Arguably, Oliver Wilson's most impressive performance of 2022 came in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, a week after winning in Denmark for the first time on the DP World Tour in nearly eight years. Tied 23rd may sound pretty ordinary, but the Englishman was spent. When I met him, he was battling a sore head (self-inflicted) on the range and doing his best to get some preparation in ahead of the DP World Tour's flagship event, but people kept interrupting him, slapping him on the back and offering their congratulations. It must be tiring being that popular.
Wilson thanked everyone - fellow players, caddies, coaches. It would have taken him a while to reply to all the messages, but I'm sure he worked his way through every one. At that point, however, he was focused on following up his long-awaited second victory with another strong performance - and he did so, despite running on empty the whole week.
So, what did it feel like to end a run of seven years and 334 days without a win on the DP World Tour? "Fantastic," says the 41-year-old, a great deal more composed now than when he had a microphone shoved under his nose immediately after tapping in for victory on the 18th hole at Himmerland, at which point, quite understandably, he struggled to hold back the tears.
"I've been around for a while," he jokes. "It's nice. People don't have to go out of their way to say well done, but they have. It's what comes with winning and it makes me feel like I'm doing the right things. I'll continue to work hard to get to number three as soon as I can." Wilson has had to endure some pretty "dark times" during what has been a rollercoaster of a career.
The highs have been really high - a Ryder Cup appearance in 2008 and a win at the Home of Golf in 2014 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - but there have been plenty of lows, too.
This story is from the February 2023 edition of Golf Monthly.
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This story is from the February 2023 edition of Golf Monthly.
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