David Howell had lost his way both on and off the course, but says his life is now back on track after ending a long wait for victory in the Alfred Dunhill links championship at St Andrews.
The Englishman admitted the seven years since his win in the BMW PGA championship in 2006 have been far from easy. They included a painful split from his partner, Emily.
But the two are now back together and happily married with a son and twins on the way.
It was a testing period for the 38-year-old Howell and he believes he had to sort out his life before he could again find success on the course.
Howell, who won in a play-off against American Peter Uihlein, said: “It has been an interesting seven years. There were a lot of ups and downs and the downs were really pretty poor.
“I lost my way in life and on the course as well. It is a really sweet moment to be happy and settled at home with Emily and Freddie and the twins on the way.
“The off-course life has never been better and finally to win a championship sort of seals how good things are. I am in a happy place.
“Around 2008 I made some poor decisions and it took a while to sort through them. It just takes a toll on a professional career and it would whether you are a sportsman, a businessman or an entertainer. You can’t do your job if you’re not happy and it certainly didn’t help my cause.
“I owe Emily a debt of gratitude for having me back and showing me the light that we were always going to be a happy couple in the end.”
The victory is Howell’s fifth on the European Tour and moves him from 176th to 95th in the world rankings. Howell played alongside Hugh Grant in the Dunhill links pro-am event and credited the actor for the part he played in keeping him calm while he chased the £494,000 first prize.
He said: “I used Hugh very badly and severely today. I said to Hugh at dinner last night that I was going to use you for my own benefit by laughing at all your poor shots and by giving you all sorts of weird advice for my own entertainment.
“We had a lot of fun and it was great that he made the cut. He has been a great partner for the four or five years we have played but we have been a terrible partnership.
“We have had a lot of fun but no good results but this changes things dramatically.”