Playing together with number one was absolute highlight for golfer Besseling

Besseling played 22 tournaments on the European Tour last year, qualifying 18 times for the weekend. The resident of Zwaag finished in the top 10 twice and he finished in the top 25 on eight occasions. “The goal was to secure my tour card for next season. And we succeeded, so that gives a great feeling.”

Fewer outliers, more potential

“I had a little less outliers than last year, but I had a better feeling about this season. I feel even more at ease. I saw more potential and growth in myself again,” says 36-year-old Besseling.

In his fourth tournament of the season, he showed that he can compete with the best. “We went to Austria early in the year, so it was really cold. Last year I was third there and now fourth. That gave a boost for the sequel. That turned out to be the case, because the following week I got off to a good start in the Canary Islands.”

After the last round there, Besseling heard that he had tested positive for the corona virus. “I was taken back to the hotel and there I had to stay in the room with my caddy Martijn van Oosterhout for ten days. He tested negative, but because he had been in contact with me, he also had to quarantine. Fortunately, the sun was shining there and we had a patio, but it didn’t make me happy. He was able to give it a nice twist with music.”

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Highlight of the season

In the four months that followed, Besseling played many solid tournaments. Still, in October, he was not yet certain of the right to play for 2022. After two missed cuts (not allowed to play on weekends) the highlight of the season came in Madrid. “I had never been there and suddenly after two days I was in the lead. That is also a bit of golf. If you look for something that is not there, you can sometimes get lost. That confirms that you are not panicking should hit after a lesser week.”

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Besseling became sixth in Spain. In the third round he played with Jon Rahm, the number one in the world. “Appearance is what you do it for. I had never played with the number one in the world and was not often in the lead. It was a new experience for me and my caddy. I couldn’t prepare myself completely, because I didn’t know what it would feel like.”

“It was just great. I was certainly not the lesser that day and perhaps the better. But such a day is a snapshot, because it is not just the number one. It was a cool learning moment and we will put it back in the backpack,” says Besseling, who, like Rahm, needed 72 strokes that day.

More than a caddy

At the start of the season, Besseling started working with a new caddy. That went very well for both of them. “Martijn is much more than just a caddy. We spent a lot of time together. I can talk to him, cry with him and laugh with him. He also wants to get better himself, both as a caddy as a person. best together upstairs.”

Due to his performance, Besseling can play almost all major tournaments next season. That has not been the case for the past two years. Just securing his tour ticket for 2023 is no longer enough. “We want more than that. That first victory would be great. I am also confident that it is possible. I think reaching the top 50 in Europe is a very nice goal.”