Andre Stolz has been a daily winner on the PGA Legends Tour since turning 50.
By Peter Owen
FOR somebody who’s been the most important money-earner on Australia’s Legends Tour for the previous three years, and who’s comfortably main this season’s Order of Advantage, Andre Stolz is curiously unfazed about his possibilities of being a four-time Legends Tour champion.
“Actually, I by no means give it some thought,” mentioned Stolz, after profitable his sixth occasion of the season. “Certain, I need to win each time, however profitable the Order of Advantage is only a by-product of doing effectively in every occasion I play.”
Stolz’s rise to the highest of the Legends Tour, contested by the perfect golfers within the nation aged over 50, is a exceptional testomony to the person’s willpower, talent and skill to beat accidents.
20 years in the past he was using excessive. He’d received a string of tournaments on the Australasian Tour, together with the Tour Championship in 2000, the Victorian Open and Queensland PGA in 2002, in addition to the wealthy Token Homemate Cup on the Japan Tour in 2003.
He’d made his manner onto the Nationwide (now Korn Ferry) Tour and did effectively sufficient to earn promotion to the USPGA Tour.
After we spoke, this yr’s Open Championship was being performed at Royal Troon, and Stolz mirrored he had certified to play in Todd Hamilton’s 2004 Open, which was additionally staged at that Scottish seaside hyperlinks course.
“I’d began the yr effectively, however my type had slipped, although I used to be working my butt off,” he mentioned. “I used to be burnt out by mid-year and I had some massive occasions developing, so I made a decision to remain house at Orlando, take three weeks off after which make a full assault on these different tournaments.
“The choice raised just a few eyebrows, however it was actually necessary for me to achieve some standing on tour.”
In hindsight it was a masterstroke. After his break Stolz contested a PGA occasion in Pennsylvania, then hopped throughout to Eire for the wealthy American Categorical Championship earlier than tackling the Michelin Championship in Las Vegas, now generally known as the Shriner Hospital for Kids Championship.
He shot rounds of 67, 67, 65 and 67 to win the $US4 million occasion that introduced with it a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and rapid monetary safety. It will be his one and solely PGA Tour victory, however it was a possible life-changer.
Then hassle struck.
The Sunshine Coast Senior Masters, the place he shared the spoils with Peter Senior, one other over-50’s victory for Andre Stolz.
Stolz was enjoying a late-season occasion on the Japan Tour and felt a pointy ache in his wrist as he hacked a ball out of the heavy tough. The ache endured, however Stolz opted to attempt to play by means of it.
He went to Hawaii for the 2005 Match of Champions, an invitation-only occasion for the winners of PGA Tour tournaments the earlier yr. The ache in his wrist flared and Stolz sought medical recommendation.
“When did you break your wrist?” the surgeon requested after analyzing the damage. Docs operated twice, however the ache endured and Stolz’s recreation deteriorated. He determined to take a break from golf.
“I used to be 34 and I had three younger youngsters,” he mentioned. “I wasn’t enjoying any good and I used to be able the place I might retire. So I assumed ‘I’m completed. I’m going to retire and spend a while with my youngsters.’
“For 15 years I’d pushed myself actually laborious,” he mentioned. “Now we owned our house and I had sufficient cash to final the remainder of my life.”
He had no actual plans however busied himself renovating his house, then purchased the Bateau Bay driving vary on the NSW Central Coast, the place he did some instructing. He joined the Terrigal-Matcham Cricket Membership, and coached his son’s junior cricket aspect.
His re-entry to the sport of golf started quietly. He was teaching a few younger affiliate execs who invited him to play with them within the midweek comp at Gosford. Stolz had performed no golf for 3 years however, with an outdated set of golf equipment, went out and shot one underneath par.
Every week later he performed once more, and this time shot nine-under. “I assumed ‘what the hell’,” Stolz mentioned. “One factor led to a different and I performed in a few pro-ams. I didn’t win however I used to be prime 10 in each occasion. And I used to be ache free.
“Then I went to Queensland and performed in a Skins occasion with Anthony Painter, Peter Senior and a neighborhood professional. I received each gap – I received all the pieces. Peter Senior checked out me and mentioned, ‘What are you doing?’
