3-time DP World Tour winner and 2012 Ryder Cup star, Nicolas Colsaerts, held a question and answer session for Aviv Clinics Dubai.
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NewsTranscript
00:00How is your health and how are you feeling?
00:03Well, my health is good. Some of you might not know, but I was diagnosed with a kidney disease in November,
00:13which is the first time in my life where I was faced with something that I basically had never had to deal with before.
00:20I was hopping from one plane to the other, just thinking golf, and all of a sudden you look at your wife and kids
00:25and you think, am I going to be here the next couple of days? So it was quite difficult for a couple of months.
00:31And so my health is a lot better because I'm in the chamber five times a week.
00:41I haven't been looked after incredibly well the last couple of months, so for that I'm very grateful.
00:48You're a resident in Dubai and you hold a Dubai Golden Visa. You and your family, why did you choose to come and live in Dubai
00:57when obviously you had a few choices and where were you before you came to Dubai?
01:02Well, my wife and I lived in Monaco for six years. I'm from Belgium, Monaco is French-speaking, it was basically one of the easy options.
01:12And Rachel is from Australia, so she didn't particularly like living in an apartment,
01:18and Belgium was out of the question having to wear turtlenecks and woolly hats for the majority of the year.
01:26So Dubai was a pretty simple choice because of the quality of life, because of the practice facilities.
01:36I mean golf is everywhere, it's within 20 minutes of where you live in Dubai.
01:41And I've been coming here for 20 years. I've been lucky enough to speak to some of the old boys in the corner over there
01:47telling me about golf in the 80s and 90s here, but I came here for the first time in 2001
01:53and I've seen the place change incredibly, as it's been illustrated before, but we're quite happy to live here.
02:01So how did you first find out about the D.P. World Tour?
02:06Well, the first time I heard or came across Aviv with the video that's playing on the screen,
02:13Aviv became the title sponsor of one of the events on the D.P. World Tour in 2021, last year, and was a bit curious.
02:26Not knowing that a month, month and a half later I was going to be diagnosed with my disease,
02:30and the first meeting that I had with Aviv, I also found out that Professor Shai, who's behind the whole research, was a nephrologist.
02:39So it made sense to everyone that it was a good opportunity to get together and try to deal with my issue the best way possible.
02:50So can you just explain a little further on your treatment you've experienced at the Aviv Clinics Dubai?
02:57It's careful when we open the doors and hit balls. I think most of the audience here is okay.
03:03I'm a bit worried that Nico, if he pulls a little left, you'll get very close to the players.
03:07I miss rides usually, so we're good.
03:08Are you still the Belgian bomber or are you the former Belgian bomber?
03:11Well, I'm closing in on 40 years old, so I'm still called the Belgian bomber, but as time goes by I'm starting to hit the ball a little bit shorter.
03:19Give us a few more details of what actually you've experienced at the Aviv Clinics.
03:25I mean, apart from the hyperbaric chamber sessions that I do, I was unbelievably impressed with,
03:34I mean, I've dealt with physios and dieticians and psychologists for as long as I can remember,
03:39but walking through the door the first time I had no idea that I was going to be completely screened
03:46the way that I have been to prepare myself for the treatment.
03:50So it was also an eye-opener for me for a few different things, also understand the way I function,
03:56and I think since then I've developed a huge amount of self-awareness.
03:59But also going in every morning, seeing lovely faces with smiles and understanding that people are there to really help you
04:10and put you back on your feet as quickly as possible.
04:12So is the treatment over? You've gone through however many sessions, five days a week.
04:18Have you completely completed your Aviv Clinics treatment or is it ongoing?
04:25I'm about to finish now. I started the treatment mid-March.
04:30I had to go to Belgium because I had different commitments in the middle, but I'm closing in on, I think I have about 10 sessions to go.
04:39And right after, I think the day after I finish the treatment, I'm off in the plane to my first tournament,
04:47which is probably your next question. Sorry, I blew everything.
04:52We've done this before, believe it or not. You didn't know that.
04:56Now, let's go to the Olympics in Rio. Tell us a bit about the experience and perhaps your family connections.
05:06Well, the Olympics, I mean, before golf became my profession, I was really passionate about sport.
05:15It ran in the family. When I was really, really little, sport was basically the only activity.
05:20I mean, I don't play piano or guitar. It was like sport. Everything was based around sports.
05:25My great-grandfather represented Belgium at two different Olympics, early century in 20 and 36.
05:33And so even golf wasn't really a golf in the list of the sport represented at the Olympics.
05:40I always looked at the Olympics a different way than most golfers.
05:43And when we went in 2016 in Rio, there was part of me that was really proud to represent my country and represent the heritage of my great-grandfather.
