Louis Oosthuizen wants strong start to 2016
Wednesday 27 January 2016 12:27, UK
Louis Oosthuizen is determined to replicate previous years and start the year strongly in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The South African has an outstanding record in his first event of the calendar year, with wins in the Africa Open in 2011 and 2012 and successive victories in the Volvo Golf Champions in 2013 and 2014.
He did not play his first event in 2015 until March when he produced a sixth-placed finish in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, and he went on to lose in a play-off at The Open and finish joint-second in the US Open last year.
Oosthuizen, who won The Open at St Andrews in 2010, believes he is now in the right frame of mind to make another flying start to the calendar year in his first start since finishing 11th in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in early December.
"I think I am well rested," said Oosthuizen. "I didn't touch my golf clubs since the Nedbank up until last week. The first round was very shaky, didn't make a birdie I think, but then sort of picked up quickly.
"After a good break, you want to go back out on the golf course again. You want to play and I think a lot of times with the schedules we have these days, you lose that a bit, to be hungry again just to go out and play. I got a bit of that back again after a big break."
Oosthuizen has struggled with various injuries and a lack of consistency over the years, but believes he is on the right track as he looks to add a second major title to his name.
"I'm always working on improving some parts of my game," he added.
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"This year I want to get more in contention in a lot more tournaments. I feel like I've made a big step in the last year in the right direction with my body, getting everything sorted.
"I think now it's time to get down to the golf and do more work. I had a taste of a second major last year and that really got me hungry to win a few more.
"I think it's a bonus if you get to a major week and your game is on top form. That's what everyone tries to get to and the really top guys do it every week, they get their game sharp for big events.
"I still need to get myself to that level. I feel the biggest thing for me is still consistency, but I'm moving in the right direction."
