Championship would raise flags, given the nature of our world.

But, no, it had nothing to do with COVID. Rather, the mask offered protective to his face against sun, just a few days after he had precautionary treatment in his vigilance against skin cancer.

“Just trying to be proactive because of the lifestyle we live,” said Snedeker. “We’re out in the sun a lot and I want to stay on top of it.”

Late last week, doctors applied a cream to help burn off some areas of skin. He’s had it done before, “but this time I had a little bit of a reaction to it,” said Snedeker. Because of that, he wore the mask to protect areas that hadn’t quite healed.

He shrugged it off, but conceded “it’s brutal,” when asked how it was to play with it on.

Still, there is another area where Snedeker feels a greater pain, only a mask is not something you can put over your heart. Instead, he carries thoughts of his mother, Candy, and father, Larry, with every step, every swing, every shot. His mother died last October, then his father passed away June 4 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

“It’s been tough,” he said. “Mentally, you try to stay focused, but life does get in the way.”

Snedeker feels blessed that he and his brother, Haymes, were able to spend a lot of time with Larry Snedeker before he died. Larry and Candy were instrumental in getting their boys into golf and their respective successes in golf at all levels were celebrated by the proud parents.

“He loved watching me do what I love to do,” said Brandt. “I try to take that on the golf course with me, to keep me upbeat.”

The death of his parents, the pandemic, the reaction to the skin cream . . . it all comes at a time when Snedeker concedes that it is naturally more difficult for him to focus. “I’m 40,” he said, laughing, but then he got serious to explain the 2020-21 season that has produced just two top-10s in 21 starts.

“Mentally, I’m not where I need to be. As you get older out here, it’s tough to stay focused for 72 holes. You’ve just got to really want it.”

He professes to still be motivated and he is looking forward to being part of The Open Championship (July 15-18) at Royal St. George’s – especially since he was not qualified for the Masters, PGA Championship, or U.S. Open.

“That’s why, for me The Open Championship will be a big deal.”

Right now, a bigger deal is to steer his golf game on a path that he knows is out there. True, he’s made the cut in seven straight tournaments, after having missed it in eight of his first 14 starts. But he said he needs to tighten up the game in all aspects if he expects to get back into contention.

There was a bogey on his first hole Thursday, the par-4 10th, birdies on four of his next eight, then a sloppy bogey at the par-4 second to drop back to 2-under. From there, Snedeker struggled to find rhythm, and only some brilliant bunker play at the par-4 fifth and par-4 seventh enabled him to come home with eight straight pars and a round of 68.

Nothing great, but nothing that can’t be improved upon, said the man with a mask on his face and a pain in his heart.

“It’s been a tough year,” he said. “But I’m still motivated.”