05:54But there was also being part of the Olympics as a sports fan and see it from the inside.
06:00Being in the Olympic village, seeing the swimmers and the volleyball players and the weightlifters, it was interesting.
06:08Just talking about it, I've got goosebumps. I mean, you see all different body shapes and sizes at the opening ceremony or the preparation of the opening ceremony.
06:17Next to us, there was three guys from Bhutan who were wearing 16th century costumes going down to walk into the stadium at Maracana.
06:26So it was quite a very enriching experience from a sports fan point of view.
06:35Let's go to one of what must be highlights of your career.
06:39Let's go to Ryder Cup 2012, Miracle Medina, Jose Maria Alavdobal, the captain.
06:47Tell us a little behind the scenes and more importantly, Friday afternoon, you, Lee Westwood, he needed to be there against Tiger Woods and Steve Tricker.
06:59Tell us what happened there, Nico.
07:03Well, it's pretty simple. I kind of kicked his ass.
07:10Which is, of course, something to be really proud of.
07:13So I was the only rookie in the team. So I was the only one that never been thrown into the arena like this because the Ryder Cup is a different beast.
07:20Imagine you've never played Wembley and it's 80,000 and it's screaming. I mean, it's basically being thrown into a pretty hostile environment.
07:31Also being the first Belgium to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup was something also to be quite proud of.
07:39So the first game is probably the most thrilling roller coaster that I've ever been on.
07:50And funny enough, I didn't really quite understand what I was doing because I was totally in the zone and made eight birdies and an eagle, which is to this day the best performance by a rookie.
08:02And single-handedly took down Tiger Woods and Steve Tricker, which was the only European point that afternoon.
08:09And I was celebrated like a god when I walked back into the team room that same night by guys that have played five, six, seven Ryder Cups.
08:17So it was pretty cool. When you see guys that have played so many Ryder Cups look at you and go, so did you have fun? It was pretty cool.
08:27And you won one up.
08:28We won one up, so I hold maybe like a 25-footer on 17 to stay one up because Tiger Woods had just hit it to a meter.
08:39And then on 18, after Lee Westwood cowardly missed the green ride after I thought that he was going to take a bit of responsibility in the game,
08:52I lag my putt next to the hole and he's standing there and I go straight to Lee Westwood and I tell him that, knowing that Tiger has a putt to half the game,
09:04I said to Lee, I don't know if I have what it takes to watch this. I haven't basically just played the game on my own.
09:13He looked at me and went, might as well watch it.
09:16And next thing you know, Tiger misses. And so I see Andy Lee taking the guys down and brought only one point for Europe that afternoon.
09:25Any other memories about celebrations that you're allowing this company to share?
09:31It's funny because I went in the TV commentary at the Ryder Cup this last time in Whistling Straits last September and I went for the first time back to Medina.
09:42And I found myself into the locker room where some incredible things happened after we won.
09:51I saw guys that I grew up idolizing hugging each other and crying.
09:56Al Asable, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter.
10:01I also remember Poulter on the Sunday morning before the singles, I'm heading to the range walking out of the locker room and he's crossing me the other way to go to the first tee.
10:11He looks at me with eyes like this and he tells me, let's fucking have them.
10:16So if you know Poulter, if you know the Ryder Cup, he's exactly like he is on screen the way that he is in the locker room.
10:27And you build amazing relationships with these guys because we do an individual sport and for once it's 12 guys together.
10:35There's a huge back room staff that you feel like you're playing for Real Madrid or Man U.
10:42If there's some Man U fans in here, most likely I'd say unfortunately.
10:46I played hockey, field hockey until I was 17 so team sport was always something that I could identify really easily.
10:55And having the chance to do this professionally in the best golf competition there is was quite a ride.
11:01So coming out today you look fit, you're strong thanks to Aviv.
11:07What are your plans on returning to the DP World Tour and competitive golf Nico, what are your plans?
11:16Well I'm starting again in two weeks time. I've played only four events this year.
11:22I was almost this close of taking a full medical exemption to start off next season.
11:26But after playing the event in Belgium about a month and a half ago, it was quite overwhelming to play again.
11:33And it had to be in Belgium so it was adding to the overwhelming feeling about going back out.
11:44So I need to get back on the saddle as quickly as possible so I'll play the rest of the remaining tournaments in the season.
11:52I mean I would usually have played 15 to 20 events by now so there's not a lot of golf in me, there's definitely rust.
12:02My competitiveness is still there but the level of golf has basically evolved in the last couple of years.
12:13I mean you have to be on top of your game to be able to pull it off.
12:16My first couple of weeks are just basically to try to assess where I am and what I really need to focus on.
12:24But I'm happy to basically go and do what I've been doing for the last 20 years.
