Nicolas Colsaerts admits he has been left “banging my head against the wall” due to his recent performances on the DP World Tour.
Earlier this season, the 41-year-old revealed he struggled with “toxic” self-criticism after finding it difficult to reassess his goals following a spell away from the sport in early 2022 due to a rare kidney diagnosis.
Colsaerts remains a figurehead for Belgian golf, having left an indelible mark in his nation’s golfing history as a three-time DP World Tour winner and member of the successful 2012 European Ryder Cup team in Medinah.
While working in media alongside his playing opportunities over recent years has helped provide a different perspective, he naturally still has high expectations when he does compete.
But returning to somewhere near his heights on the course has proven a challenge, with the popular player aiming to break a run of four consecutive missed cuts in events on the DP World Tour and European Challenge Tour at this week's Soudal Open on home soil.
"It has been interesting to say the least on a personal level to find out where I am," he said when asked to reflect on his campaign so far.
"I am a bit frustrated because I feel like I can play this game at this level.
"I don’t put it together so then frustration gets into the mix, and I am banging my head against the wall the week after again.
"Listen, I love the game, I love this Tour, I love being out here again and that is why I have made friends along the way for the last 25 years."
I am a bit frustrated because I feel like I can play this game at this level
Colsaerts is one of 15 Belgian golfers - either professional or amateur - in this week's field that includes multiple DP World Tour winner Thomas Pieters, rising star Adrien Dumont De Chassart and Qualifying School graduate Matthis Besard.
With Colsaerts among those set to draw big crowds at Rinkven International, he is proud to once again be playing under the Belgian flag in a home event.
"The funniest thing when you come from countries like us is you line up a putt and then you see somebody in line that you haven’t seen for 20 years," he said.
"We have always had decent support here, whether it is Pieters, [Thomas] Detry or now the new kids Matthis or Adrien. I think there are going to be loads of people from our former clubs coming to watch.
"Also, the layout, you are in the trees, you might just have a couple hundred people following the group and it looks like it is packed, it is great."
Rinkven Golf Club has hosted an event in Belgium on each of the last four occasions the DP World Tour has held an even in Belgium, with this year marking the third Soudal Open.
Measuring under 7,000 yards, the tree-lined course is relatively short by Tour standards, and Colsaerts is looking forward to the challenge that it brings.
"We all grew up on this type of golf course when we were young, when we play amateur stuff in the UK as well," explained Colsaerts, whose best result at the venue was a tie for 18th when it hosted the Belgian Knockout in 2018.
"When you go around the Wentworth area it is pretty similar.
"Here, it is narrow, you play irons off the tee. There is a swirling wind in the trees so it makes it an interesting challenge."
