Oosthuizen returns in search of groove

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN will begin the defence of his British Open title this week still searching for the groove that landed him golf’s biggest prize at St Andrews 12 months ago.

At the Home of Golf last year, the South African did a great impression of a pacemaker in a long-distance foot race who just keeps running while the rest of the field forgot to stay in touch, as he built on his 36- and then 54-hole lead to win by seven strokes from Lee Westwood.

Yet by his own admission, Oosthuizen has shown sluggish form since and despite a European Tour victory at the start of the year in his homeland at the Africa Open, there have been only glimpses of good form.

“Golfing-wise it’s been a bit slow after the Open, but hopefully going in the right direction now,” Oosthuizen said yesterday. “I’m just really looking forward to this week to defend my title.

“I won’t say (there’s been a hangover) but it’s been slow afterwards. Got the game better the beginning of the season winning the Africa Open and then went downwards again. I’m working on the same things as I did last year and I’m just trying to get in that same rhythm I had going into the Open last year and it took longer than expected.

“But hopefully I’ll get the groove right this week again.”

Oosthuizen, 29, sounded suitably frustrated with his results yet he recalled that he was feeling in a similar situation heading to St Andrews.

“Every major you just want to try and find the game. You just make good swings, steering you around and see where it takes you,” he said.

“You get those weeks where you just find it early in the week.

“A few weeks this year I’ve felt the same way but just didn’t score as well as I did at St Andrews. I probably didn’t feel that confident last year going into the Open but after the first round (a 65 that left him two back on Rory McIlroy) I knew that the game was there, it was just a matter of keeping everything together.”

Like Graeme McDowell handing his US Open trophy back to the USGA a few weeks back at Congressional Country Club, 12 months on from his success at Pebble Beach, Oosthuizen has been through the same sorts of emotions as the Irishman experienced, including the sense that he was unburdening himself by no longer being champion.

“It’s sad and it’s a relief in the same sentence,” the South African said. An Open championship is a nice feeling, it’s a great honour but from here on out you’re not Open champion any more. Well, unless...

“But it’s a bit of a relief just getting to the tournament and defending it and just going out and playing. I’m really looking forward to just getting out there and playing.

“Open week is always a special week. I think being your first major, that year afterwards is always tough but hopefully if there’s a second, or when there’s a second, it will be better the next year.”