Even after months of work in lockdown practice coming into the Betfred British Masters, Calum Hill admitted he was “completely lost” in practice at Close House.
Two days later, he’s just two off the lead held by Italian Renato Paratore, after a superb five-under 66 to add to a solid 69 on Wednesday, nine-under after two rounds and ready to push for a first European Tour victory at the weekend.
The 25-year-old Gleneagles Hotel touring player has an absolute rock-solid temperament anyway, never looking anything less than composed. But he admitted that in practice at Close House I felt like all the hard work he’d done at home and in his some-time US base in Arizona had come apart.
“The most pleasing thing is the ball-striking’s come back together,” he said. “I was struggling a little on the practice days, coming in after having done so much work during the lockdown I was saying to myself `what’s going on, I’m completely lost’.
“Sometimes it works that way, I guess. Anyway just one little tweak – basically completing my backswing and not cheating a little on it as I’d been doing – and it all came back again.
“It really shouldn’t have gone anyway, I’d put so much work into the last two or three months it should be ingrained in muscle memory, so it clearly wasn’t ever going to be far away.
“Mentally I’m pretty strong. I just keep ploughing away and if I keep doing what I’m doing, it should be fine. I never get too flustered, at least not to the extent where it would impact my game.”
The highlights of yesterday’s round were a 50-foot bomb for birdie on 16, allowing him a add another at the long 17th and finish strongly.
“I’d had a couple of hard horseshoes earlier in the day, so it was random, but I guess the course gave me one back,” he said. “Then I was a little heavy with my first putt on 17 and had to hole a seven-footer coming back, but it was all good.”
Calum opted not defend his title won on the Challenge Tour last week as the event was upgraded to co-sanctioned status, because his focus was on the UK Swing and the ten spots from a mini Order of Merit that carry places for the US Open at Winged Foot.
Hill went through all stages of qualifying to play in the last US Open in New York State at Shinnecock Hills two years ago and played all four rounds, so he’s pretty keen to get back again.
“Defending in Austria, it would have been a bit of a push to get here, and I just thought I’d let the first couple of weeks go by, the UK ones being the most important to me as the first five count toward a possible place in the US Open,” he said.
“I thought I’d take it easy and if there were any hiccups with regard to the COVID precautions it would happen out there, and by the third week here they’d probably have it sorted out.”
Paratore, renowned as the quickest player in possibly the world game, had a 66 to follow his 65 in the first round. He’s been out on tour since he was 17, and famously actually had to train himself to slow down when he qualified out of Tour School.
“It only took about three weeks,” he explained. “If I didn’t train myself to play a little slower I was going to be waiting around far too much.”
“It felt really good today. I played really solid, especially the short game. I saved some shots when I needed it, so I’m very happy with my game.”
The conditions when the Italian played were in marked contrast to later in the day – he had steady rain and no wind while the later players like Hill had warm sunshine and a breeze.
“It’s obviously a different atmosphere without the crowd but I’m just delighted to be back out playing again,” he added. “I like to play every week so for me it’s great being back and during the restrictions you just have to accept it.”
He spent lockdown in Dubai rather than in Italy, but he’s pleased to be given another year with the Ryder Cup in his homeland now another year away after this year’s postponement.
“I think it’s the right decision, a Ryder Cup with fans is not a Ryder Cup,” he said. “And it gives me another year to improve and try to make the team in Rome.”
Tournament host Lee Westwood just made the second 36 holes after a bit of a toil around his “home” course, managing to hut just one fairway but rescuing a par round of 71 to make the cut on the mark.
David Law – one the same -9 mark as Hill – Scott Jamieson, Richie Ramsay and Grant Forrest will also play the final 36 holes out of the 12-strong Scottish contingent.
