Nicolas Colsaerts Hated Life on the PGA Tour

NICOLAS COLSAERTS has spoken for the first time about his two years on the PGA Tour, admitting that he felt he had to return to Europe or else he would have gone mad.

The big-hitting Belgian competed in America in 2013 and 2014 and was conspicuous for his lack of success. It was a surprise because ever a European Tour pro had the game for America, it was Colsaerts. Now you might have thought that he would just quietly put it down to experience and keep his thoughts to himself, especially if he had any recollection of the fallout Paul Casey faced when he told The Sunday Times that when it came to the Ryder Cup he "properly hated American golfers".

Poor Casey faced a huge amount of fallout in the aftermath and had to explain to both fellow players and to spectators that what he had said was done so with tongue firmly in cheek. But you get the impression that Colsaerts may be coming from a slightly different place, so he might want to hope that he doesn't qualify for The Masters, US Open or US PGA Championship anytime soon. 

Colsaerts said that he made the decision to return to the European Tour because he didn't like the lifestyle on the PGA Tour. "They look after you unbelievably, but for somebody who has always done his own thing, was always 'happy' to have some sort of freedom, all of a sudden you have all this pampering and everything. It was kind of getting on my nerves, always being checked, always somebody there," he said. By the end of his time on the Tour, he felt like he was at his wit's end. "It was like, ‘I can’t do this any more, I’m getting the f*** out of here, otherwise I’m going to go mad’. I just couldn’t do it," he said.

He also wasn't a big fan of American galleries but will surely live to regret saying: "I had a hard time understanding why these people [the spectators] are always are on top of you, wanting to get within you. I've always been quite happy sharing in things, and giving away things, but give me some space. I kind of lost a little bit of freedom and the easiness that I've had with people. They are socially different than we are."

Colsaerts said he missed the camaraderie on the European Tour, which he felt was lacking on the PGA Tour. “I remember the first time I came back it was like, ‘this is refreshing, people talk to one another,'" he said.

So it had nothing at all to do with the fact that he missed 15 cuts and had just two top 10 finishes then?

Wie betide the Belgian if he should ever rediscover his best form and qualify for another European Ryder Cup that competes in America. The galleries over there never forget. Let's just say that the welcome he receives might be, erm, interesting.