@LET

Hello Marion, you were supposed to play on the Symetra Tour in the United States in 2020. Did it fall apart because of the health crisis?

In part. In fact, I couldn't leave at the start of the year because of my visa. But great news, I just finally had it today at the American Embassy in Paris!

So, how will your end of the season unfold?

I will leave for the USA only in 2021. Considering the current situation, I filled my calendar differently for the end of the season. I received an invitation to play in Switzerland on the European Tour, next week. I asked for one for the French Open, but I have the impression that it started badly. I'm going to play Pro-Am, especially in Switzerland, because I live in Evian.

With a white season like this, have you been able to generate some income?

I teach at the same time as my professional player activity. I just put on my coach hat while I waited. It went well since I started coaching Joël Stalter at the start of the year and he won on the European circuit this season (the Euram Bank Open mid-July in Austria).

What is your coaching method?

I don't just base myself on golf technique, on the swing. I see the person as a whole, in his own identity, it allows me to identify what is best for my students. I rely on Mike Adams' test to establish the biomechanical profile of each player. The idea is to find the natural pattern that best suits the players, so that they perform as well as possible. I also have a mechanical engineering degree and I find that there is often a problem of compatibility between the equipment and the swing of the players. When I see a student, there is always something that strikes me, whether it is the technique, the clubs, the shoes, the routine, etc.

What do you think is the most common fault among amateurs? 

Managing their balance. They don't necessarily know where they should be putting their body weight to be in their performance profile. Often, amateurs want to hit too hard and lose their balance by sacrificing ball contact, which is so important for hitting far.

You taught for six months in Dubai, between late 2017 and early 2018. What prompted you to resume your professional career?

I missed the competition, I felt that I had not yet reached my limits. Deep down, I still dream of playing on the LPGA and winning at Evian. Before leaving for Dubai, I had met Mike Adams who told me that I had talent, that I had to play and that I would teach when I was older. He offered to coach me. I went to see him in the United States and we started a groundwork which paid off in October 2019, where I passed the cards to play on the Symetra Tour.

How did you find out about golf?

At the age of 7 in Evian. I was born there and had an elementary school friend who played there whose father was the former golf greenkeeper. She asked me to come with her to golf school because she didn't have any girlfriends. I tried it and I liked it a lot when she, she stopped shortly after (laughs).

You studied at the University by Chattanooga in Tennessee. How did you live this experience?

I was part of the hope pole then the France pole and I had started a degree in mechanical engineering, suddenly I only studied three years instead of four in the United States. There, we play a lot of tournaments, there is a team atmosphere, incredible infrastructures. Everything is organized to perform, I love the American mentality. The problem is that I had a coach that was a little too directive for my taste, me who works a lot by feeling. I didn't like things being forced on me that I didn't feel.

What is the best memory of your career so far?

(She thinks) Victories are always good. I would say my victory in Galicia (Spain) over LETAS. It was a nice feeling to get to set up a pattern, stick to it and have the win at the end.

What is your strong point?

If the other girls answered for me, they would probably say that I hit hard at the drive. I would rather say that it is my character. I manage to finish the job, when I have to win in the play-off, I manage to stay "focus".

And your weak point?

It varies depending on the period, there is not one that really stands out. This year, I cut all my clubs by a few inches. This allows me to swing more easily and to erase some mistakes on the course.

What keys do you use mentally when you have a really big putt to play on the last day, on the 18th?

A few years ago, I had taken a training course on the “fluid motion factor” method, set up by Steven Yellin. The goal is that the info reaches directly into the cerebellum at the back without being bypassed by the prefrontal cortex, which prevents being in the "flow", the famous zone, the moment when the one is entirely focused and absorbed by one's occupation. It is about succeeding in getting in front of the ball in a neutral, detached state, without parasitic thought. The whole difficulty lies in the fact that it does not necessarily work every time, even if you train for it. It's a process that starts from scratch with each important putt, with no guarantee of success.

Have you ever completed a hole-in-one?

I made three. The first, I was 16 years old and it was on hole n ° 10 of the Annonay golf course, in Grand Prix. The other two are in the USA, in Florida during a university tournament, then during a recce, in North Carolina I believe.

Is there a player you admire?

Tiger, for his entire career and how he bounced back from all his troubles. Among the women, when I was little and I attended the Evian Masters, all the players impressed me, I wanted to do like them later.

Your favorite route?

Last year I had the chance to go to Torrey Pines. I have always been drawn to all these legendary courses, like St Andrews which I have already had the opportunity to play during my amateur years. I would also dream of playing Augusta.

Interview by Franck Crudo

https://www.instagram.com/marion.duvernay/?hl=fr