Turning Pro.

5.3.2010.

I've written about my wife's nephew, Mizi, before. Several weeks ago I had an argument with his dad at my house about letting the youngster turn professional golfer too early. I had meant to talk to him about it because I know he's the one behind that premature decision for his son, who's all of 19 years old now. His visit to my house and his starting comment about an impending tournament ( I think it was in Myanmar) gave me the opportunity to let him have an earful. But he was game, and gave me an earful, too.

For reference purposes, Mizi's score at the on-going 2010 Maybank Malaysian Open at KLGCC 4 -7 March can be checked. At the end of the partially completed second day (bad weather) his scores are 79 - 73, for a total of 152, which is 8 strokes above par. His tentative position is joint 142. He'll miss the cut for the remaining 2 days of the tournament, with the cut mark projected to be even par. In pro golf, above par is below class.

In golf missing the cut means you get 0 dollars. My argument for delaying pro-golf for at least 2 more years is that Mizi is not ready mentally, and pro golf is, as Ray Floyd said, "all mental". 

First, he has not accumulated enough wins as an amateur. Sure, his dad says he has 7 wins. But we are talking about the significant tournaments here. A lot of wins would give Mizi the knowledge of how to win. It will also build confidence, and the art of putting, the most important stroke, is all about confidence. Now that he's a pro and beginnig to miss cuts, his confidence will be shattered. 

Secondly, he needs to build good temperment without being concerned about not winning since he's still an amateur when no money is at stake. The most important element is patience, which has to be built through match plays. I have played with him since he started as a boy with a 24 handicap until he went down to scratch. He has temperment problems. 

The no. 1 player in the world did not turn pro until he was 21. For the last 6 years before that he had won in consecutive years 3 years as US Junior Champion followed by 3 years as US Amateur Champion. He was ready. Then he turned pro. Mizi is not ready.

I'd say the father's motivation is just greed, compounded by ignorance. He said the main reason he wanted Mizi to turn pro was because he had been left out of some big competitions. I said that is politics, not golf per se. We should consider the tecnical reasons for building up a pro golfer's career, not the politics of it.

Anyway I said all my arguments are now academic, because Mizi has taken the plunge, but I wanted to say it out, anyway. As I said to my golf buddies, I wish for the best for Mizi. But I'm afraid his father has gotten in the way. 

It's sad, because Mizi has the talents. But talents alone aren't sufficient for reaching world class standard, which is what we're talking about here. We should look at how champions are made when we have all the time in the world. What's the big hurry ?

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