Thomas Detry’s Coach Breaks Down in Tears, Revealing Dark Days After a Massive Win

Thomas Detry’s victory at the Phoenix Open marked a breakthrough moment in his career, as the Belgian golfer claimed his first PGA Tour title with an impressive seven-shot lead. With rounds of 66, 64, 65, and 65, Detry finished at a remarkable 24 under par, comfortably ahead of Americans Daniel Berger and Michael Kim, who both finished at 17 under. To seal the win, Detry closed with four birdies in a six-under-par round, succumbing to an emotional celebration with his wife and two young children. What a win, what a journey for Detry!

As Thomas Detry reflected on his first PGA TOUR victory at the WM Phoenix Open, this win meant more than just a title—it represented a personal breakthrough. After seven runner-up finishes on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, finally getting his hands on some silverware was a long-awaited achievement. A key element in his success? Meditation. Detry, known as a “forward thinker,” had embraced breathing exercises, a practice he first discussed in a DP World Tour Player Blog ahead of the Olympic Games last summer.

Encouraged by his wife, Sarah, along with family and friends, he began incorporating the technique into his routine two years ago. This mindfulness practice, he believes, played a significant role in his calm and focused approach during the weekend in Arizona. He even took ice baths to increase the level of difficulty, and well while doing all of this, his coach was always there to witness the struggle. “I don’t have to talk too much about it because I might break a tear again right now,” said Jerome Theunis on the latest episode of The Golf Podcast. He has known him for a long time, and it has been Derry’s dream since he was a boy to become a professional golfer.

Having turned professional in 2016, he has had seven runner-up finishes in the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. “It started to creep a little bit in his head to be fair because he knew how good he was but you know people start talking about him not being able to get it done”, he added. He had tears in his eyes while talking about Thomas Detry’s breakthrough journey. He shared, “I think people or coaches or you know players or close friends know the other side of the thing and yeah I’m delighted for him I mean you know it it was hard you know it was hard mentally”. 

At one point, he had accepted that it’s okay if he does not win, and one day he might just win from behind, going immensely low-scored for the final round. “Then he started mental work as well which has had some tremendous effect on him I think,” added the coach.

However, Thomas Detry had amazing support around it, be it his wife Sarah Taylor or his family. No one ever gave up hope on him.