“I feel good right now,” Shane Bertsch says, which only goes to show what a relative concept that can be.
Speaking Wednesday from the parking lot of a grocery store on Castle Pines Parkway, Bertsch was being questioned by police and wondering what to do about his 42-foot RV, which had a broken fuel line, spewing diesel fuel all over the road.
“It’s not like you can just throw it on any old tow truck,” he said.
But, on the positive side, Bertsch had been able to make the drive from Phoenix, where the vehicle had sat for more than two months, back to his home in Parker – well, almost. That represents progress in his battle with the visual vertigo that has kept him on the sidelines since January and will keep him away from the PGA Tour for at least another month.
Playing on tour for the first time since 1997, Bertsch had a solid season in 2006, with six top-25 finishes and almost $700,000 in earnings, good enough for his first top-125 finish on the money list. Even so, late in the year Bertsch began having problems, which he said he virtually ignored in the chase to keep his tour card for this season.
In the offseason, Bertsch saw a number of specialists, with the popular opinion being an inner-ear problem. Determined to begin the 2007 season, Bertsch tied for 42nd at the season-opening Sony Open, then moved up three spots the following week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
The final round of that event was played under very raw conditions. Bertsch said he picked up the flu bug that day, which turned out to be something of a good thing. In San Diego for the Buick Invitational in late January, Bertsch said his symptoms “came back, but tenfold; I felt dizzy standing over every shot.”
Somehow Bertsch managed to shoot an even-par 72, but he immediately withdrew from the tournament and hasn’t played since. After trying at least three types of medication, seeing neurologists, acupuncturists and even taking a trip to the Mayo Clinic, the visual-vertigo diagnosis – which heightens, Bertsch said, during times of heightened concentration, “like chipping and putting” – was alighted upon.
In order to maintain his status on tour, Bertsch took a four-month medical leave of absence. That concludes at the end of next month, but even then the 37-year-old isn’t sure he’ll be 100 percent, adding he may play in a couple of events on the Nationwide Tour to make sure he’s ready.
“I’m starting to feel better, but I’ve felt that way before, so it’s hard to know whether it’s on it’s way out for sure,” Bertsch said. “I’ve sat and watched a lot of tournaments, and the Players Championship is coming up and you want to play in events like that, but the whole thing is, you have to get better first. You have to take care of that.”
Well, that and the RV.
Bedside manner
Cherry Hills Village resident David Duval has also been missing from the scene of late, his last event the Nissan Open in mid-February.
Part of the reason for the gap was that some of the tournaments that followed the Nissan were limited-field or invitational events, like the two World Golf Championship events, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Masters.
But Duval’s schedule will probably remain curtailed throughout the summer. According to the Golf Channel, Duval and his wife, Susie Persichitte, are expecting their second child. According to the report, Persichitte is on bed rest, with Duval planning on remaining home with her through the birth.
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
SPOTLIGHT: PHIL MICKELSON
Working with Butch, to be precise
When Mickelson returns to action today at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, he’ll not only have a new coach, but a new swing. While not completely cutting ties with Rick Smith, the left-hander is openly working with Butch Harmon. It’s a relationship that began in February, when the two were seen together on the driving range at the World Golf Championships Match Play tournament. The main focus for the duo is on driving accuracy, an area which almost certainly cost Mickelson last year’s U.S. Open and prevented him from truly getting into contention at the Masters. Finishing tied for 24th, Mickelson found the fairway 50 percent of the time; his 58.8 driving- accuracy percentage is 131st on tour this season. The Mickelson-Harmon pairing is intriguing in many ways. Mickelson is seeking out the man who helped Tiger Woods reach the top before being dismissed a few years ago. Another interesting aspect comes in watching two strong-willed individuals manage the details of their relationship without strangling each other. Also, Harmon says he won’t be available to Mickelson 24 hours a day, maintaining that Adam Scott, currently third in the world golf rankings, will stay at the top of his list.
Lefty on prowl for Tiger
“It’s going to be very difficult to challenge Tiger Woods this year for No. 1 because Tiger has such a big lead in the points. But Phil has the talent and the desire, and he has finally realized that he had to make changes. I think he has a very good chance of catching Tiger in the next couple of years.”
Butch Harmon, to the Golf Channel
THIS WEEK:
PGA Tour
EDS Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Resort, Las Colinas, Texas.
What’s up: Only two of the world’s top 10 players – No. 4 Phil Mickelson and No. 7 Vijay Singh – are in the field for the first Nelson since the death of its namesake seven months ago.
LPGA Tour
Corona Morelia Championship, Tres Marias Residential Country Club, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
What’s up: Lorena Ochoa plays her first tournament as the world’s No. 1 player in her home country.
Champions Tour
Idle.
