ZANDER LOMBARD
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Having come through injury and fear of the unknown, one of South Africa's finest talents is primed for whatever comes next
By Michael Vlismas
As Zander Lombard looks out over the brilliant green fairways of Pezula and the sparkling blue ocean beyond, the man who spent nine months being forced to rebuild his knee and his career after a freak accident now talks about building towards something even bigger.
An innocent game of padel while on the DP World Tour saw Lombard rupture his ACL and tear his meniscus. What followed was a painful operation and a period of recovery and rehab that was one of the most daunting experiences of Lombard's professional career – but also one that has built an even stronger person and golfer.
And there was no clearer evidence of this than his dominance of the DP World Tour's Qualifying School Final Stage in Spain recently: Lombard won by 13 shots to immediately reclaim his playing privileges.
The Q School experience represented exactly what Lombard is trying to achieve in his game as he returns to the top level.
'The way I handled myself at Q School was great and my game was trending in those last four months. I started feeling like the game was there but I just didn't do it four rounds in a row. I didn't build into those weeks. That was key. The greats in the game build into the week. They don't shoot 65 and then three level par rounds.
'I once read a stat that Tiger Woods won 85 percent of tournaments starting with a round of three-under. He would build so well into the week. That's the mindset I tried to keep at Q School final stage and I feel like I did that well,' says Lombard.
STATS AMAZING
1 Number of wins he's had in his Sunshine Tour career – at the 2018 Vodacom Origins – Zebula
13 He won by a record 13 shots at the DP World Tour School in November to regain his card
63 The lowest round he's shot as a professional: It was at the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge and at the DP World Tour School in November
96 The highest world ranking he has held, in February 2024
242 He is still chasing his first win on the DP World Tour after 242 starts, despite finishing runner-up seven times
100m The amount, converted to rands, that he's won on the DP World Tour (4m euros) and Sunshine Tour (R13m) combined
Gallery below
There's no doubt that Lombard is feeling like his old self again. But the memories of what he's been through are also still fresh enough as to have given him a new perspective on his career.
'The injury came as such a shock. The unknown element is the worst. My specialist was brilliant though. He was very reassuring and had a plan. He said it's nine months so get over that, but this is the plan. I built it into five different stages of rehab and it was nice to have those mini goals. For two weeks I just worked on 10 degrees more flexion when in the brace, then the next goal was learning to walk again. So it was two-week goals that kept me sane. If you focus only on the big picture at the end while you're sitting on the couch and can't even carry a bottle of water on crutches, you go crazy.'
Lombard says he tried many ways to take his mind off the obvious problem.
'I tried a few new hobbies. I read a couple of books, but I've always taken a year to read a book. I took up a bit of pistol shooting which was fun. But it was still tough. My wife was amazing. In the first two weeks after the op I was like a baby – I was awake for three hours and asleep for three hours, and I was demanding things when I was awake. There were times when both of us dipped and felt low. But we kept each other sane and focused on the positives.'
It's definitely made him a stronger golfer.
'Sometimes that forced step back is good. I think I came out mentally stronger'
OH, SO CLOSE
Apart from his seven second-place finishes on the DP World Tour and four seconds on the Sunshine Tour, Lombard also came close to winning the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge. He led after 54 holes and was in the final group with Louis Oosthuizen and Thomas Detry. However, he slipped to a final round 77 and Tommy Fleetwood came through with a 65 to win, while Lombard shared eighth with Robert McIntyre.
'Since about August I don't even think about the knee anymore. It feels normal and strong. So I could then start to work on a consistent golf swing again. Before that I would wake up and I couldn't fully get onto my left side and would protect it. The next morning I would feel great. So there was that inconsistency. But this nine-month rehab has also made me enjoy the process more and not be so results driven. If you're loving the process and the grind, the result just seems to fall in place.'
And it will soon make him a stronger father.
'We're expecting our first child – a little girl. We're super excited. Life will change again.'
Whether he's focused on building into his tournaments better or building a new career, Lombard has definitely taken on board the lessons learned from the biggest setback in his life.
'Sometimes that forced step back is good. I think I came out mentally stronger. As a holistic person I feel a bit more rounded off. I know what I like and dislike … and I'm content. Contentment and gratitude sum me up at the moment. I'm grateful to still be able to compete at this level and be part of the game.'
SUNSHINE TOUR | TYRONE WINFIELD | CARL FOURIE
