Rory Sabbatini has had run-ins with slow play, like the infamous Ben Crane incident in 2005, and other players, including barbs at Tiger Woods, branding Sabbo with the rap as one of golf’s biggest bad guys. Underneath it all, Sabbatini has a good and generous heart — he’s just been misunderstood (that’s just been my take), but last week at the Honda Classic, Sabbatini stayed steady and calm on the way to his one-shot victory over Y.E. Yang. We also discovered he’s encountered several scares that have lent him a new perspective.
Sabbatini dominated PGA National, holding a five-stroke lead going into Sunday. Yang did his best to make up ground — and almost forced a playoff, but came up just short. He went for par-5 18th in two, trying to make eagle to tie Sabbo, but his shot found the bunker. “I did go for broke again,” said Yang through a translator in his post-round press conference. “Unfortunately it didn’t work out.”
Yang commended Sabbatini for maintaining a calm demeanor under pressure throughout the day.
“Usually, if you’re in the front, if you’re running away from somebody, you tend to be a bit nervous,” said Yang. “But in Rory’s case, apart from 14, he seemed really calm. Everything was perfect from tee to green. Actually, the pursuer, myself, was a bit more nervous. I commend him for being so emotionally stable. I wasn’t…I think Rory had the upper hand psychologically, also technically today.”
Known for his fiery, hot-headed outbursts in the past, Sabbatini couldn’t have seemed more coolheaded on the course. Naturally, he was emotional when he won, but during his press conference he came across sincere and grateful.
“I’m a passionate golfer, I really am,” explained Sabbo. “I love the game of golf and I’ve had my moments. I’m not proud of everything I’ve done out here, but I’m trying to learn. I’m trying to be a role model for my children and I know as my wife has said to me, I wouldn’t want my son doing some of the things that I’ve done in the past. So I definitely have to take into account that my son is old enough now that he understands everything that I do, and really try and be a role model for him.”
Sabbatini has dealt with a few scares. His wife, Amy, had complications with the birth of their third child, causing a stay in the ICU. At the end of last year he was diagnosed with skin cancer on his face and had a “chunk” of it removed, which is why he’s wearing a wide-brimmed hat now. Amy’s father also went through something similar recently.
“It definitely is kind of the turning of a new leaf, so it really does feel good,” said Sabbatini. “It does feel like a fresh start in a sense.”
(AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
I’ve never been a big Sabo fan and I really wanted to rip on him for the straw hat/skull belt buckle combo. But after learning about the skin cancer and pregnancy issues and how he’s turning a new leaf, I am one of those who softened on him this week.
Let’s hope any continued success will not lead to ego swells like it has in the past.
It’s good to see a Professional in sports make an honest effort at redemption. For one, his progress toward achieving status among the top-ranked golfers today has caught my interest. More noteworthy, Rory Sabbatini is definitely working hard on improving his persona as a respectable role-model for the sport that best promotes sportsmanship among its players. Most significantly, he has indicated that his motivation lies solely for his family’s welfare, and especially for his son. This is exactly what the game of golf needed in order for it to rebound from the impact from the “after-shocks” that led to the demise of the game’s, then long-standing, world champion.
Good luck to Sabbitini. It’s not until to find out about these things in someone’s life do you realise how much they have gone through. A very well deserved victory!
After Yang had birdied #15 to close within a shot Sabbatini could have wilted but to hit straight back with a birdie on #16 was most impressive.
i saw him interact with the fans at the phoenix open and he stayed quite a while signing tons of autographs. seems like he’s turned over a new leaf (which is great).
You americans change your opinions just based on victories.
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