Nashua Masters & BMG Classic

After a short lived week last week at the Wild Coast its back to the grind and I’m teeing it up at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg tomorrow.
The course is in great condition and playing rather long for a course that’s two thousand feet above sea level but this won’t be stopping me from making lots of birdies because the greens are running at around twelve and I’m putting rather nicely. (Nice and FAST!)
I can’t wait for the day when my shoulder is no longer a problem but it’s running at about 95% at the moment and I must admit that it gets a bit tired during those last few holes but I’m grinding it out and trying to learn from this whole ordeal. It feels better every week so I’m excited to see how it holds up this week.

For those of you who are new to my blogs I try add a funny story every other week or whenever they decide to appear.

As I mentioned earlier I missed the cut last week and was asked to play in a Pro-am in Joburg on Saturday morning. After finding out I’d get paid to play I confirmed my participation without thinking about too many travel arrangements. (Was thinking there’d be shuttles from the main hotel to the airport two hours away…) Mental note to self: Don't think.
I got off the course at 6pm and the last shuttle did in fact leave while I assume I was busy playing the 11th hole… So... No transport, 10:30 flight (two hours away), zero lift to the airport and a hefty fine from the Tour if I miss the Pro-am… I made my flight by one minute after paying a caddie on the Tour to drive me the 2 and ½ hours to the airport!!!! (the ½ hour was added after we drove to the old “Durban International” completely not knowing about the new King Shaka International thirty minutes away… brutal… one minute!!)


Please follow me this week at www.sunshinetour.com

1st round start is 6:50am tomorrow!

Cheers and God Bless.

Christian

Success!

Hi.

It's been ten days since the surgery and I'm super excited to report that the surgery was such a huge success that I was able to take my arm out of the sling yesterday.
The Dr. reported that he took out a substantial amount of calcium and that there were NO torn tendons or damaged muscles either. The pain going down my arm has since disappeared as well as the numbing feeling that I was experiencing in my fingers... YAY to a successful surgery!

THANKS FOR ALL THE PRAYERS!

If you can sense that I'm getting excited to get out there you should know that the golf bug is pulling towards the course and that I'll be starting my come back on Wednesday with a few hours of short game!!! Don't worry... I won't over do it and do too much... haha

On a side note: I offered my time to a awesome charity called the Tembaletu School Project which is in Guguletu (for those that don't know the area: poor shacks, no running water, electricity etc.) It is one of the Hillsong Africa Foundation projects which promotes equal access to a high standard of education and life skills development for children with disabilities. It also creates a safe environment, free from predatory behaviour and dangerous elements and provides dignity, love, confidence and will enrich the lives of children from these disadvantaged communities.

It's a awesome cause and I'm looking forward to hanging out with these kids tomorrow at the first fundraiser in Guguletu.

I'm very confident that I'll be back playing full time on the Sunshine Tour in mid October!!!

I'll blog again in a couple weeks to keep you updated on the progress of my game.

Have a good week and chat soon.

God bless.

Christian

Surgery

Hi.

I'm writing my blog from the rather coldish South Africa!

It's always good to be home and I'm enjoying the odd bit of sunlight we get from time to time here in Cape Town.
I'm being taken under the knife on Friday morning to have this calcium removed from my shoulder- I've tried the rehab and both shoulder specialists I've seen have recommended that I have it surgically removed.

I've never thought that I'd be this excited to be put to sleep (for an hour or so) but I can't wait to get back into golf without any distractions or hiccups! The latest with my recovery period, and we will know more after the surgery, is between two to six weeks. If nothing is too damaged and they don't have to do any repair work on the shoulder other that the removal of the calcium then I can get back to full mobility within two weeks and should then be teeing it up middle to end of October.

I'll keep you all updated and I will know more once they get in there and have a look!

There aren't many funny stories from my traveling at the moment but I'm sure they'll be streaming in once I get back out on the road and join the guys on the tour!!

Thanks for all the constant well wishes! They are truly appreciated.

Have a good day and God Bless.


Christian

I'm back!

Hi.

I've got good news- I'll be teeing it up in two weeks on the Sunshine Tour! The first back event will be the Telkom PGA Pro-Am in September 1-3. I'll be playing five events in South Africa and getting ready for the PGA Tour Q school in late October.

Rehab has gone well with my shoulder and I've met all the optimistic points with the Dr's looking into my case. There is no stinging pain anymore and my rotator cuff muscle has been showing considerable improvement in strength from seven weeks ago. I'm also back in the gym and am able to do allot more exercises than I used be able to do!!

I had a good session with my coach (Mark Immelman) today and am excited to be teeing it up again!

No other dramatic news- I was in Chicago for the weekend and I must admit that it has slipped into my top three coolest cities in the world! What a place!

I'll be updating this blog more regularly now that I'm playing and being a l0t more active!

Take care and God Bless.

Christian

Calcium build up...

Hi.

I decided to have a second opinion on my shoulder and it turns out that I have a build up of calcium in my left shoulder nestling on the rotator cuff muscle. Had an X-ray taken and it showed two places in my shoulder where there is calcium...
The Dr. doesn't know why it happens but every so often the body will try and fight a muscular tear with calcium... brutal.

I'm on a strict rehabbing schedule and should be back to chipping and putting next week and then progressing into the long game the weeks thereafter.

If all goes according to plan then I should be back to full competition within 5-6 weeks!
Reading has now become a favorable hobby and I've also become quite the Braves supporter.
I've got allot of decisions to make for the rest of the year with regard to my game and where I want to compete and will have an updated schedule within two weeks for you all to see.

