Ames starting to feel betterSource:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/golf/article.jsp?content=20061206_191006_5308(CP) - As a rule, Stephen Ames would probably rather play a regular PGA Tour event with a mangled back than a team event in top form.
That's just the way he likes it. The man only wants his play to control the final result.
But Ames has got a few reasons for travelling south this week to represent his birth nation of Trinidad & Tobago at the World Cup team event in Barbados.
Chief among them is his playing partner - his younger brother.
"Oh it's for Robert," Ames said recently of his main reason for playing in the World Cup. "It's just to give him the experience of playing."
That experience is more important than ever as Robert Ames is thinking about playing golf full-time rather than continuing to caddie for Stephen.
He had served as his brother's caddie since May 2003 and was there for both of Stephen's PGA Tour victories, the 2004 Western Open and The Players Championship last March.
In his place, Ames will use a caddie who spent nine years working for him before Robert took over.
"I've seen him every week," Ames said. "It won't be a big change."
He's also got a new swing coach in Canadian Sean Foley.
Ames parted ways with Dennis Sheehy because the coach wasn't keen on travelling to tour events to instruct him during the season.
That became especially troublesome this year as Ames's swing started causing intense back pain. It culminated with him having to pull out of the Canadian Open in September and skipping two big-money events at the end of the season. He was forced to rest while receiving a number of different back treatments, including accupuncture and deep tissue massage. Naturally, it was not the way he envisioned ending a year that included his US$1.44-million victory at TPC.
"It was very disappointing," said Ames, a Calgary resident. "I haven't played an official event in three months. I could have made more money. I could have won another tournament. You never know."
He found at least one way to ease some of that pain. Ames returned to competition at the U.S. Skins Game two weeks ago and pocketed $590,000 while winning the event.
Armed with a more natural feeling swing, he's hoping for more of the same at this week's World Cup. He and Foley are still in the early stages of changing things but his new coach has already proved beneficial - he was able to isolate the root of his back problems. Essentially, Ames's posture was off and his body was at a strange angle through impact.
"It's the first time it's ever been (explained to me)," said Ames. "That was nice."
After this week's World Cup, Ames will take some time off. He and wife Jodi will take their sons to Maui over Christmas and he doesn't plan to play much early in the new year.
Ames will get an early look at some of the new changes he could face in 2007 this week in Barbados.
Different caddie, different coach and different swing.
"You're always trying to improve some aspects of your game," said Ames. "For me I just want to continue playing as long as I can."