12:31Natural, what you've done in your life. Before Nico, not sure he knows this, hits a few balls and we open the door...
12:43It's a bit second nature, it's okay.
12:46You're looking nervous, maybe I'm nervous.
12:49I might be rusty but I'm still nervous.
12:52Before Nico hits a few balls, any hands up for questions?
12:56I took funding out for, maybe not so much, I found out in July last year that I had kidney disease.
13:03So I'm interested now that you've found that out, how much of your, not necessarily day to day, but your planning of life revolves around thinking about that
13:13versus trying to stay in your lane, doing your part.
13:18I don't know about you but it was quite a shock for me because I've always been quite healthy.
13:23And then you start to ask yourself questions that never came in your mind before.
13:30What was difficult at first was accepting that something was wrong.
13:37Having been quite successful my whole life and having been basically forced to be benched was quite difficult.
13:49But throughout life I guess that you need help from certain people.
13:56And there's no way I wouldn't have been able to deal with this the way I have without my wife and without the people that I've met the last couple of months.
14:05It's always, you always want to, not like you want to find solutions and you want to find a reason,
14:19you just have to basically just go through whatever you're facing and just take it head on and this is the situation.
14:26Just kind of a golf question, out of all the majors, which one would you most like to win and why?
14:31A typical one, no judging because I, well I've always had, you know for us back in the 80s and 90s the Masters was almost out of reach
14:44because you only saw the back nine on TV so we had this kind of really mystique thing with Augusta.
14:52So I grew up really idolizing the Masters but I grew up also watching golf on the BBC.
14:55You know in Belgium there was no Sky, there was no French TV or Belgian TV that was covering every golf.
15:02So I grew up listening to Peter Alice, Ken Brown and all these guys and so I hate to say this now but I went into TV commentary at the Open now.
15:12I'm a bit ashamed that I will say this now but it's definitely the Open because I mean we saw last week being the 150th
15:19and it only struck me that all these Links courses that you play for the Open, you understand that people have been walking these railways for 100 years
15:27and stories have happened in this bunker and this bunker and this bunker and it's the oldest championship and you are celebrated wherever you take the…
15:36I mean don't get me wrong, a green jacket would be nice but I think getting a bit drunk out of the Clara Jug on a Sunday night sounds pretty good actually.
15:44And what was your best finish in a major? Let me test you Nico.
15:48I finished I think 6th or 7th at the Open one year.
15:517th.
15:53And you played in all four majors?
15:56Yeah, I played the Masters in 2013 which is quite also an overwhelming experience the first time you get to the Masters, the first time you walk Augusta.
16:07I remember the first time I went they were like oh do you want to play a practice now?
16:12Can I start straight away on 10? So we played the back nine straight away and after an hour being there I was playing the 12th hole and the 13th and yeah I mean it's holy ground.
16:25The first time you go to St Andrews and the first time you go to Augusta is really two amazing moments where you feel like you've achieved something.
16:36Thank you Nico. Growing up you just talked about watching the Open on the BBC. Two part question, who were your idols growing up?
16:46And since you've obviously set the way for golf in Belgium, how is the future of golf in Belgium looking and the next generation of players coming through?
16:54So growing up I was that 8, 9, 10 year old kid that was chasing autographs and balls and just looking at these golf players like they were gods.
17:05Whatever that would be, Seve, Fardo, Woosnem, Lange, I mean that was my generation that I looked up to. We're talking end of 80s.
17:19I always had a soft spot for Fred Couples when I was young and funny enough when I think we played here and it was just after the Raticup or maybe just like 2012 or 13.
17:32I played a practice round with Fred Couples and when we came I think it was Friday so I grew up idolizing the guy and we played a practice round together and Friday I come on 9 and it was the big grandstand.
17:48And my caddy Brian taps me on the shoulder and goes and I turn around and there's Fred Couples behind the window of the hospitality doing me like this.
17:57So it was pretty cool. They say don't meet your idols but in some cases it's pretty cool.
18:05And the state of golf in Belgium, I mean I was basically a flag carrier, flag barrier from 2000 until 2014 when a couple other young Belgian guys came on the scene in Thomas Peters and Thomas Dettry.
18:22Funny fact, I mean there's always a war between France and Holland, our two neighbors and France only has one more Raticup than we do and Holland has zero to our two.
18:37So we're quite happy to all that against our neighbors but listen I was never asked to help which still to this day I find quite incredible that the Belgian Federation has never really come up to me and say hey can we hear what you think about this or that for juniors and stuff because I will be the first one to give back because it got me places that I would have never thought that I would end up in one day.
19:07Thank you Nico. I think we'd all like a round of applause for Vinlanders in a Nico culture.