Can you put your finger on why things have gone so pear shaped for you this year?
Australian golfer Brett Rumford pauses for a few seconds as he contemplates the question, racking his brain for the answer.
After all, it’s a question he’s asked himself numerous times over the past six months.
Unfortunately, the answer hasn’t been forthcoming, and the results have been reflective of that.
Rumford has now missed the cut in 10 of his past 11 tournaments on the European Tour, with the dramatic form slump seeing him drop to 218th on the world rankings.
It’s in stark contrast to May last year, when Rumford became the first Australian golfer in 41 years to win back-to-back tournaments on the European Tour.
The confidence was oozing out of him at that time. Everything he did in those few weeks turned to gold.
Now, that confidence has been replaced by doubt. Although Rumford’s short game remains in order, his long game has gone out the window.
“It’s just the world’s hardest game to play, no doubt about it,” Rumford says.
“I’ve just found from the beginning of this year I was on the back foot. I didn’t really finish off that well last year.
“I just thought maybe I was over-golfed, so I took a bit of time off over Christmas and New Year’s thinking, ‘Well, I’ll just try and freshen up and come out strong and continue the feeling from the beginning of last year’.
“But it just didn’t happen. Technically I was just really, really inconsistent.”
Rumford stayed as strong as he could during the down times.
The 37-year-old has recently switched back to his former coach, and he’s confident the wheel will soon turn for him.
Rumford’s progress will be put to the test this week when he competes at the $1.75 million Perth International, starting on Thursday.
The West Australian concedes he will probably need to win the co-sanctioned European Tour event if he is to make the cut for the Race to Dubai finals series.
“I’m that far behind (in the points race),” Rumford said.
“We’re all only human. If you keep getting kicked like that, which the game does, it’s really hard to maintain that optimism.
“After you miss a cut you get a little bit down, but after a day I bounce back well.
“You just have to brush off bad weeks. It doesn’t mean your game is crumbling and falling apart.”
