Whilst it is perhaps too simplistic to suggest that one shot can make or break a player’s season, Oscar Floren might not be where he is today had he not crafted his miraculous approach to the 17th hole on the final day of this year’s SWALEC Wales Challenge.
The Swede, who earned promotion to The European Tour as the sixth graduate from the Challenge Tour, was in danger of being labelled a “nearly man” after two runner-up finishes, first at the Turkish Airlines Challenge hosted by Carya in April – when he was edged out in a play-off by England’s Charlie Ford – and then at the ECCO Tour Championship, where amateur sensation Andreas Hartø of Denmark pipped him to the prize.
Fortunately Hartø’s amateur status meant Floren collected the winner’s cheque, moving him into the top five of the Challenge Tour Rankings. Thus, he already had one hand on a coveted European Tour card – but what the 26 year old craved above all else was a first victory.
After three rain-affected days in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, Floren entered the final day of the SWALEC Wales Challenge holding a slender lead; but with two rounds left to play, he knew that much could still change.
Floren recalled: “I remember I came into the week playing well after finishing runner-up behind Andreas in Germany the week before. I’d been playing well all summer, just hadn’t managed to finish it off. I was obviously disappointed not to have won but it’s not like I threw the tournament away, so I was feeling good about myself and my confidence was up.
“The last day in Wales was really tough because we had to play two rounds. I played well in the morning but just didn’t hole any putts, then got off to a terrible start in the final round. But everybody was tired and nobody was running away with it, so I knew that I was still in the hunt and if I kept calm I could still win.”
Putting theory into practice is not always easy, however, and on the 17th tee, with a rampaging Raymond Russell of Scotland now leading by a shot, Floren pushed his drive into the trees.
Perhaps the burden of his own expectations was weighing too heavily on his shoulders. Or maybe fatigue was taking its toll after 34 energy-sapping holes.
But to his eternal credit, the feisty Swede remained outwardly calm – even if he was raging inside. His next move would come to define his season.
Better to play safe or throw caution to the wind? Floren’s gambler’s instincts took over, and he reached for his four iron.
He said: “I could’ve just chipped out but it would’ve been tough to make par from there, so I decided to go for it. It could’ve gone either way really, and if it’d gone badly I would’ve been out of the tournament. My backswing was impeded and there was only a tiny gap through the trees, but I guess I got a got a bit lucky with the lie. I was only really trying to get it close to the green, but I couldn’t have hit the shot any better – it was probably the best shot of my whole career, and certainly the most important. It ended up about three feet from the pin, then I hit three more great shots to make another birdie on the last hole to win the tournament. After trying so hard for so long, it was such a relief to finally get my first victory.”
Unfortunately for Floren, however, he was unable to toast his breakthrough, as he was subsequently laid low with an untimely fever.
So the champagne was kept on ice until last week, when he flew out to America to renew acquaintances with some old college friends from Texas Tech University, where he spent four years studying before joining the professional ranks in 2007.
During his time at University, Floren won three times on the collegiate circuit, but by his own admission his transition from the amateur to the professional game was rather rocky.
Indeed, it took a pep talk from his coach Lars Evertsson in the summer of 2009 for his young charge to start fulfilling his undoubted potential. The dressing down clearly had the desired effect. Having trod water for much of his fledgling career Floren suddenly began flourishing, with ten consecutive cuts at the back end of the 2009 season building confidence ahead of the 2010 campaign, when he earned close to €100,000.
Floren said: “My coach sat me down and told me he wasn’t happy with me. He thought I wasn’t focused enough, either in my practice or my approach out on the course. After that I made all ten cuts at the end of last season and carried some of that form and confidence into this year. I’m more organised now with my practice drills, and I’m more in control of my thoughts and emotions out on the course. Now, when I finish, I leave the course and relax – I don’t just hang around. I have a lot to thank him for, because what he said was absolutely right – I wasn’t fulfilling my potential.
“He got really angry with me at the time – he said it was the second most angry he’d been in his life! He said he was frustrated because I was just wasting my talent, and it was probably the kick up the rear that I needed. To know that he believed in me and cared enough to get really angry inspired me to make the most of my talent, which is what I’m trying to do. I work really hard on and off the course, and if I keep working hard next season I know I’m good enough to compete, even on The European Tour. When I saw him again recently, he told me I was light years ahead of where I was 18 months ago, which was great to hear.”
Indeed, Floren has come a very long way from the days he spent as a six year old hitting discarded golf balls around the back garden of his grandmother Ann-Marie’s house, which backed onto the driving range at Uddeholms GK in Varmland, Sweden.
But the one thing he won’t change – at least for the foreseeable future – is his habit of chewing tobacco. Floren picked up the habit in college, where a more healthy interest in World War II and other historical literature was also sparked.
At the start of the season the engaging Swede struck a bet with his coach that, should he fail to finish inside the top ten of the Rankings, he would have to kick the habit.
Fortunately for Floren, thanks in part to that magical four iron, he won the bet and with it a place on The European Tour.
Now comes the even harder part – trying to mix it with the likes of his compatriots Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson and Major Champions such as Martin Kaymer, with whom he shares a management company.
“It’s obviously going to be tough”, he said, “but I’ve always had confidence in my own abilities, and now I’ve also got the results to back it up. I haven’t set myself any specific goals for next season but obviously the aim is to keep my card, and then take it from there. I’m just glad I don’t have to go to the Q School Final again – I went there for the last two years and so it might’ve been third time lucky, but I’m not so sure. I think that after my shot from the trees in Wales, four’s definitely my lucky number from now on.”
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