Sandy Lyle has brought the unique ‘two-part’ swing back into his game with the one goal of making the cut in the Masters.
It’s been near on 10 years since Lyle introduced a two-part swing where he pauses momentarily at the top of his back swing before hitting the ball.
However after the frustration of fighting pulls and snap hooks the 54-year Balquidder golfing ace is desperate to play all four rounds in his 31st Masters.
Sandy Lyle reintroduces 'two part' swing back into his game.
“I found the two-part swing worked really well for me 10 years or so ago so I decided to reintroduce it to my game,” he said.
“I just felt last year in The Open and the Open Seniors I played horrendous hitting the ball and did not get any momentum going.
“It was like a survival game so there was a lot of things going wrong and all compiling and I just couldn’t believe I could get myself into the state I was.
“So I went back to a two-piece drill and I’ve found it calmed things down, and I’ve been hitting the ball well using the two-piece swing and it’s got to be better than my heart pounding at 200mph on the first tee.”
Lyle has missed the cut in his past two Masters including the disappointment last year in starting with a 73 and lying 49th after the first day but crashing out with a second day 80.
He comes into the Masters having played just one event and that was finishing 70th in last month’s Champions Tour Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach in California.
“I always get a buzz driving down Magnolia Lane and you never grown tired of that short drive even though it took about 50 minutes to get to the course when it should only take 20,” added Lyle.
“This is my 31st year and I’m delighted to be back and you still get goosebumps.
“But golfwise, and while this is early into my season, I am playing pretty well.”
The 1988 Masters champion attended Tuesday night’s traditional ‘Champions Dinner’ where defending Augusta champion, Charl Schwartzel hosted a meal of traditional South African meats and with a monkey gland sauce.
“There was no monkey and no gland and it’s a sauce pretty familiar with South African restaurants made of a some chutney, Worcester sauce and some onion,” laughed Schwartzel.
Lyle, who tees up at 11.19am, indicated it was also an emotional occasion and the first Masters dinner since the death of Seve Ballesteros.
“Jose Maria (Olazabal) had spoken last year and that was extremely emotional and he spoke again last night,” said Lyle.
“Each year at the dinner we pause to remember those who have passed away in the previous 12 months but last night was very sad and we all were thinking of Seve.”
