Combustible Siem doesn't snap so often these days

GULLANE (Scotland): Marcel Siem once snapped his driver in two in a typical fit of pique but the German is not such a combustible character these days and his maturing behaviour is getting its reward with improving results.

The 33-year-old, who won the 2006 World Cup for his country in partnership with former world number one Bernhard Langer, has won two European Tour events in the last 12 months and is confident of doing well at this week’s British Open.

“Since the birth of my daughter 2½ years ago I take golf much more seriously,” the pony-tailed Siem told Reuters in an interview. “I used to throw away so many good results because of my emotions.

“I think positive emotions are good to show. The spectators like it, they give me high-fives, and in the US they really like me because of that.

“On the other side I’m doing a lot better with the negative emotions. I’m trying not to let them grow too much and accept I’m not a robot and that I’m allowed to make bad golf shots and get bad bounces and not let them ruin my whole round.”

Siem is up to 60th in the world rankings after winning the 2012 French Open and this year’s Trophee Hassan in Morocco.

That represents something of a career turnaround for a player who once had a group of children in tears due to his on-course antics.

“It was at one of my home tournaments in Cologne about eight years ago,” said Siem. “It was my last hole and I was about to miss the cut and broke my driver over my knee.

“There were a lot of kids watching and they started to cry. I thought to myself, ‘That’s the last time I do that’. I went up to the kids, gave them a hug and said sorry.

“I suddenly realised how much impact our behaviour has on kids. I will never behave badly like that in front of them again.

“That was the worst incident and I nearly had tears in my eyes because I saw the little ones crying. After that I said I’d try to be an idol from now on and that was a turning point for me, big time.”

Siem, who will be making only his third appearance at the British Open this week, takes his golf much more seriously these days. — Reuters