Mike Lorenzo-Vera: “Just having fun”

Absent on the European Tour since mid-July, Mike Lorenzo-Vera will resume this Thursday at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He looks back on these recent difficult months and French golf, on display last weekend at the Team Cup.

Under medical exemption because of panic attacks, on antidepressants for six months, Mike Lorenzo-Vera takes back the necklace this week at Hero Dubai Desert Classicpremier Rolex Series of the season. “I’m very happy to restart in such an important tournament, it’s going to be nice,” he confided to Bernie McGuire and Fatiha Betscher in Dubai, just after a Team Cup which did not leave him indifferent due to the presence of four of his compatriots.

“The guys are good. The Federation does a fantastic job with the new generations, he believes. If you take the last 10 years, a guy like Victor Dubuisson has helped a lot to see that you can perform at a high level. And of course, there are all these guys like Alex Levy and all the rest who continued to win, but these were things that had already been done by Raphaël Jacquelin, Grégory Havret, Thomas Levet. And then I think that when Victor Perez arrived, he proved that the French didn't need to fight to win. His hard-working qualities and his state of mind, once again, are very impressive. And then of course, there’s Matt Pavon! »

Pavon, source of inspiration

The Basque is rave about his neighbor Bordeaux: “He broke down the door, he continues. Once again, mindset, work ethic, self-confidence! Nobody, nobody believed Matt would be this good this quickly. It surprised everyone but when you look back you're like, oh shit. Yes, he did everything he could in his job. (…) So it’s a source of inspiration for everyone. »

According to him, what he does at the highest world level is very important for French golf. “We can see the consequences. Frédéric Lacroix won. Rozner won again this year. This has an impact on the players. It's positive. Positive. »

A particular season approached in a particular way

Mike Lorenzo-Vera knows he has to approach the season in a special way because his exemption only allows him to play nine tournaments. “I have nine tournaments to make up half of last year's points, so I will play the next four tournaments. Afterwards, I'm taking a break until Europe and I'll play five tournaments in a row starting in Belgium. So if I get the points I will complete the full season. »

However, he does not set any objectives: « Just a state of mind: having fun, having fun. I'm tired of trying to do too much. Yes, that's it. Just having fun. »

It seems that when the brain is rested a little, the game is there

A state of mind that he says he lost a long time ago and that he is trying to find again with his team. “There is a famous actor in France called Alexandre Astier who said, I will never again work with someone I don't want to share a table with. It's true. So basically, that's what I'm going to do. »

As for his game, Mike Lorenzo-Vera rather finds it in place. “The game is pretty good, actually. It seems that when the brain is rested a little, the game is there. I didn't lose it. And now it's just making sure I have a good trajectory to play here and sink some putts…”

Photo Alex Burstow / Getty Images via AFP