It’s almost four months to the day since Derek Gillespie of Oshawa, Ont., was laying in the desert in the Phoenix area with a broken right femur, collapsed lung and five broken ribs following a vehicle rollover, which threatened his golf career.
You can read the details of that accident here, but for somebody busted up so badly, Gillespie made a pretty impressive showing at the Canadian Tour’s Seaforth Country Classic last week, where he tied for 49th at two-under for the tournament.
“I don’t know why or how (recovery has) been this quick. I was pushing myself in the gym and just things went really well. I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be playing the last couple of events of the year. I thought maybe six months,” said the winner of the Big Break Prince Edward Island in 2009.
“After four months layoff, it actually doesn’t feel too bad,” added Gillespie, who will be back at it this week at the Canadian Tour Championship at the Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ont.
Gillespie admits, however, that there was some rust, but nothing that he won’t be able to shake off with time.
“Physically, I was really sore and tired the last day. I think that’s why I slipped, but it was just nice to get out there and walking and hit some shots. It was a lot better result than what I would have thought,” he said.
“It’s a little different playing at your home club or hitting balls on the range than when you step up there on the first tee when it matters,: said Gillespie.
The worst case scenario was that Gillespie’s competitive golf career was over. The best case scenario was presented by his doctor, who indicated that he would have to be patient in his recovery.
“I remember the doctor came in and said six months is realistic that you’ll be up and feeling no pain. He said after three or four months, I’ll be able to hit some wedges, but I really forced myself to go to the gym,” said Gillespie.
“I didn’t know if I was ever going to be the same golfer, or what the deal was, but I’m quite excited about the way I felt this week. It’s encouraging,” he added.
That road back to the Canadian Tour began by following around and watching buddies in the Oshawa area play and hit shots, while Gillespie would hit some chips and putt.
He wasn’t sure how his body would react in Seaforth, but he was placed under the gun immediately when he discovered that, after playing no tournaments this year, he would have to make the cut in Seaforth in order to get on the Canadian Tour money list to play in this week’s Tour Championship.
He reacted well to that pressure, especially after shooting a 70 the first day, only to come back with an outstanding 66 in the second round to make it to the weekend. He followed up with a 69 the next day, but a final round 73 and the soreness that followed indicated to Gillespie that it’s still a gradual process.
For that reason, he isn’t yet committing on whether he will attend PGA Tour qualifying school later this year. He still has a month left before he has to make his application. In the meantime, he’ll play in other tournaments, perhaps even some mini-tour events, once the Canadian Tour season ends.
“The plan is to go (to Q-School), definitely,” he said, adding that may change depending on how the leg is feeling or how his game progresses.
Derek…good luck pal, work hard and take your time coming back. Here’s a great quote for you –
“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”
– Lou Holtz
We all want see how good you can be…Ashley :)