After tying for thirteenth on the Sony Open in Hawaii, which he received in 2018, Patton Kizzire didn’t put collectively a robust season.
He truly had simply the other: he missed 10 cuts and posted just one top-10 end. He didn’t play in any of the majors, both. Kizzire ended the common season with one other missed reduce on the Wyndham Championship and dropped to 134th within the FedEx Cup standings. He would want to play properly within the fall to safe a spot among the many prime 125, the brink that ensures standing on the PGA Tour in 2025.
Effectively, to this point in Napa, he has.
Via 54 holes, Kizzire sits at 18-under par and holds a four-shot lead over David Lipsky. He credit his improved psychological strategy for why he’s seeing ends in Northern California.
“I believe you couldn’t see what was mistaken within the stats. I believe consistency comes from a strong psychological basis and permitting your self to compete,” Kizzire stated.
“So I’ve been engaged on that, and that’s been an enormous increase for me.”
Kizzire stated he’s been working with a psychological coach for a few month.
“I missed the Playoffs, so I needed to make somewhat little bit of an adjustment with my golf recreation, psychological recreation, and bodily recreation,” Kizzire stated after Friday’s second spherical, during which he posted a 7-under 65.
“It’s been actually cool to only get organized and attempt to be extra playful on the market and be unflappable. That’s form of my phrase.”
After a yr of a lot negativity, Kizzire has tried to assume solely positively.
“I’ve had a variety of constructive vibes and constructive ideas. I used to be wanting ahead to bringing it right here, persevering with it, and rising it,” Kizzire added on Friday.
“This can be a good place. It’s a nice golf course, and I get pleasure from taking part in it. There’s at all times the doubt of whether or not you’re going to do it or not, however the positivity has outweighed that doubt, and I’ve been in a position to trump it.”
He has overcome that doubt by way of three rounds and vaulted to the highest of the leaderboard. Now the query is, can he ship and win a PGA Tour occasion on Sunday for the third time in his profession?
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.