Double Australian Open winner Greg Chambers admitted ahead of his defence of the title he’s sought out some of the game’s greatest players to fight his shyness.

Chambers showed no signs of shyness a year ago in holding off Tiger Woods to win the coveted Stonehaven Trophy after first winning Australian’s most prestigious tournament in 1998.

However the noe 39-year old Australian has still to win on the PGA Tour.

But in an effort to break through on golf’s most lucrative tour Chambers has spoke to some of the absolute legends of the game in an effort to be more positive in ending his long PGA Tour winless drought.

“I have gone on a bit of quest in the last couple of years because I was shy when I was younger,” he said.

“I did not have the guts to ask people questions.

“But I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Byron Nelson before he passed away a few years ago. That was when I clued in the idea that I needed to talk to people.

“I spoke to Tom (Watson). I spoke to Nick Price this year, Paul Azinger. I’d love to chat to Greg Norman. I hope I get the opportunity next week. It is tough.

“You want to ask the questions but you almost want to sit them down on a couch. It is like a psychology thing sometimes.

“It can be uncomfortable if they don’t want to answer the questions or you don;t want to ask them. I wanted to get into Tom’s head a bit and find out if I was on the right path. The game comes very easily to some people. I think he is one of them.”

Chambers will get the chance to ask Watson plenty more questions as the duo are grouped for the opening two rounds of the Emirates Australian Open.

But naturally, Chambers was asked what Watson had said to him during that first meeting.

“There have been three people – Tom Watson, Peter Thomson and Bryon Nelson – I have spoken to who think golf is a very simple game,” said Chambers.

“So I asked Tom what he thinks about when he plays.

“He said he has had the same backswing thought for 18 years. The game is very simple for Tom. I had 10 thoughts getting out of my car this morning. Some people find it easier than others.”

Watson later attended the Emirates Australian Open Media Centre and responded to Chambers revelation saying: “I might have talked about not complicating it. When I was a kid I tried to complicate the golf swing and tear it apart.

“Every little thing had to be perfect and if it wasn’t perfect, you were chasing your tail.

“Harvey Penick’s book has a passage that is really true. I did not live by that when I was growing up on the Tour. The passage was, if you played badly today, don’t worry about it; if you play badly tomorrow, starting thinking about it; if you play badly on the third day, you’ve gotta change something.

“Pros say if something is not perfect, they have to change something. The game goes in cycles. You can get yourself in the best physical condition.

“But like Trevino said one time when he had a five-shot lead at Houston. It was history. Lee Trevino with a five-shot lead is going to win but he shoots 77 in the last round and loses by four or something like that. I saw him the next week and asked him what the hell happened. He said: “Tom, I woke up on the Sunday morning and my hands were shaking. I knew I was toast.”

“You can be in perfect physical condition and your nerves all of a sudden go haywire on you. Other times, it does not bother you that much. Keep it simple.

“Golf is a game of feel. Mechanics was what I practised when I was a kid but it is really a game of feel. You’ve got to know where that clubhead is.

“I guess that is what I was saying to Greg, if I remember correctly.”

And Chambers spoke also what it means to an Australian golfer winning an Australian Open.

“It is very personal and when you win an event like this, you have your own small piece of that history,” he said.

“Growing up in this country and watching it as a kid, you have it on a pedestal.

“There are the majors and then you want to win your nation’s Open. Given the history we’ve had with so many great players coming from our country, you want you piece of that. I have two now.

“So last year was really special for me. I appreciated it more than the first time.”