Looking to the Future

Pete Cowan: The Coach's View

I've known Thomas since he was 13. I used to go to Belgium five or six times a year. He was always the one with questions. He was one of those kids determined to get better. You could see he had a hunger. You can see the ones who really want it.

The Flemish Golf Federation wanted to put in place a system that would produce some European Tour players. I told them it might take ten years. We had terrible facilities. But because we put a system in place they got better.

Everybody asks me what makes a great player. I say the problem is it isn't just hitting balls. If that were the case, there would be hundreds of great players. Most of them unfortunately get stage fright. But you don't know at what level they will get it. Some get it on the Challenge Tour. Others get it on the main tour and can't step up to the Majors. Some of them can't step up to the Ryder Cup.

What we know from Thomas is he's almost got to the place where he doesn't get stage fright. Thomas has won early in his career. He knows he can do it. He's got the game. I said to him he has to remember he is better than Henrik Stenson was at his age. You know from now until Ryder Cup qualification there are going to be about six players who should make the team but get Ryder Cup-itis - stage fright - and are not going to get there. It would not be a shock to see Thomas make the team.