David Carey hopes to have his short game in full working order as he looks to take advantage of another DP World Tour start at this week’s D+D REAL Czech Masters.
Since playing all four rounds at the Open Championship, Carey has been recognised with starts at the Hero Open and last week’s World Invitational at Galgorm Castle and Massereene.
The 25-year old Dubliner tied-34th in Northern Ireland last time out but hopes some improved wedge play and putting can inspire a big week in Prague where he secured a late invitation to Albatross Golf Resort.
“I like the course this week, I think it’s a better fit for me,” said Carey who’s made the cut in each of his three main tour starts this term.
“I’ve done a little bit of work on my wedge play and I’ve a new wedge in the bag this week. Wedge play is normally a strength of mine but it’s been a bit off. I think we’ve figured out why but I guess we’ll find out when the tournament starts.
“Last week was a really bad putting week as well so if I can tidy up the short game, my long game has been pretty good so if I can keep that, it should set me up for a good week.”
Carey only received his invitation into this week’s tournament last Thursday and although he’s treating the opportunity as a bonus, it’s one he’d dearly loved to make the most of in order to play his way into some bigger events on the horizon.
“It’s hard to really know how to view these starts as I’m not really sure what’s coming from week to week,” said Carey. “I found out I was getting into this one last Thursday which was a bonus as it wasn’t one I thought I would get in.
“So if this is my last start, then I almost need to win to get something out of it, or if I can top-10 to get into next week, that will be another step forward.
“There are some bigger events coming up and I’m sure competition for places is going to increase but hopefully I can get another couple of opportunities to keep going because I feel like it’s one of those things where if I get enough starts, it will all click for me in one of them.
“That’s generally how my golf is. It’s close, close, then all of a sudden I’ll hole a few putts and win or come close to winning. If I can just get enough chances then hopefully that can happen.”
At The Open, the Darwin Escapes star told reporters that he doesn’t play golf for money, however, Carey welcomed last week’s cheque worth €11,196, admitting that his main tour exploits have come at a cost to his profit and loss balance sheet.
“The price of this week’s flights was extortionate,” Carey admitted. “Just for me, not including my caddie, was around €1,200 return.
“I’ve come to Prague before and it’s normally around €200 to €300. At least with the main tour there are courtesy cars and shuttles up to the course so I don’t have to rent a car on top of that but definitely the costs are a lot higher when you have to bring a caddie as well.
“It helps to make a few cuts to ensure I don’t have to spend all of my money in one week.”
In business, you’ve got to spend money to make money and Carey has invested in experienced looper, David Williams as he looks to break through on golf’s main stage. Williams guided Carey to his victory at Open Qualifying at Fairmont St Andrews and now with three tournaments in the books together, the pair’s budding relationship is starting to bear fruit.
“We’ve been getting on well,” Carey said. “He’s getting a better idea of how I play and the feedback between us is getting better the more we work together.
“He’s mentioned to me that I’ve a tendency to over club myself. I hit the ball a little further than I think sometimes with my irons. The first couple of weeks he was reluctant to maybe say things like that to me but now we’re a lot more comfortable with each other and it obviously benefits both of us.
“It’s nice to have that sounding board to throw ideas against and get that bit of confirmation that we’re doing the right things.”
Carey tees off at 14.59 (Irish time) Thursday alongside fellow Irishman Michael Young.
Former Walker Cup teammates Cormac Sharvin, Gavin Moynihan and Paul Dunne are also in the field.
- Full tee-times HERE
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