PS. "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman is a awesome read!

God Bless.

Christian

Injured shoulder has me rehabing at home for three weeks.

Hi everyone.

Let me start by reflecting back on this past weeks Open Championship!

What an unbelievable performance by Louis Oosthuizen- he gave us an immaculate performance and showed the whole world that he now is a force to be reckoned with.
Congratulations Louis!! I know there are many more performances like that to come.

A fun fact is that Louis, Charl Schwartzel and myself were all part of the South African Junior team that won the World Junior Team Championship in Japan. That's going back about nine years but I'm glad that we finally have a major winner out of that group!!
Seeing them doing so well and making a success of their golf careers definitely keeps me motivated to get to the top.

Having said that.... I've unfortunately injured my left shoulder into my upper bicep muscle and will be taking an additional two weeks off to rehab and strengthen it in order to be on my game.
If I have to look at any blessings in disguise it would be that this injury has happened well in advance of my busy schedule.... that being in a couple months, so I'll have more than enough time to get healthy and get my game to where it needs to be.

I'll be preparing for PGA Q school here in Atlanta and will continue to be ironing out the silly faults and nags with my swing coach Mark Immelman for the next few months.

I'll give y'all another update in the next couple weeks when I've got a clearer picture on the exact date of my return.

Have a good day and God Bless.

Christian

Two 2nd's in a row!!

Hey folks.

I'm excited to announce my new website is up and running!!

Life has been rather busy since my last post; I'm back in Atlanta Ga, and playing every week.
My focus this year is simple: get better!! I'm spending my time on the Peach State Tour in Georgia and it's been a nice start. I've had two 2nd's in a row with some solid rounds under the belt and am steadily climbing the money list.
I'll also be playing a few Hooters Tour events along with a few Monday qualifiers for Nationwide Tour events all leading into PGA Tour school in September.

There are no funny stories yet but I did post my lowest round as a professional on Monday in Newnan with a 64.

I'll be playing in Monroe Ga, next week on the Peach State Tour.

Look out for my post next week after the event and have a great 4th of July weekend with your family and friends.

God Bless.

Christian

Getting there!

Hi all.


What a week its been! I'm home after a long three weeks on the road and am glad to have had allot of positive come from my travels in East London and Johannesburg. I managed to finish in a tie for 30th at -6 in the Joburg Open (the final European Tour event for January in SA) and can comfortably say that I have once again proved to myself that I really do belong on tour and can handle myself at that level.

The nerves were flying and I must admit that I was a little too up and down emotionally but with that I think I'm getting closer to being able to manage my nerves during these long competitive weeks!! Its has been especially long for me because I've had to Monday qualify into every event thus far but no complaints because even Ernie said that he had to do it and it's all part of paying your dues.....

There wasn't a funny story that stood out but allot of positive things did come out of the week....

A quick story was that through 27 holes I was only three shots off the lead and noticed this while walking to the tenth tee, during the next five holes I managed to think about it and drop four silly silly shots before I kicked myself mentally and birdied two of the last four to get the ship moving in the right direction... The brain is so powerful that I'm extremely upset looking back on the situation and having dropped all those shots but at the same time it's extremely reassuring to know I stepped my mental game up and birdie coming in; making it comfortable inside the cut line.

I have the next two and a half weeks off, in which I will be celebrating a 27th birthday on the 31st of January!!! along with that it's just working out and practicing to get ready for the next three summer Sunshine Tour events in February.
Please keep on following the action at http://www.sunshinetour.com/

I'll be blogging again before the Di Data being played in Fancourt early next month.

Thanks again for all the support and God Bless!


Christian

Joburg Open

Hi,

Once again it was good news- I qualified for the Joburg Open yesterday with a 68!
Had a early practice round this morning on the East course and was satisfied with what I saw.

I look forward to a good week and am excited about my game just the way it is!!!

I'll blog again after the event- just heard I'm off at 6:30 am tomorrow on the East course.
Follow the action at www.europeantour.com or www.sunshinetour.com

God Bless!

Christian

Africa Open

Hi all.

I must start by apologizing for the delay in my blog- I have since my last blog enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with my family and had a working "holiday" up the east coast of SA with my friend Mirko and the Ker Fox family. Played allot of golf in the two weeks off between the SA open and the Africa Open.
I had to qualify for the Africa Open in Fish River Sun and finished in a t3rd at even par. In our practice rounds, making birdies was easy on the defenseless course- I have played the course as a junior before and experience told me that she might appear easy at first but with a little wind the course could become a raging monster. The day of the qualifier was something else, I haven't played in wind like that in a long while and knew that pars were winners.... 16 pars, a bogey and a birdie later, I was through!!!

Having qualified for my second European Tour event in a row the nerves where allot less and I must admit that I started to believe that I do belong on this stage! I hit the ball extremely well but unfortunately didn't have all the cylinders working on the greens and missed the cut by two.

As always, something funny has to happen during such a week- I had four different caddies in four days!?!?! I can only feel for them because twice the weather was raining and overcast and with such weather the tour bag (big bag the caddie has to carry in order to get paid) does collect a few extra items which makes it too heavy for me to carry... so that was that...

I had my dad travel with me for the week and it was nice having him around for company but I think he has a new appreciation for what we do and the time and effort it takes... was a blessing to have him around!!!

It's the Joburg Open this week and unfortunately I have to qualify but feel really good about my game and am excited about the challenge of beating 135 golfers to get in!

I'll blog again by the end of the week to let y'all know how things progressed. (www.europeantour.com or www.sunshinetour.com)

Take care,

God Bless.

Christian