Chris Wood Golfer on Psychology in Sport, Performing Under Pressure and Achieving Goals
Chris Wood has been creating a bit of a stir since his return from injury in 2015. Chris broke a bone in his wrist playing tennis in October 2014 resulting in a five month break from Pro Golf's European Tour.
The psychological effects of injury can have a devastating effect on sports professionals. I'm pleased to be working with Chris to support him in developing his sports psychology through our Sports Success Programme and it's great to see him rocketing up the world rankings since returning to the game.
Some of Chris' 2015 season's highlights include winning the Austrian Open, 3rd in Morocco and a hole-in-one at Wentworth to win a £100,000 BMW supercar as a spot prize. Whilst Chris is always looking for improvement, his performance in Austria has been described as stunning and flawless.
Building on this remarkable return from injury, in 2016 Chris went on to win the the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and achieved the big goal we had set of earning a place in the European Ryder Cup Team. Chris represented Europe in the 2016 Ryder Cup tournament and put in a solid performance.
Chris Wood Golfer on Psychology with PerformWell's Sport Success Programme
Chris Wood - Pro Golfer
Winner Wentworth 2016
Ryder Cup European Team
"I was recommended to start working with Paul in October 2014. Professional Golf is generally seen as guys just smacking a ball around in a different country from week to week, but golf is one of the hardest sports to play. The mental side of the game is sometimes overlooked, but in my opinion it can be the most important part of professional golf.
I've worked with several 'psychologists' since i was around 14 years old but have never come across anyone like Paul. I will admit I was sceptical when I was first told about some of the things that might come up, but now I can say it has been one of the best additions to my support team I've ever made.
Almost as soon as I started working with Paul I broke a bone in my wrist and was out for 5 months. This gave us the opportunity to really get started and make huge progress quickly, and even though it was difficult at the time not being able to compete, I reaped the benefits of the work in winning my 9th tournament back from injury at the Austrian Open.
Paul Burden will help me achieve everything I want in my career. Every time I'm home I want to see him to continue the work we have started because it's so exciting where we are going..."
Chris' ever-growing focus, enjoyment and sense of purpose makes him an inspiring sportsman to work with. These are crucial qualities to develop for success and I'm delighted to support Chris through PerformWell's Sports Success Programme.
I can see Chris achieving the kind of results he is capable of and feel excited about where he is heading. To support Chris you can follow him at twitter.com/chris3wood and join him on his quest to the top.
Here's to your success!
Paul Burden MSc, Performance Coach and Director at PerformWell.