Golf: Veteran encourages Paddison

Australian veteran Peter Senior has some encouraging words for Wellington's Gareth Paddison as he battles the most barren patch of his brief career.

Paddison, the 2002 Australasian Tour rookie of the year, has missed the second-round cut in five successive tournaments, and has voiced frustration with the state of his game.

His latest setback came at the $1.2 million Clearwater Classic in Christchurch which ended without Paddison.

He crashed out after rounds of 76 and 73 left him five shots on the wrong side of the cut, a further blow to his self-esteem after a run of misses this year.

The left-handed Paddison, 22, has struggled mentally to cope with the disappointments while he waits for his game to mesh together.

"It's very hard not to get down on yourself. I have been getting down on myself for the past five weeks because of the way I've been playing and because of the results," he said.

He said he'd like to talk to someone, like experienced Australian players such as Peter Senior and Peter Fowler, two wise heads who have known both good times and bad during long careers.

However, Paddison, who has dined with Senior on a number of occasions, said it had been difficult to find a suitable time to approach his colleagues.

"They're all playing in the weekends and I'm not there," he said.

"It's not like I'm playing badly but I'm not playing well enough to make the cuts at the moment.

"It is bitterly disappointing and very frustrating."

Senior, 43, who has won more than $3 million in 23 seasons on the Australasian tour, said Paddison should not despair.

"He's too good to be missing cut," the stout Queenslander said.

"He's still young and has plenty of talent.

"What some of the younger guys have to appreciate is that this game is a learning process. Everything takes time.

"If he plays well he'll be up and away."

Senior suggested Paddison should lighten up when it comes to dwelling on bad results.

"Getting down on yourself only leads to putting more pressure on yourself."

- NZPA