Brisbane golfer Zachary Maxwell challenges the idea that victory builds belief, arguing instead that he built the belief needed to win last year’s Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am. As the defending champion, Maxwell will compete at Redcliffe Golf Club on Thursday for a $90,000 prize against former DP World Tour winners and players with current status on the tour, as well as 22 former winners on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Maxwell won last year’s event by shooting 64 in the final round, including a hole-in-one. This victory was crucial ahead of his first full season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. However, Maxwell’s journey began during the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020 when he focused internally due to limited opportunities to play golf.
“I became very internally focused because obviously we couldn’t play golf and I was obsessed with golf and getting better,” Maxwell said. He emphasized mental training during this period by consulting multiple sports psychologists and engaging in various learning activities.
Two years ago, Maxwell partnered with Dr. James Clark at The Mental Switch, a program aimed at transformative coaching and mental resilience. Documenting feelings after each round or practice session has become essential for him to reinforce positive experiences.
“Our No.1 mantra is belief in how we obtain that and how we can protect that,” said Maxwell regarding his collaboration with Dr. Clark. “You get that through the ways we practise and how we use our memories.”
The significance of his hole-in-one at last year’s event further demonstrates his mental strength developed over five years of training. After trailing Aaron Pike by four strokes at Round 2’s start, Maxwell made strategic birdies before hitting an ace on the par-3 13th hole.
“Hole-in-ones are actually pretty dangerous in tournament golf,” stated Maxwell. He explained that managing emotions after such shots is critical to maintaining performance levels.
The Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am will commence at 10 am on Thursday, concluding with a second round on Friday.
