When you’re not on the PGA Tour, you attempt to save as much money as possible. Martin Trainer, who had only made four cuts in 26 starts this year until claiming the 36-hole lead at the Houston Open this week, understands the importance of utilizing his bilingualism.
“French produces less fines, therefore probably French,” Trainer said when asked if he curses more in English or his other language, French.
It’s difficult to blame Trainer for a few choice remarks, regardless of the language. When he won his first Tour event at the 2019 Puerto Rico Open, the 30-year-old was a surprise winner, but few could have expected the challenges that followed. He only made three of 22 global cuts the rest of the year, ending the year with 17 consecutive missed weekends, and teed it up 22 times in 2022, with 20 missed cuts.
In his first 70 starts since winning in Puerto Rico, Trainer only managed to make nine cuts. During that time, what was his best finish? Technically, he ended alone 34th at the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions, eight strokes behind the winner.
“When you keep missing cuts over and over again, it’s demoralizing,” Trainer remarked. “Obviously, it’s difficult to compete and make a cut on Tour, let alone reach to the top of the leaderboard.” It’s been difficult for me the last couple of years since I haven’t been able to play well.”
Trainer would have lost his card under normal conditions after finishing 221st in the FedExCup standings last season. He was granted a year’s extension on his two-year winning exemption because to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He hadn’t taken advantage of the situation: five missed cuts in as many starts to start the fall season.
Trainer, on the other hand, believed he had finally turned a corner following last week’s event at Mayakoba, where he finished three strokes short of the cut line.
“I hit the ball really well for the first time in a long time and I just didn’t putt very well,” Trainer explained. “I figured if I could somehow do both of those at the same time, which to be fair, every single player says that every single week, but for me it had been such a long time coming that, you know, it really was a grind for a long time,” Trainer added. “So, now to finally be able to bring it together, I believe it’s going to be difficult, but you have to hope that this is the week.”
Trainer has a 10-under par total through 36 holes at Memorial Park, thanks to back-to-back 65s.He had one bogey and was in the top five in both tee-to-green and strokes gained: green-to-tee. putting. He’s also averaging only three missed greens in regulation and putting distances of more than 100 feet each round.
Trainer, who leads by a shot over Kevin Tway on the leaderboard, says he isn’t concerned about the outcome on Sunday. Trainer, who is rated No. 1,310 in the world (astonishingly low for a guy who has competed on Tour for more than three seasons), is just enjoying the nice golf after his first made cut since July.
After all, the previous several years have been, to put it mildly, cursed.
“There’s always an incentive to play, and there’s always the possibility that maybe I might find it,” Trainer said, “but there have definitely been instances in the previous several years when I haven’t been playing well, and I’ve thought about and contemplated my future in the game.”
“It’s good to finally have one of these affirming performances where all of the hard work pays off.”
