FOR YOUR GAME

Good: Standing tall Address: Proper posture Eye on the rings Fixing a player’s address often is the first step in fixing a swing. Rocha used to be too hunched over, The student: BRAZIL’S ROCHA REMAKES HIS GAME had too much weight on his toes and Alexandre Rocha extended his shoulders beyond his WITH A FOCUS ON ’16 RIO OLYMPICS toes. This made it difficult for him to Birthplace: São Paulo, swing the club back properly. He now Brazil By Sean Martin a few years’ time.” goes through a three-step process Age: 34 Winter Garden, Fla. The next month, Rocha reunited with to ensure that he addresses the ball Height: 6 feet We won’t know until well after the his former instructor, Jason Birnbaum, properly. Weight: 176 pounds 2016 Olympics the full impact that and they formed a plan for 2010 that First, he stands tall, with his hands Notable achieve- ’s inclusion will have on the was centered around getting his game at his side. This allows him to check ments: T-20, 2011 sport’s global growth, but this much to peak for PGA Tour Q-School. that he is properly aligned. He then Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is certain: The prospect of competing Rocha played sparingly that year, holds the club perpendicular to the Classic; two-time Brazilian Amateur for gold has resurrected one as he and Birnbaum re-worked his ground, squats slightly and bends his champion (1994, ’97); medalist, 2006 professional’s career. swing. The plan paid off, as Rocha knees. He completes his address by European Tour Q-School; two-time Alexandre Rocha was contemplating finished 22nd at Q-School finals bending at the hips and placing the All-American at Mississippi State his future in golf toward the end of in December 2010 to earn his first club on the ground. (first team in 2000); won 2001 the 2009 PGA European Tour season, PGA Tour card. He finished 184th “His back is straighter and more Chilean Masters; winner of five during which he earned only 47,935 on the money list after making 11 cuts upright,” Birnbaum said. “This helped college titles and seven South euros and lost his card. and posting only one top 25 in his his arms and hands swing in front American professional events. “I didn’t want to play golf anymore,” 22 Tour starts as a rookie, but ended of his body. With his old posture, What’s in the bag: TaylorMade R11 Rocha said. “I was in a horrible place. the season on a strong note by tying he had nowhere to go but inside driver (9 degree); TaylorMade R11 I just didn’t have a clue what to do.” for 26th and 20th, respectively, in because everything started outside.” 3- (13 degree); TaylorMade R11 Then the announcement came in his last two Fall Series starts. He then Rescue (17 degree); TaylorMade Tour August of that year that golf would tied for 24th at 2011 Q-School to earn Bad: Slumped over Preferred CB Forged irons (3-5); be added to the Olympic program a return trip to the Tour for his TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC in the 2016 Games at Rio de Janeiro. sophomore season in 2012. Forged irons (6-PW); TaylorMade Rocha, who grew up in São Paulo, A player’s focus is usually on keeping Z-TP wedges (54 and 60 degree); Brazil, was energized by the prospect his Tour card, but Rocha still is looking TaylorMade Ghost TM-770 Tour of competing for a medal in his four years down the road. ; TaylorMade Penta ball. homeland. “It takes the pressure off, because “It was a wake-up call and a sign,” we’re going to focus on 2016,” Rocha The teacher: Rocha said. “Here’s an opportunity said. “There’s a long way to get there, Jason Birnbaum to play the greatest sporting event, so I can take the process little by little Age: 31 in your home country, and it’s in and try to improve.” Title: Teaching profes- sional, Alpine Country Club, Demarest, N.J. ‘Here’s an opportunity to play the greatest sporting event, Notable student: Jim in your home country, and it’s in a few years’ time.’ McGovern – Alexandre Rocha PHOTOS/TRACY WILCOX PHOTOGRAPHED AT ORANGE COUNTY NATIONAL IN WINTER GARDEN, FLA. 38 Golfweek • February 17, 2012 • www.golfweek.com Golfweek • February 17, 2012 • www.golfweek.com 39 FOR YOUR GAME

In this drill, Rocha Short game: In the zone Backswing: tries to point the Just hitting the green with a lengthy pitch shot is an alignment stick accomplishment for some amateurs. Professionals must be much at the target line. Back on plane more precise. Birnbaum and Rocha used alignment sticks to Rocha used to take the club too far inside, help Rocha pick “zones” at which to hit pitches. Birnbaum would causing an excessively steep shaft plane on place an alignment stick next to the hole to help Rocha focus on the backswing. He performs two drills on a specific section of the green. practice swings In the photo, Birnbaum does not want Rocha to hit his pitch to fix this fault. right of the hole because he’d have a difficult, downhill putt. A few >> He holds an feet right of the hole is acceptable because the putt would be short. alignment stick The stick helps Rocha focus on keeping the ball in the zone to against the grip the left of the stick. of his club so that the stick extends beyond the club’s shaft. He wants Good: Putter stays left Bad: Putter swings right the stick to point Putting: No push at his target line Rocha used to aim left of the hole and “push” when the club is In this one, Rocha his putts toward the hole. perpendicular to uses his right index “He held on to it, instead of releasing it. He Bad: Too steep the ground. finger to help guide aimed left and blocked putts to the target,” >> He presses the club back on the Birnbaum said. “His his right index finger against the butt of the proper plane. left arm tended to club. This force against the club’s end helps swing away from him take the club back properly instead of his body. He’d have dragging inside the target line. good connection, Rocha also has two swing thoughts to help but then have him swing on the proper plane. He tries to get too much space the butt end of the club pointing at the target (between his left line as soon as possible. He also likes to imag- arm and body).” ine that the clubhead is a 10-pound weight. To fix this, “He feels the weight of the clubhead swing Birnbaum tied around his body,” Birnbaum said. “His hands a bungee cord and arms feel loose and soft. Having lots of around Rocha’s tension caused him to yank the club inside.” left arm and body (inset photo) to help Rocha feel the putter “release” through the ball. Downswing: High , flatter swing to improve club position “The cord keeps Rocha’s downswing used to be too steep. above the ground, which helped him swing I would come down steep and shut,” his left arm close to To teach him to flatten the shaft during the club on a flatter plane in the backswing. Rocha said. his body,” Birnbaum said. the downswing, Birnbaum had Rocha hit He had to swing on a similar plane on the “So I had to really hold the club square Rocha also places an alignment stick outside mid- shots with a ball that was teed up downswing in order to make solid contact and lift my body up to keep the ball from the ball (far left) to monitor his clubhead path. at driver height. with the ball. going left. If I would release it, I would hit His putter used to work outside the stick (near At address, Rocha hovered the club “Because I went back steep and shut, it miles left.” left) after impact. It now works to the inside.

40 Golfweek • February 17, 2012 • www.golfweek.com Golfweek • February 17, 2012 • www.golfweek.com 41