Golf: Double test of nerves for coach going into world event

Mal Tongue expects to undergo a stress test of some substance at the Eisenhower Trophy world amateur teams golf championship in Germany.

Tongue, the New Zealand coach, is not the best of spectators and expects his anxiety levels to fluctuate wildly once the international contest starts in Berlin tonight.

Tongue knows his composure and nerves will be strained as he follows the progress of Richard Best, Reon Sayer, Carl Brooking and Gareth Paddison around the two courses being used for the championships.

What will not help Tongue to relax are memories of events two years ago and a decision in June to kick his nicotine habit once and for all.

Once a packet-a-day-plus-cigars man, Tongue is determined to end his tobacco dependency and he knows he will go a long way to achieving that if he resists the urge in Berlin.

This year's tournament means much to Tongue, particularly in view of his role as coach in 1998, when a New Zealand side containing Sayer and Brooking finished 21st in Chile, this country's worst Eisenhower performance in 40 years, and coming after five successive tournaments when New Zealand were never outside the top five.

For Sayer and Brooking, this year's event allows them the opportunity to bury some Chilean ghosts before embarking on professional careers, a choice Best is also expected to take once Berlin is behind him.

Tongue is sure his players are more than capable of improving markedly on their result of two years ago.

"The boys are a pretty tight unit now," he said. "Golf is an individual game but the only way for us to do well at the Eisenhower is for the four individuals to make a score as a team.

"The programme we set up has been excellent. We've been given every opportunity to perform. We'll do our job right. What we will need is a little bit of good fortune.

"All four are going to do their job. Richard and Gareth are a little more freaky in their scoring ability, but they're all playing pretty solid at the moment."

There is no overstating how difficult it is to spend six months geared towards having four players peak over four days, the task left to Tongue.

"If I could do that I'd be a genius. They've been given every opportunity.

"We've tried to make them happy in their preparation, we've worked a lot technically, physically and mentally," Tongue said. "They've now got to go out there and show courage.

"The whole key is that these guys desperately want to do well for themselves and for their country."

The players and Tongue spent three days last week in England playing at the Westhill, Wisley and Sunningdale courses with New Zealand professional Greg Turner.

- NZPA