Lucas Herbert shot 63 on his return to golf following a self-imposed break from the game to get a “mental reset” after feeling he’d become “a bitter and spiteful person” on the course.
The Australian missed the cut at The Open and then took seven weeks off, sacrificing the rest of the season in order to deal with things both on and off the course that had been bringing him down.
After returning to the PGA tour with a fine opening round at the Fortinet Championship, Herbert opened up on his struggles and why he felt he needed a complete break away from golf.
“I felt like heading to Europe for the Scottish and The Open, if I wasn’t probably inside the top 100 after those two events, I wasn’t going to try and bother chasing the Playoffs. I just knew that I needed that mental reset,” said Herbert.
“From the outside it doesn’t look like the greatest decision to make, but I really needed the reset. Yeah, I was just able to get away from golf for a while.”
Herbert says disappointment on the golf course, coupled with issues off it, just piled on the pressure so much that he let it get the better of him – culminating in him being disappointed with his own actions at Royal Liverpool.
“Golf’s been getting me down pretty hard this year,” Herbert added. “It was just a tough stretch there where I had a lot going on both in my life and on the golf course as well.
“It was a lot of stuff. I just think a lot’s happened for me this year. I’ve had to deal with a lot off the golf course and it felt like I was kind of idling at 80 percent when I did get on the course.
Coming out of the gates swinging 🔥@LHGolf5 leads by two after a scorching opening round @FortinetChamp. pic.twitter.com/5QzLmF5u6TSeptember 14, 2023
“I think I’d become probably a bitter and spiteful person. Not over the top, but I didn’t like the version of myself I look back on and see at The Open Championship. I think I was wound up pretty tight and kind of lashed out at people around me too quickly, too easily.
“The break was a good chance for me to be able to get away and reset, just get away from this life. I just think you’re under the pump so much, so much pressure on you externally and internally to…
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