& # 039; My stutterer scared me to speak & # 39; – Bezuidenhout wants & # 039; revenge & # 039; on Royal Portrush

Bezuidenhout had a successful amateur career in South Africa

"That's who I am today, I accepted it." I'm comfortable with it. "

After playing a practice round with Justin Rose two days before the start of his first Open Championship, Christiaan Bezuidenhout talks about the tribal hammer he refuses to keep him silent.

A stamel which was caused when, as a two-year-old, the South African drank a drink from a Coca-Cola bottle on the street at home not knowing it contained rat poison.

Despite his stomach being pumped, the damage to it Bezuidenhout nervous system that the speech deficiency was permanent.

"That stuttering would eventually lead me to develop a serious case of anxiety," Bezuidenhout told the European Tour website after winning the six-fold victory in the Andalucia Masters last month, who booked his place this week at Royal Portrush.

"I was actually just living in my own world because I was always afraid of having a conversation n.

"When I spoke to people, I knew that I would have a hard time and it would take time before I would say my words, so I was always afraid to answer the phone, say my name or ask a question. "

& # 39; I felt that my life was over & # 39;

Bezuidenhout's caddy, Zack Rasego, was successful at The Open before

Therapy during his teenage years eventually helped Bezuidenhout "put myself out there" in the midst of a successful amateur career in South Africa, including winning the Western province of Stroke Play and Match Play titles in 2013.

In 2014, however, he received the devastating news that he had failed a random drug test that had been conducted two months earlier at the Amateur Championship in Royal Portrush.

Before undergoing the drug test, Bezuidenhout detailed on the accompanying paperwork his use of beta-blockers to treat the anxiety caused by his shocking childhood episode.

But that did not prevent the Delmas-born golfer from being banned for two years that "felt" as though my life was over ", although his suspension was subsequently reduced to nine months after an appeal.

"It was reduced to nine months because I didn't use the medicine on my golf," Bezuidenhout told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

Five years later, the 25-year-old ended up back at Royal Portrush.

"I don't have the best memories here. It almost feels like revenge is here again this week, "adds Bezuidenhout, who missed the cut in British Amateur five years ago before hearing about his positive drug test.

This course suits him – Horan

Former One Direction band member Niall Horan is full of confidence about Bezuidenhouts open opportunities

Bezuidenhout, together with Tyrrell Hatton and Connor Syme, is one of the three members of the Modest Golf stable where Niall Horan competed at the Dunluce links this week – and the pop star walked the fairways with the South African during Tuesday's practice round.

"He goes further and he gains confidence in everything he does," Horan told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"He is one of those guys who does not think about the past. If you do that all the time, you will get nowhere.

" He won himself by seriously winning.

"And this course suits him, he plays well on the left and if he can get to work, I think this can be a big week for him."

Indeed, the ball from Bezuidenhout Striking was the choice of his four-ball on Tuesday when he played the former world number one Rose plus another South African, Richard Sterne and Russell Knox from Scotland.

The South African has a cunning campaigner by his side this week with Soweto man Zack Rasego had caddy for 2010 winner Louis Oosthuizen in St Andrews and also on the bag of Branden Grace when he became the first and only player became a 62 in a major in The Open at Royal Birkdale two years ago.

If Bezuidenhout continues to play just as well as Tuesday, don't be surprised to see him on the leaderboard this week.