Hearn says game 'absolutely' in better shape
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Brantford’s David Hearn has seen a significant improvement in his golf game to start the 2020-21 PGA Tour season.
“I feel like my game is in better shape this year than it was a year ago, absolutely,” Hearn said in an interview.
“The reason is, I feel like my iron play is helping me along and I’m putting the ball really solid. If I can have my iron play crisp and that putter and short game in check, that’s usually where I start to get on a good roll and that’s kind of where I’ve made my money over my career.”
Iron play was an issue for Hearn at the end of last season when he missed the cut in nine of his final 10 events.
The 41-year-old always has been consistent and straight off the tee but, last season when not on with his driver, Hearn said he didn’t give himself enough birdie opportunities due to his long iron play.
The numbers seem to back up Hearn when it comes to birdies.
In his first 10 rounds of this season, Hearn has averaged 3.8 birdies per round. Last season, he averaged 3.5 birdies per round.
To start this season, Hearn tied for 14th at the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif. He then tied for 33rd at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“After playing well at the Safeway, I wanted to make sure I stayed consistent with what I’m doing,” he said.
“I did that in the first round (in the Dominican) but, the second round, I was maybe a little bit off and got a few bad breaks. That happens sometimes.”
Hearn said the Corales course is beautiful but, playing long and with an open layout, is difficult for him. Hearn’s straight drives are of little advantage due to his lack of distance and he unable to use his short irons to cozy up to the flag.
In his last tournament at the beginning of October, Hearn missed the cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss.
“I didn’t drive it quite as well as I wanted, in either round,” said Hearn, a veteran on the PGA Tour since 2005.
“In the first round I felt like I played a lot better than the 70. I just didn’t get as much out of it as I had hoped. (In the second round). I really missed some fairways that I felt like I should have had.”
With six of his 10 rounds in the 60s this season – compared with just four in his first three tournaments a year ago, Hearn said he feels he’s playing more like himself.
“It wasn’t really me the way I played last year at the end of the year,” he said.
“That was out of character for me. The way I’ve played the first couple of weeks has been more in character.
“It hasn’t been earth shattering. I haven’t had a chance to win tournaments but, a top-25 and a near top-25, those are the results that add up over the season.”
He is now back at home in Florida, getting ready for the next few events that will end the 2020 portion of his season.
Hearn, 62nd in the FedEx Cup rankings, will play, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, in the Bermuda Championship in Southampton, Bermuda and, Nov. 16-22, in The RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga. He’ll also play the Mayakoba Golf Classic, Dec. 3-6, at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, before breaking until the new year.
The Brantford Golf and Country Club member said he hopes to get into the Houston Open, Nov. 5-8, in Houston, Texas, but, with the Masters the following week, he’s unsure his status will gain him entry as the world’s top players prepare for the final major of 2020.
Regardless, with a tied for eighth in Bermuda last year to go along with a tie for 30th at the RSM and a tie for 41st at the Mayakoba, he’s looking forward to finishing the year with a bang.
“They’re all golf courses I can do well at.”
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