(Reuters) – Cam Davis said he turned to hypnotherapy to help him overcome a losing streak before winning his second PGA Tour title at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Davis also needed a bit of luck when Akshay Bhatia three-putted on the final hole at the Detroit Golf Club on Sunday to give the trophy to the 29-year-old Australian.
Three years after winning his first PGA Tour title at the event, a relieved Davis struggled to hold back tears and said it had been a “roller coaster of emotions.”
“I’ve just started working with a hypnotherapist and am trying a different approach to get my mind back on track,” he told reporters.
“To be honest, I haven’t been in a very good place mentally for the last six months or so.
“I just haven’t been playing very good golf this year and it just felt like all the opportunities were slipping away from me.”
“I felt like a change of direction was absolutely necessary, and I was really going to stick with it, because I’m definitely the type of person who starts something and then quits if I don’t feel like it’s immediately helpful.”
Davis’ dream of representing Australia in golf at the Paris Olympics has been dashed after a poor start to the year.
The country will be represented by former world number one Jason Day and Rocket Mortgage Classic runner-up Ming Woo Lee.
But Davis will be hoping a win in Detroit will pave the way for him to earn a spot on the international team for the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal in September.
“I guess I missed my chance to qualify for the Olympics. This win came a little late for my big goal this year, but I have two big goals left – finishing high in the FedExCup and trying to make the Presidents Cup team,” he said.
“I know I’ve played some good golf and I was able to do that this week, so I just want to keep it going. I’ve got a lot of work to do this year.”
(Reporting by Ian Ransome in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
