Coming off a painfully frustrating season in which losing battles to neck, elbow and hand injuries caused him to miss 18 of 24 cuts and finish with just one top-10, Robert Allenby is looking for anything positive to lift his health, spirits and game.
One would think the perfect place to provide such healing powers would be an idyllic section of southeast Mexico that kisses the Caribbean Sea and features the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, home to this week's OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
But this golf paradise winding through a tropical jungle and mangrove swamps while opening up to sand and sea is a proverbial double-edged sword for the veteran from Down Under. The last time Allenby, 42, was in these parts, his stellar play for 71 holes gave him a two-shot lead on the final hole, but an errant drive resulting in a double-bogey sent him to extra holes, where he lost an excruciating 8-hole playoff to John Huh in the 2012 edition of the event.
"It's kind of good and bad," Allenby told USA TODAY Sports about his return visit to the region. "It's good because I love the golf course. But there are some bad memories because (2012) didn't finish the way it was meant to finish. If I had hit the 3-wood off the 72nd hole like I wanted to, things may have been different. But, in saying that, it was entirely my fault for what happened and you have to take full responsibility sometimes and I do.
"I just did the wrong thing. Knowing I had a 2-shot lead, to mess it up the way I did, was not a really good feeling and left a stale feeling in my mind. So hopefully the good memories overpower the bad ones."
He's also hoping his health issues continue to turn for the better. Because he won just $204,000 last year, Allenby's streak of finishing inside the top 125 in official money ended at 13 seasons. It also forced him to use a career money exemption as one of the top 25 career money winners on the PGA Tour (he's won in excess of $26.5 million) so he'd have full playing privileges in the new 2013-2014 wrap-around season.
As the 2013 portion of the new season wraps this week in the Mayakoba, Allenby has made just one cut and fell short of making the cut by one stroke in his two other starts.
"It's not too bad," the four-time Tour winner said of his health. "I have a bit of a nerve problem in my right hand stemming from my neck but I'm getting treatment. It has its moments."
The course, at least, favors the player who hits it right-to-left, which is Allenby's bread-and-butter. And his mindset concerning use of his career exemption is not as unsettling as it may seem. He knows he has to play well this season to earn his card for the 2014-15 season.
"I earned the right to have an exemption," Allenby said. "It's not the greatest thing mentally to approach, but at the same time, I hadn't been feeling well but this is the best way to do it. I can set my schedule, which will help me mentally and physically. Now I'm ready get my health back, get my confidence back and get my game back."
Traveling man: Brian Gay has been up in the air a lot lately. When he finally touches down in his hometown of Orlando next week he will have traveled more than 23,000 miles to play the last four tournaments in as many weeks – in Malaysia, China, Georgia and Mexico. Gay, the only player to play in all four events, said he's feeling OK, much better than how he felt after shooting a surprising 63 in the first round of last week's McGladrey Classic in the Peach State when he felt like he was in a fog. Gay still finished in a tie for fourth.
Ryder Cup: The influence of the new wrap-around season can be seen in many places – the FedExCup race, the money list and the invitations to the Masters. But while it's early, the 2013-2014's impact also is clear in the Ryder Cup standings. The first five winners of the new season have been Americans – and all five are presently in the top 7 of the standings for the biennial match-play bout with Europe Sept. 26-28 in Scotland (the top 9 automatically make the team while captain Tom Watson fills out the squad with three captain's picks). Last week's win in the McGladrey Classic vaulted Chris Kirk to No. 7 in the standings. Other winners include No. 6 Jimmy Walker (Frys.com Open), No. 5 Webb Simpson (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), No. 4 Ryan Moore (CIMB Classic) and No. 3 Dustin Johnson (WGC-HSBC Champions). Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner hold the top-2 spots while Jim Furyk is No. 8. Gary Woodland, who lost in a playoff to Moore, is No. 9. Holding the 10th spot is world No. 1 Tiger Woods, who has not played an official event.
Race to Dubai: Henrik Stenson is trying for an unprecedented double this week. The Swede, who is battling a right wrist injury, can become the first player to win the FedExCup and the European Tour's Race to Dubai in the same year at this week's season-ending DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. Stenson, who won the Deutsche Bank Championship and The Tour Championship in the FedExCup playoffs to win the FedExCup title and the $10 million bonus, will have to hold off a strong field that includes 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, Graham McDowell, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy.
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