“However I had no standing and I couldn’t simply rock up and play tournaments.”
Senior, nevertheless, pulled just a few strings that allowed Stolz to play in that yr’s massive Australian tournaments – the Masters at Huntingdale, the Australian PGA and the Australian Open at Royal Sydney.
He had tinkered along with his golf swing, adopting a brand new grip and a shorter takeaway and follow-through, which appeared to place much less stress on his wrist. It labored effectively sufficient for Stolz to complete simply outdoors the highest 10 within the Masters, and in a tie for sixth within the Australian Open.
“The subsequent 5 years had been nice,” Stolz mentioned. “I performed the Korn Ferry Tour, the Asian Tour and the Australian tournaments. I performed every time and wherever I needed.”
His wins included the 2009 Victorian PGA Championship, the 2011 Indonesian PGA and Thailand Open and he led Asian Tour’s Order of Advantage. In 2013 he claimed the South Pacific Open in Noumea and later that yr Stolz and his son Zac grew to become the primary father-son duo to compete within the Australian Open since Gary and Wayne Participant in 1979.
Then his wrist collapsed once more.
“I couldn’t maintain a membership,” Stolz mentioned. “I’d had my second likelihood and now I used to be completed. I assumed ‘there’s no getting back from this.’ But, in some way, I used to be keener to attempt to get again then I used to be the primary time.”
He had additional surgical procedure on his wrist however when he tried to play he discovered it too painful to swing a golf membership. The observe wanted for a profession as a match participant was out of the query.
For the second time Stolz retired from the sport, although he did proceed to help rising Australian expertise, most notably Dimi Papadatos, the 2017 Participant of the 12 months on the Australian Tour.
Then, after practically 5 years away from golf, Stolz felt the urge to play once more. “I went and hit just a few balls and performed a few pro-ams and thought I used to be going all proper,” he mentioned.
He knew he’d need to drastically change the way in which he swung a membership if he was to outlive the rigours of match play.
“When my swing was lengthy and free I discovered that I hit it finest after I was stiff and tight, like after an extended flight. I used to suppose that after I was older and misplaced my flexibility, I’d be actually good,” he mentioned with a smile.
“So I modified my swing utterly. It grew to become a matter of opposites. I modified all the pieces – sturdy grip, quick swing, no hand motion. I began by making a swing to waist top. Then I attempted to elongate it. It felt unusual however I knew I needed to study to swing that manner. I completely rebuilt all the pieces.”
The end result, Stolz says, represents his best achievement in golf. And, although he’s had his share of accidents since – a torn tendon in his left hip and planta fasciitis points in his ft – his new swing has taken him to a degree of success he hardly dared dream about.
Stolz and his new spouse Katrina moved to Queensland and settled at Pelican Waters, the place he now works with tremendous coach Grant Area and takes benefit of the membership’s excellent observe services.
“We’ve rebuilt our lives right here on the Sunshine Coast,” he mentioned. “I like the fellows at Pelican Waters. They’ve been unbelievable.
“I look to Grant loads and had one or two classes with him. He’s the closest factor I’ve ever needed to a coach. We discuss what I’m doing. He’s taught me the good thing about having a blueprint for myself. I by no means had that earlier than – I simply did issues.”
Stolz movies his swing each week and depends on Trackman to maintain his swing on observe. “Trackman tells me if there’s something flawed, and I do know my swing effectively sufficient to know what to do to appropriate any faults,” he mentioned.
“I’m now not capable of observe by relentless hitting balls. I now undertake a a lot better observe regime. I’m much more environment friendly in my observe,” he mentioned.
Stolz has achieved an excellent deal throughout his on-again, off-again profession, however he nonetheless has objectives to chase. “If I can proceed to play constantly I’d go to Champions Tour Q College,” he mentioned. “I’m 54 now and I’ve solely acquired just a few extra years.
“I’ve all the time backed myself. I do know it’s not going to be simple, however a number of these guys haven’t completed what I’ve completed,” he mentioned. “I get pleasure from conquering the sport. That’s what’s all the time motivated me.”
