Pressure

I used to get golf coaching at a driving range on the central coast and there was a pro there named Andre Stolz. He's a great golfer and a good bloke who used to walk up and down the range and give people swing advice. 'Stolzy' qualified for the USPGA tour in 2002 or 2003 and in 2004 he won a tournament in Las Vegas and pocketed about $1 million US. Not bad. But then in 2005, he was forced to move back to Australia because he has a problem with some tiny bones in his wrist, I was talking to somebody on the range about it a few months ago. Anyway, Stolzy almost won the Australian Open yesterday and I was gunning for him the whole weekend. He finished in the top 5 and walked away with some prize money, but the best thing is that he might just make a comeback. Onya Stolzy!

Then there's Stuart Clark, an Australian bowler who has had to quit because of a dodgy elbow. Clark couldn't even cope with a session in the nets yesterday and suddenly threw in the towel because the 'spur' on his right elbow that's causing inflammation makes it really painful whenever he bowls or throws.

Imagine the pressure - all that training and preparation, all the other people you have to compete with to get a chance on the big stage and all within a very tight time limit - and then some tiny bones, or a muscle or something else seemingly minor goes awry and it's all over.

UPDATE

Aussie selectors have already found a replacement for Stewie Clark:

Unfortunately, his action has already been called into question since President Bush declared this a 'no ball' because it was a shoe (inset). Others claim his elbow was bent, but if you look at the photo from the SMH his arm is dead straight. Let's hope he can produce some wickets against the South Africans.