TROON, Scotland — Unfortunately for Nick Taylor, his major championship mishaps are beginning to become a thing.
With gutsy playoff wins at the RBC Canadian Open in 2023 and this year at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Canadian’s profile has grown on the PGA Tour. With that, questions abound as to how a player with four career wins and seemingly a knack for performing in the clutch possibly can have missed the cut at his past eight major championships.
When the streak was at seven last month at the U.S. Open, I asked the 36 year old if perhaps he was putting a little too much pressure on himself to perform well, considering how hot his game has been.
“I’m sure I am,” he answered at the time. “I’m trying to focus on just what I’m doing, but I’m sure I am.”
This week at Royal Troon, Taylor is competing in just his second Open Championship and plans to take the opposite tact.
“I’ll probably try to go out with no expectations and let it ride,” he told Postmedia after a practice round on Tuesday. “Although there has been some highs this year, there has been some frustrating moments. The last few months, the parts of my game that have been really strong for a year-and-a-half have actually been holding me back, but it’s coming back in the right way.”
One aspect he was speaking of is putting. The man famous for drilling a 72-foot putt to win his national open recently has struggled on the greens, but there appear to be signs of hope.
Taylor’s short-game coach Gareth Raflewski isn’t in Scotland this week, but both Taylor and his swing coach Mark McCann have been encouraged by a small change in set-up that has the ball starting on a better line.
If Taylor indeed has found something in his stroke, it would be fortuitous timing because, even though the 2024 major championship season is four rounds away from wrapping up, this year is not like most others.
The Open Championship is dead ahead, but off in the horizon are the FedEx Cup playoffs and, more importantly, the Olympics at the beginning of August and potentially the Presidents Cup in Montreal to finish things off in September.
“This part of the year has snuck up very quickly,” Taylor said. “There is very little golf from here to the playoffs and then a bunch after that. A lot to play for still, and I’m trying to gear up and peak at the right moments, which for this year is from now through September.”
Taylor says his game hasn’t been that far off, but seeing the weekend here at Royal Troon likely would go a long way towards righting the ship and giving him some much-needed momentum.
“It’s not like I’m missing cuts by 15 shots and playing brutal, it’s just been a lot of like 40ths and 45ths, which is actually close out here,” he said. “Everyone is just telling me to be patient, but it’s easier said than done.”
Off the course, Taylor is enjoying the rewards and major eligibility he has earned over the past couple of years and has his entire family, including kids and grandparents, with him in Scotland. With that, he saw Royal Troon for the first time on Tuesday, taking Monday off to rest.
“A cold has gone through the house and I didn’t want to push it,” he said.
Links golf has always intrigued the Abbotsford, B.C., native, and he sounds ready for the challenge and ready to break his unfortunate streak at majors.
“I like the variety of shots you have. I like seeing the low shots. I think in the past I’ve committed nicely to blind shots,” Taylor said. “Hopefully I can embrace it and play well.”