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Viktor Hovland: “I hit a lot of fairways, which out here is important if you want to get close to the pins.”

Viktor Hovland teeing off in hole 16th during the first round of the 2021 Northern Trust, in the Liberty National Golf Course, in New Jersey.

THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 19, 2021

Viktor Hovland

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Liberty National Golf Club
Quick Quotes

Q. Viktor, just talk about your round, just a recap?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it was pretty solid, especially off the tee. I hit a lot of fairways, which out here is important if you want to get close to the pins.

Hit a lot of really nice iron shots. Couple not so good ones, but I was able to hit some good short game shots and make a couple putts.

So it was good day overall.

Q. What was the best recovery around the green for you today?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I pulled a shot on No. 5 that looked like it was going to go in the water, but since I got a flier, it went over the water on the left side by kind of the trees, by the bridge, and it was right on the red line and my backswing was kind of up against a tree, so I had to take a very slow backswing.

I hit a flop shot that hit the side of the slope on the green and rolled to maybe four feet. Went from looking like having to fight for a bogey to making a par, so that was big for momentum.

Q. Is that a part of your game that really keeps getting better and better? How would you describe the progress you made there?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I feel my technique has gotten a lot better, and in practice it’s way better than it is in tournaments.

I think for me it’s just kind of — I have some scar tissue in there, and just trusting kind of what I’m doing now. You know, I have a tendency of getting a little tentative on the chips out there, so I’ll hit good chips but they’re just eight, ten feet short because I just don’t hit it; whereas I feel like as soon as I get more of that confidence I can hit it harder to create more spin just because I know I’m going to clip it the way I want to.

Q. Is that Jeff you work with on that or someone else?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, Jeff.

Q. Okay. How old were you when you learned to speak English out of curiosity?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I guess we started in first grade, so six, seven years old we started learning a couple words.

Q. Curious about the Ryder Cup. From here we are like, oh, yeah, Viktor is going to play on the Ryder Cup. Do you feel like you have added pressure? You’re literally the first person from your country who will have done that. Does that add something?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I mean, that’s really cool, especially coming off the Olympics, just being a part of that. I felt like that kind of added some patriotism in just the way I go about playing golf over here. Representing my country, which is cool, but playing golf is uncharted territory for Norwegians, so…

Obviously it’s cool being the first Norwegian to play in it, but, yeah, our history is not very long in Norway.

Q. Growing up did you have a favorite Norwegian athlete? I know Bjorn Dahlie, a couple.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I used to watch a lot of biathlons, Ole Einar Bjorndalen. He was a stud. And, I mean, we had multiple cross country skiers and downhill skiers, so I used to watch that a lot.

But I grew up mainly watching golf, so Henrik Bjornstad was the only Norwegian TOUR play that played before me and Kris Ventura, so looked up to him when I was younger.

Q. What’s your earliest experience of watching the Ryder Cup, and get a little color of what time of day and how late you stayed up?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: The first one I actually watched and sat there and rooted for, it’s not like that long ago. I mean, Medina was kind of the first one that I sat and watched multiple days and multiple nights. It would’ve been nighttime and I wouldn’t have been that old, and I remember watching on the couch with my dad and going nuts in this apartment complex. I’m sure the neighbors above and below us were not too happy with us yelling.

Yeah, that was a cool moment.

Q. That round back home that you played where everyone followed you, I think you know you have a lot of support, but did that surprise you, the amount of interest and passion people have for your golf?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, that was pretty wild. I probably shouldn’t have had my buddies put my name on the online kind of portal that you put your names on to register for events or rounds, but I didn’t think too much of it.

When we show up there are 200, 300 people there. That was pretty nuts. I didn’t think that was going to be the case.

Q. Do you worry about the reaction at Stillwater if you beat the U.S. team too badly?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Let’s — yeah, let’s worry about that when that happens.

Q. How big did the gallery get that day?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It was probably the biggest on the first hole actually, and then probably say most of it went out for a couple holes and then for the rest of the round I watched — the whole round was probably just over 100 people.

But people flying in from half the — the other side of country and driving eight hours. It was pretty wild.

Q. Would you have done that to watch anyone play golf growing up?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: No. (Laughter.)

Q. Tiger?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: That’s a little different. That’s a little different.

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

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PGA Tour

Dustin Johnson: “There’s definitely some trouble off the tees, but if you’re driving it well,you can definitely make some birdies.”

Dustin Johnson giving most responsibility to his tee shots for this week at the 2021 Northern Trust, in New Jersey

THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 18, 2021

Dustin Johnson

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Liberty National Golf Club
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We’d like to welcome Dustin Johnson to the interview room here at the Northern Trust. Dustin, obviously, the defending champion winning at TPC Boston, but also the defending FedExCup champion.

