Hello Julien, following you this week when you have hardly ever left the head of the tournament, we have never felt stressed. You appeared more relaxed and in control. Inhabited by a sort of quiet force. Is that your feeling too?
It’s true I was more serene, less stressed than in Pléneuf, but I was in a different position because I have already secured the card for a little while. Finally, I think that I still made progress in this area.
However in the last lap it was less obvious. Because when you’re in the lead, it’s harder to make birdies. This is often the case because the issue tends to disrupt the process. We play more “safe” on certain putts. Often in the tournaments that I won, whether in the pros or the amateurs, I was in the lead and I had to manage my lead. At Pléneuf I won with a small margin, Sunday too. I knew that with a 5 on the last hole I was winning, so I played to make a 5.
Does this victory change a lot of things from a mathematical point of view?
I was sure to finish in the 20 but the objective is always to finish as high as possible to enter as many tournaments next year, even if in the end the 1st and the 20th have the same category.
This victory allows me to consider finishing 1st in the ranking which was not possible before and of course for the search for sponsors in the perspective of the next season it is a plus.
And a third victory this season? And why not on this same Emporda course that you will be playing again this Tuesday, it can also make a big difference?
Yes it is the same course but the counters will be reset to zero and then the weather forecasts are very different with a lot of wind and in another direction. It’s going to be interesting. If I win I would have the same category no matter what, but I will pass the No. 1 in the Challenge Tour ranking at the end of the season.
In any case emotionally this second success this year had a different flavor with your father at your side as a junior?
It is clear that it is special to do it with my father. He’s the one who put me to golf. Already it’s rare to win and since I live in Prague we have less opportunity to see each other. It is clear that these are great emotions to share. It was great.
What is difficult to accept is to invest so much. To spend time training, to put a lot of energy and to notice the few results and the little ease on the course
Have you ever doubted when the results were not there after your stint at the pro when you were among the greatest hopes of French golf?
What is difficult to accept is to invest so much. To spend time training, to put a lot of energy and to notice the few results and the little ease on the course. It’s very complicated, there is a lot of frustration and yes it creates doubt.
Especially when like me you had the chance to rub shoulders with the highest level very quickly. I played with top players like Zach Johnson in a PGA Tour tournament at the Colonial when I was still an amateur.
Today the work is going in the right direction, it is very pleasant, it is powerful as a feeling to feel that my whole team is going in the right direction. I still have room for improvement but it’s nice. And in addition in my life in Prague with my friend Simona it is also going very well.
So you are fulfilled and your progress is continuing?
Absolutely, we form a very good team with my staff. Olivier Léglise who put me back on track 2 years ago by getting back to the basics and with a new way of training is at the origin of all this. Even if I also always have in mind what I learned from my former coaches and it serves me.
Olivier is in charge of all the technical aspect of my swing. Robin Cocq for the physical preparation, Mathieu David which intervenes on the mind and oversees my entire project and then Adrien Leurent who makes the link with everyone because he is the most present in the tournaments.
Without forgetting Jean Fournier which intervenes punctually on specific needs from a mental point of view.
And for next season what have you planned?
The only thing that will change is the integration of a cadet. Basile Dalbert with whom I have already worked very well will be my caddy at the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca at the beginning of November. But also during the first 3 tournaments of the next season of the European Tour from the end of November in South Africa.
Photo Octavio Passos / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP
