Sports psychologists say that one of the healthiest tools in an athlete’s arsenal is a fertile sense of visualization.
According to some studies from the NIHvisualization can help elite athletes strengthen neural pathways, improve muscle memory, and prepare for high-impact situations better than their counterparts in the moment. In other words, according to those who best understand the inner workings of elite athletes, watching the future can literally help you achieve it.
The problem, if you are a professional like Nico Echavarria? Well, you don’t often see the future.
“Not very often,” the 31-year-old pro said on Sunday. “I can’t remember the last time I told (my wife) I was going to win a tournament.”
As the 31-year-old pro explained on Sunday night, his experiences as both Raven Symone OR Nostradamus have been, until today, few and far between. But that changed last week, when Echavarria approached his (newly minted) wife, Claudia, and financial advisor, John Koufax, with an unusual prediction.
“Yes, we were at an afternoon event at Panther National with the Evans Scholar Foundation,” Echavarria said. “I told them, ‘Hey, I think I can win this week.’ I played at Bear’s Club in the morning. I hit it really well. I played well.”
Call it an extra dose of confidence or a glimpse into Sunday night, but Echavarria’s prediction proved correct. On the way from Bear’s Club and Panther National, to PGA National, Echavarria made his prediction come true (with a little help). He shot three rounds in the mid-60s over four days at the Cognizant Classic, including a thrilling 66 Sunday, to earn his third PGA Tour victory at the Palm Beaches by two shots Sunday night.
Echavarria’s victory did not come without its dose of drama. His victory came after the shock, Shane Lowry’s late-stage struggles who held a large lead in the famous “Bear Trap” and went on to lose by two. But it was his fulfillment OWN yet the prophecy—even if he might not have seen it so clearly.
“I had this feeling that things were starting to click,” Echavarria said. “I played well at Riviera. Unfortunately I didn’t make any putts and missed a putt by one, but I knew going into the Bermuda greens it would be my strength to putt on another surface.”
With the benefit of a comfortable putting surface and some machine time close to home, Echavarria’s dream came true Sunday night. Perhaps it should come as no surprise to hear that this is how he envisioned it.
“I think the rain helped me with the greens. I struggled a little bit on Friday with how crisp they were and I think the greens on Saturday and Sunday were absolutely perfect,” Echavarria said. “Very happy to come through here, win this event and represent my country.”
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