For Kizzire, at the Procore, sweet smell of success and sparkling wine

NAPA — Patton Kizzire arrived talking about a new mental attitude for his golf game that included hugging a tree or two.

He departed filled with the sweet smell of success and the pungent aroma of Mumm’s Napa sparkling wine on his attire.

He had been sprayed Sunday by several celebrating friends moments after completing his first PGA tour victory in six years, the Procore Championship at Silverado Resort.                                                       

He came into the final round with a four shot lead that made the rest of us think he would have no problems. But every stroke in every round can be a problem, no matter how good you are.

Kizzire shot a 2-under par 70, the last 18 holes, and his four-round total of 268, a cumulative of 20 under par, was five shots lower than David Lipsky, who finished 2nd after a 71. Patrick Fishburn (71) was third at 274.

The thinking among the rest of us was all Kizzire had to do was show up and not fall into a bunker. And that thought seemed particularly relevant when he eagled par five fifth hole to go to 20 under par. However as any wise golfer, he was careful and thoughtful.

“I was trying not to get ahead of myself today,” said Kizzire. “I knew that it would be difficult not to get ahead of myself with a four-shot lead heading into today. I wrote down in my yardage book, ’I am here, I am now.’ I kept going back to that and that helped me be disciplined and stay present. That was something that I just kept going back to and that’s what really helped me come out on top.”

Any win on tour is meaningful because it is so hard to come by. But this one was particularly significant at Silverado, on the same course in the same tournament, although it was then named the Safeway Open, in 2018, Kizzire missed tying for first by a single shot.

Golf is played as much in the mind as on the fairways and rough. You have to believe in yourself, and the little things, a missed shot, a bad break, begin to erode a player’s confidence. Although Kizzire is 38, and has been a pro quite awhile, he said he needed a new approach, and began working a month ago with a mental coach. 

Yes, her advice included walking barefoot and hugging a tree. 

“Well, there’s always doubt in anything,” he said. “If you listen to the doubt in life in general it’s never beneficial. You look at the positives in all things. There’s going to be obstacles and that’s just how it’s going to be. You’ve got to plan to attack those obstacles. I did a fantastic job of that the entire week.”

Kizzire’s lead was trimmed to two shots when Litsky birdied 11. 

“He hit an amazing shot in there,” Kizzire said. “That was a tough situation. Yes, I grinded, just kept reading in my book. Yeah, he applied some heavy pressure there and that was definitely a test.”

One Patton Kizzire passed beautifully.