Yannik Paul keeping expectations in check amid excellent form 

Yannik Paul attributes his excellent run of results to a shift in expectations as he looks to ride a wave of momentum in his game at the Korea Championship Presented by Genesis.

After a near two-month break following back-to-back runner-up finishes in Thailand and India in February, the German showed little sign of rust as he carded a closing 65 last week in Japan at the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP to finish in a tie for sixth.  

Paul had started the year full of confidence after making his debut at the DP World Tour Championship at the end of last season, just a few weeks after his maiden win in Mallorca.  

But he suffered missed cuts in two of his opening three events of the new campaign in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, before a change in mindset once again brought about an upturn in his fortunes.

“I’m just trying to continue that form,” said Paul, who currently occupies an automatic qualification spot for Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team.

“I had a good learning experience at the beginning of the season. I feel I play my best when expectations are not through the roof.

“I had a good season last year so my expectations were really high at the beginning of the season and that didn’t really help.

“Now I’m just trying to focus on myself and take it one shot at a time, not put too many expectations on myself. It seems to work.

“I have a good team around me, had great conversations with my caddie, my agent, my physio. We all work together.

“I was hitting it well, just couldn’t get it out on the course. With talking to the team, we came to that conclusion and since then it has turned around and I’m really happy with my game.”

Heading into this week’s first DP World Tour event in Korea for a decade, Paul sits 11th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and 102nd on the Official World Golf Ranking.

The 29-year-old knows a good performance will help his bid to qualify for next month’s US PGA Championship, with players in the top 100 otherwise not exempt on May 8 earning a spot in the field at Oak Hill.

Conditions have been cold in practice over the past couple of days and Paul is expecting a stern challenge at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, a course that staged the Presidents Cup in 2015.

“You have quite a bit of room off the tee,” he said. “It’s really demanding into the greens as they are really undulating, slopes and tiers.

“It’s key that you have good approach play this week, and if you do, you can make a few birdies.”