Adedokun Waliyu 
With four top-tens, including a runner-up finish, through 17 events this PGA Tour season, two-time winner Nick Taylor is feeling good about his game at 35 years old.
Practising on the driving range ahead of this week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill, the Canadian told Postmedia that the key to his current consistency is definitely not sleep. Taylor and his wife Andie welcomed their second child less than two weeks ago.
Don Brennan’s daily hit on the world of sports betting. Whether you’re new to sports gambling or an experienced wagerer, this newsletter offers trustworthy insights into the odds game. 19+. Please gamble responsibly.
“She’s 10 days old today so it was tough leaving,” said Taylor, who also has a three-year-old son at home with his wife. “My practice is around nap time now, and not my nap time. I find the more structured I am, the better I am. When I’m at home, I definitively have to be managing my time to be as efficient as possible. I can’t be at the course for 10 hours a day anymore.”
PGA Tour fans know the Canadian as an affable, successful, journeyman pro, but astute fans and many north of the border remember Taylor as a former college hotshot and World No. 1 amateur. It was a bit of a shock to all involved when it took the Abbotsford, B.C., native four years to collect his PGA Tour card after turning pro in 2010.
In fact, his early struggles as a professional caused Golf Canada to rethink it’s entire training system for young players, seeming to realize that if Taylor could struggle taking the next step, anyone could. The current Golf Canada system provides much more support for young professional golfers and many of them likely don’t know they have Taylor to thank.
“When I turned pro, I got into some bad habits on the golf course,” Taylor said. “It’s definitely been taking a roadmap back to why I was successful and I feel like we are there. All facets of my game are in a good place which is nice. If one part slips a bit I know the other parts are there to keep me in it, which is why this year has been probably my most consistent year.”
Taylor says the entire game of golf has changed so much since he arrived on the scene that every player has been forced to adapt. As far as what has changed with his game in recent years, having less time to practice might have been a blessing in disguise.
“I’ve been very diligent in working on the same things and not just searching when I get to the range,” he said. “I have my own drills and I know they work for me, and I know my tendencies as well as I ever have. It’s easy to just get to the range and search, and I’ve been bad with that. We’ve just pinpointed what to work on.”
Also, the short game that stood out for him as an amateur is once again a strength.
“Not that it got necessarily bad, but it wasn’t something that was saving me as much as it has been this year,” he said.
Three years ago, Taylor outdueled Phil Mickelson on Sunday at Pebble Beach for his second PGA Tour victory, a win that came six years after his first. The golfer even had some advice for Leafs fans reeling over their team’s latest calamity.
“I’m sure everyone is disappointed, but they won a round for the first time in 20 years, so you’ve got to take some positives out of it,” he said.
Whether there was any sarcasm there, it was hard to tell, but Taylor knows a thing or two about patience.
Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds.
