Unique Mental Techniques Propel Aussie Player in Iconic PGA Tour Event

Cam Davis tied for clubhouse lead | 02:15

Cam Davis has made a lighting hot start to the Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a seven-under par opening round of 65 putting the Australian one shot shy of leader Russell Henley at the iconic PGA Tour event.

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As all the attention was on Rory McIlroy for his slam dunk hole-in-one at Spyglass Hill, the secondary course for the opening two rounds, Davis quietly went about his business at Pebble Beach itself to place himself firmly in contention.

The 29-year-old, who has won twice on the PGA Tour previously, carded six birdies and an eagle as he got on a roll either side of the turn.

Three birdies in five holes to close out the back nine, his first nine, was followed by a burst of three birdies and an eagle in six holes where his short game was in superb nick.

Davis was ranked fourth in the field for strokes gained around the green, while he made 73 feet worth of putts as he seized most of his chances on the greens.

The eagle at the par 5 sixth hole was undeniably the highlight of the Sydneysider’s round however, as he crunched a 282-yard drive on the hole that hugs the cliff’s edge before launching a 234-yard approach over the water and onto the green where he coolly rolled in the putt from 16 feet and five inches.

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“I played great today,” Davis said post-round.

“I know what I was thinking about, it wasn’t going to be score related or leaderboard related. Just work your way into the week.

“The goal is to give yourself an opportunity on Sunday and I don’t think that happens by chasing a lead on Friday. I think it’s just going to be all my little process goals that I want to do to keep me moving forward and the better I do that, the better my score will be.”

Davis also said that he is still using hypnotherapy as a method to help his game.

He revealed after winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic last year that he used the practice to overcome his mental demons on the golf course, and he is still regularly being hypnotised to help his mental state.

“Everything’s been worked on. I’ve been on the swing trying to keep things as simple as I can,” Davis said

“Been working my mind, been doing my hypnotherapy work that I’ve been doing for a while now that’s definitely pointed me in the right direction on and off the golf course.

“Yeah, just trying to keep progressing as a golfer. I feel like every year I’m trying to get a little bit better, I’ve been able to do that up to this point.

“I would like to keep doing it and I feel like as the years go by, I feel like the pieces aren’t coming together as quickly as they have for

other guys, but I feel like they are slowly coming together more and more.”

Davis also dove deeper into the impact of hypnotherapy pre-tournament in a press conference with Australian media.

“You set a goal … then it’s a guided meditation,” he explained.

“It’s with someone who walks you through it, they’ll ask you questions to get in a relaxed state, it helps you because the conscious mind can try to change that answer, sometimes you’ll give better information and make better realisations for yourself in that state.

“I’ve found out things I either didn’t want to know or didn’t realise were causing blockages for me to improve not just my golf but how happy I am in life.

“It’s still unpacking stuff. We started the middle of last year, but it’s been great. I feel like it’s been really beneficial.”

The world No.52 enjoyed a week off last week after coming tied 13th, missing the cut and tied 18th in his opening three events of the year, and was clearly rejuvenated.

The tied 13th result also could have been better if not for a costly mishap in the final round of The Sentry in Hawaii.

Davis and playing partner Will Zalatoris both received a two-shot penalty for accidentally hitting each other’s balls.

Those two shots cost Davis a tied fifth finish, but he said in the lead-up to this week’s tournament that he has learned from the mistake.

“(We were playing) different numbers, but the difference between a red Titleist two and three, when you’re just glancing down and the balls were in the same position,” Davis mused.

“People saw, but nobody was able to call out and tell us.

“I tend to try and keep things moving … I don’t think I’m ever going to let that happen again.”

In his chat with Australian media, Davis was also outspoken about the issue of slow play, calling for shot penalties to actually be implemented.

He flagged that his game can often suffer when he feels like his rushing to compensate for slow play around him, but Davis never showed such concerns in the first round with an incredibly composed performance.

Meanwhile, fellow Australian Min Woo Lee started with a three-under par round at Spyglass Hill.

Lee endured a rollercoaster back nine where he made four birdies and three bogeys, while Jason Day is a shot back having played the same venue as Adam Scott endured a tough start with a two-over par round in the no cut, signature event.