Weighing in at 61 kilograms and hardly cutting an imposing figure at 1.66 meters, Jbe’ (James Barry) Kruger is minute in stature but huge in heart.
One of South Africa’s leading young players, the talented twenty-five year old Free-Stater added a European Tour title to his already impressive resume with an emphatic victory in The Avantha Masters in New Delhi.
After rounds of 70, 69, 66 for 11-under par, Kruger held a one-stroke lead over Frenchman, Jean Bapstiste-Gonnet and German, Marcel Siem. One stroke adrift of the pair at 10-under was a slew of experienced European campaigners including the likes of Jose-Manuel Lara and Paul McGinley.
Kruger enjoyed a dream start to his final round as he raced to an outward half of 3-under par. He continued to build on his momentum through the turn and added a fourth birdie (against no blemishes) on the eleventh hole. After building a three-stroke lead through fourteen holes, Kruger admitted that he felt pretty comfortable and that victory was all but a foregone conclusion. His progress got derailed as an over-clubbed approach shot on hole # 17 led to his first bogey of the round. He then proceeded to hit a wild tee-shot on the final hole and followed it up with a poor lay-up which ended in the trees on the left of the fairway. Faced with a daunting third shot from the trees on the left of the fairway, Jbe’ had to hit his approach over the hazard fronting the green to a hole location cut on the right. It was hardly an enterprising situation for a young man seeking his first victory on the European Tour.
In true Jbe’ Kruger fashion, he took dead aim; made a convicted swing and delivered a clutch shot to about ten feet from the pin. Two putts and an emphatic fist pump later Kruger was the champion.
So, what can we learn from the diminutive champion this week?
The 'size of the fight in the dog' is more important than the 'size of the dog in the fight
Golf has changed in recent years; the courses have got longer and the players have got bigger and stronger. The era of the sub 1.8 meter tall professional is all but a thing of the past. That being the case, there is a lot more to being a successful competitor than just being strong, physically talented and powerful. Jbe’ Kruger is small, slight and not as strong as most of his professional peers but he has the heart of a lion and he is unafraid of anyone or any situation. He more than makes up for his lack of physical strength with a supreme strength of mind and a superhuman belief in himself. In my opinion, these two traits are crucial to success in competition. Indeed every member of the World Golf Hall of Fame possesses (or possessed) generous amounts of both qualities. Remember that as you compete.
Faith, belief, and guts – The cornerstones to success
Kruger’s actions and words indicate that he defines himself by his belief in God, and Jesus. He unabashedly proclaims his faith all of the time and it appears to me that this is a reason why he can play as freely as he does. He believes implicitly in the fact that he is defined, not by his achievements, but by his spiritual salvation. As a result, I believe that he feels that no matter what he does on the course, his life’s path is written. Further, he has a gigantic belief in his ability and he backs himself when the chips are down. He is gutsy and prepared to lay it on the line all of the time. This approach, one in which a golfer has the ultimate belief in himself and the guts to try a shot, no matter the outcome is a great way to play. It is an object lesson in the approach recommended by all sports psychologists. One in which the player sets goals and then swings with no concern as to the result whatsoever; every focus is to the shot at hand and the mind-set it requires.
No Fear of Failure
In many respects, this is just a continuation of the previous point. Jbe’ Kruger’s play shows that he has no fear of failure! He approaches every shot on its merits and pays little heed to the possible outcome. More often than not I have seen instances where he would take on a shot that the pundits would frown upon. The difference with Kruger though is there is no brain interference caused by doubt or fear of failure that could cloud his performance. So, in many respects, he is better off that the golfer who makes the savvy decision and plays safely but does so with a doubtful and fearful approach. The advice for us is that once you have selected your shot, you must make every effort to swing freely and with no doubt or fear of failure whatsoever.
Preparation – methodical and diligent
Kruger is notorious for his long pre-round warm-ups and his rigorous practice sessions. Whereas the typical professional’s pre-round warm-up will last about an hour or so, Kruger will warm-up from anywhere between ninety minutes and two hours. He hits every club in his bag and rehearses every shot he is likely to hit. In other words, he prepares completely and leaves nothing to chance. When out on the course, he also diligently rehearses the swing required to deliver each shot and methodically goes through his routine before every shot. Copy this… All of the time!
Unorthodox Method but Orthodox Fundamentals
Jbe’ Kruger’s swing technique is somewhat unorthodox but his pre-shot fundamentals are out of the top-drawer. He has a beautiful grip on the club; he is very careful when taking his alignment; his stance and posture are fundamentally sound. Basically, he gives himself the best possible chance to make a successful swing. I am a firm believer in the fact that it is possible for an athlete to compensate for a faulty grip, poor alignment or sloppy stance and posture. The problem with the addition of a compensatory move to the swing to cover up for poor pre-swing fundamentals is that the compensation has its end in inconsistency. So take it from Jbe’, check on the following acronym at least once a week – it will surely help! G.A.S.P. Grip. Alignment. Stance. Posture.
Jbe’ Kruger personifies everything I love to see in a competitive golfer. A driven, likeable young person who is hard-working, diligent and faithful, he believes in the process and leaves fate to itself. Copy his approach and G.A.S.P. your way to more success.
Play well and enjoy our great game.
