Daniel Berger spent the afternoon on his boat in calm Florida waters, an ideal location for anyone except a guy who misses green turf under his feet and a golf club in his hand.
Tuesday marked the 319th day since Berger shot 75 in the second round of the U.S. Open at Brookline in June to miss the cut by two shots. That was his last tournament. He’s still not sure when the next one will be.
Pain in his lower back, which first surfaced after a long post-Ryder Cup break in 2021, reached a point where he needed ice baths before he could play. It hurt just to sit in the car on the way to the course.
Relief, finally, is on the way, thanks in part to a tip from Luke Donald.
“That was the worst six months of my life,” Berger said Monday evening. “I’ve had a pretty easy life. I play golf for a living — it’s not that stressful. But there was a point that I would have given up golf for the rest of my life not to feel like that.”
Berger turned 30 a month ago with little fanfare because he has become a forgotten figure. Golf can be a lonely sport when the game is not going well. It’s even lonelier when you’re not playing at all. His only real contact with the PGA Tour was Commissioner Jay Monahan calling a few times to check on him.
Berger, full of energy and self-belief, won the last hole of the last singles match at Whistling Straits to beat Matt Fitzpatrick and make the Americans the first team to register 19 points against Europe.
Team USA’s Brooks Koepka, left, and Daniel Berger celebrate on the 11th hole during a foursome match at the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Course Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. Berger vanished from the golf scene the last year dealing with back pain. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
Emotionally and physically drained, he took off the rest of 2021 except for an appearance in the Bahamas in December. When he showed up for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, something didn’t feel right with his back.
“I didn’t do as much as I should have…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply