05 GOLF GUIDE 2023 M A N I T O B A
“I’ve always been a hard worker because I don’t know if I have as much natural talent as these other guys.” — Aaron Cockerill
Aaron Cockerill and caddy David Corrigan pack up after a practice round at St. George’s Golf & Country Club at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open. ( Photo by Tijana Martin)
Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill Riding High on the DP World Tour
By Todd Lewys A aron Cockerill is having the time of his life. And little wonder. After spending three years on the PGA Tour Canada, a year on the (European) Challenge Tour and four years on the DP World Tour he is finally starting to reap the rewards of all the hard work he’s put in over the past eight years. “It’s been a slow, steady progression,” says the native of Teulon, Manitoba. “I never thought I would be here. When graduating university, I was getting ready to find a “real job”. My college coach convinced me to give pro golf a shot.” Now, with a second-place finish at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan in late April – and a career high official world golf ranking of 245 – he has established himself as one of the DP World Tour’s best young players ranking 24th in the Tour’s Race to Dubai.
The result came from working hard every day over the last eight years, says Cockerill. “I’ve always been a hard worker because I don’t know if I have as much natural talent as some of these other guys,” he says. “I have a notebook that I journal and chart my week every single week. I’ve done this for about four years now. I set a plan of what I want to work on in terms of practice drills and games throughout the week and essentially just tick them off as I go.” Not surprisingly, every area of his game has improved, from driving, chipping, ball striking to putting, an area in which he ranked second in strokes gained putting last year on the DP World Tour. “Nothing has been drastic, just a steady progression in all parts of my game. I’ve gotten stronger and added distance and have improved my swing and consistency of ball striking,” he notes.
He’s also gotten help from a fellow Manitoban, Derek Ingram, who serves as the national men’s golf coach for Golf Canada. “He’s helped me with my golf game for a few years now,” Cockerill says. “He’s very knowledgeable and fun to work with. I’ve also been working with Charles Fitzsimmons on the sports psych side for a few years now as well. He’s helped me simplify my process, not get ahead of myself and just focus on routine. Simple stuff that has helped a lot.” At the same time, his self-belief has gotten stronger and stronger. “It’s grown with some better results in better tournaments. I always had people telling me I could do it and compete at a high level, but you never really know until you start to prove it to yourself. There are so many good players, and the margins are so small,” he says. “There’s not a big difference in missing a cut by one or two
shots, versus making the cut, having a good weekend and a top-10 finish.” He also says his wife’s unflagging support has played a huge role in his rise to prominence. “She’s been my #1 supporter my whole career. Without her I wouldn’t be where I am today. There were times when golf was tough and it would have been easier to stop playing and get a normal job, but she has always been so good to me to not only let me pursue this crazy dream, but even put her own career on hold to caddy for me during the COVID year.” Now 31 with a supportive wife and a new arrival in the fold, Cockerill is enjoying life like never before. “We just had our first baby together,” he says. “Addison is three months old now and has given me a whole new perspective on life. I’m very lucky to have those two girls in my life.”
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