Australia’s Jordan Zunic may be a long way from his native land, but he is feeling right at home this week at the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf.
The 26 year old, who finished in a tie for fifth at last year’s event, is delighted to be returning to the scenic Golf Sempachersee in Lucerne.
“I really enjoyed playing here last year,” said Zunic. “The lay-out is great, the conditions are great, and Switzerland is one of my favourite places to come to.
“My fiancée is from New Zealand and her parents live in Queenstown, so the alpine feel is very similar, especially with the lake.”
Familiarity, whether through location or company, has been important for the man who placed second at the most recent Australian PGA Championship, as he mixes his time between his home country and Europe.
“I’ve got my fiancée caddying for me, which has been working really well,” he said. “Having her here this year is much easier. You don’t feel that much of a need to go back home because you’ve got someone with you and when we’re not playing golf we get to explore some of the amazing places we go to.
“When you’re on your own, you tend to only see the airport, the golf course and the hotel, so that’s been a cool benefit too because it helps you switch off from golf.”
Travelling from a country so far away can present several challenges, but Zunic, who works with Cronulla-based golf coach Warwick Dews, is finding that a mixture of experience, technology and a little bit of creativity are helping him stay on top of his development.
“The other week when we were in Italy for the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open we had a good internet connection, so I actually FaceTimed him from the driving range, and my fiancée held the phone while I hit balls,” he said.
“He said the footage was quite clear and I had my head phones in, so he would talk to me while I hit — it was like he was there. It was fantastic.”
When it comes to the long-haul travel, Zunic said: “Every time I do it I learn something new that I can do to make myself feel better. You need that first week to get over the flight and get into the time zone. You just get better each time you do it, so that’s why this year has been a bit easier.”
The Swiss Challenge presented by ASG will represent the Australian’s second start on the Challenge Tour this season when he tees off at 07:55 am local time on Thursday.
