Big-hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts has sent out a chilling warning to WGC – Accenture Match -Play Championship rival, Bill Haas declaring: “My driving is awesome”.
The reigning Volvo World Match-Play champion is making only his second appearance in the event after being bundled out last year 3 & 1 by England’s Lee Westwood.
However after a dream end to 2012 capped by being a member of the victorious European Ryder Cup, Colsaerts is hoping to get the better of Haas who is competing for a third straight year, and after also being knocked out last year when the American was defeated 1 up by Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa.
Nicolas Colsaerts in happy mood ahead of his first round match against American Bill Haas. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie_
“I play Bill Haas in the first round but nobody is easy when you play against the best in the world, Bill is in great shape for the moment and I don’t have the same positive vibes,” said Colsaerts on his website.
“But sport is not a science, with a good break in the beginning of the round I can suddenly find my confidence back on the greens and become quite an efficient opponent against any of the players here!
“My long game is as sharp as ever and this is a strong weapon on a match play formula… My driving is awesome, that’s another strong asset!”
Colsearts and his Australian-born caddy, Brian Nilsson drove from Los Angeles after missing the cut with scores of 70 and 75 in the Northern Trust Open, and it’s the second weekend off in three starts for the PGA Tour rookie.
“Brian and myself drove through the desert on Sunday and it was a long drive together, ideal to burry that last Friday afternoon, with a wrong club used on the par 3 16th,” he said .
“I took an 8-iron instead of a 9 iron and flew over the green unplayable in the bunker’s lip. We were so mad after the round, both having made that mistakes on 16…
“I don’t yet feel totally home on this Tour, but it’s a question of weeks… It’s gonna be like on the European Tour a few years ago: some tension building for the cut, then some tension to make good Saturday’s, then finally adding a 4th good round in a row. I know the process now.”
Colsaerts indicated he will contest next week’s Honda Classic in Florida and has been invited by Jack Nicklaus to participate in his Charity event at The Bears Club.
“The other change in my schedule will be the week off during the Bay Hill Arnold Palmer Invitational,” added Colsaerts.
“In fact, after the WGC Doral, I’ll play on Monday the Charity of Ernie Els and on Tuesday I’ll go the Augusta National GC to play a practice round on Wednesday. At night I’ll come back to Europe for a week off with some friends. I will come back on the PGA Tour to play the Shell Houston!
“For the material geeks, with Mich we decided to play with the yellow shaft and the 8,5° Callaway Razr Hawk head! That’s the club I used in Durban and last week, it will be in the bag for the next weeks… A super efficient bomber weapon!”