Dustin, entering the playoffs 17th in the standings. Last year before your run, you entered 15th, so definitely in a similar position there. I guess just starting out how is the game feeling this year compared to this time last year when you made your run for the FedExCup?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously, last year was a little bit different because a lot of golf tournaments leading right up into the playoffs. I feel like the game is starting to round into form. I’m starting to in the last couple of events definitely played a little bit better, played a little bit — it’s a lot closer to what it was last year.

Yeah, I’m looking forward to the playoffs. I feel like I’m in a good spot. Obviously, need a good couple of weeks here, first and foremost here at the Northern Trust, and then next week at the BMW just to improve my position going into Atlanta.

Q. Dustin, you just finished your Pro-Am from this morning and then obviously went right to the range. Just curious about how you think Liberty National is playing so far and what stood out to you so far.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: The golf course is in really good shape, perfect condition. Greens are really good. Fairways, everything. It’s in perfect shape. It’s one of those golf courses — you know, there’s definitely some trouble off the tees, but if you’re driving it well, you can get it in the fairway, you can definitely make some birdies. It kind of all depends on the wind.

It’s going to play fairly long because it’s soft. Last time we were here, it was so firm it played actually really short, but it’s pretty soft out there. So it played fairly long. Got to take advantage of the par-5s and got a couple short par-4s that you know you’ve got to get some good looks on.

I feel like the course all in all is in perfect condition and shaping up to be a good week.

Q. Just curious, are you completely healthy?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I am. I’m feeling good.

Q. As you look back to last year, could you have predicted the run you went on, which was nearly sweeping all three of them except for one monster putt. Could you have predicted that going into Northern Trust last year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, but I don’t look that far ahead, so I would have never predicted it. I was playing well, so it wasn’t a surprise because I felt like I was playing good coming into it. Obviously, two different courses for Northern Trust was Olympia Fields. One was soft, the other was really firm and fast, but I was playing really good golf.

I liked all the courses, and then obviously Atlanta is very difficult. Yeah, I mean, definitely couldn’t have predicted that, but obviously I felt really good about the game.

Q. Didn’t shock you, in other words?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, it didn’t. Nothing really shocks me anymore.

Q. And I know you haven’t had a good answer to this before and I’m actually not expecting one now, but last year when you had the double rounds of 80s and another one in Minnesota and you withdraw, and then all of a sudden you come back and it’s like you’re a brand new person from the PGA and onward. Is it that easy for you to just flip the switch?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes, it is. As far as why, I can’t tell you why. For me, obviously, I know I’m a good player. I’ve been a really good player for a long time. So playing a few bad rounds doesn’t really bother me too much. Obviously, I know I need to go work on some things, which is what I did.

Any time, no matter how bad I’m playing, it only takes one shot here or one shot there where I get a nice feel and it turns everything around.

Q. Dustin, you got qualified for your fifth Ryder Cup team. I’m curious, when you think of guys who have excelled in that kind of event, whether they be Europeans, Poulter or Sergio, or American guys, what are the qualities of players who seem to excel in the Ryder Cup? What does it take to play well that week?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Golf, as we all know, is a very frustrating and difficult game, but the Ryder Cup, it’s match play. It’s a lot different because you know you’re not out there just playing for yourself. You’re playing for, obviously, your teammates, your captains, your country. So it’s a little bit different of feelings out there.

But as far as why people play good and some don’t, it’s a golf tournament pretty much. So we’re out there playing golf. It’s whichever guys have their game that week are the ones that are going to play well and win their matches. You’ve got to get a little lucky too because sometimes if you’re playing every match or four matches, most likely you’re going to be a little bit off in one of them, and that’s the one where you need, obviously, a little help from the other side.

Q. You’ve played in every possible scenario that is possible in this game. How do the nerves of the 1st tee of a Ryder Cup compare to anything else in golf?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It’s definitely different. My first Ryder Cup, I still remember the tee shot at Wales. It’s a completely different feeling. It’s something you’ve never felt before, at least something that I never felt before sitting on that 1st tee, especially the fans over there singing, and the it cold and wet, windy, wasn’t ideal conditions to hit a nice tee shot for your first Ryder Cup.

It’s a lot of fun, though. You’ve just got to embrace it and enjoy it and enjoy the week.

Q. What was your level of disappointment in not shooting 60 last year at the Northern Trust? Breaking 60, I mean.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: None really. Obviously, I wanted to shoot 59, but I’ll still take 60 any day of the week.

Q. Is that the best four rounds that you’ve ever strung together?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean four rounds in a row, I was pretty flawless golf for the most part. But, yeah, but four days in a row, yeah, it’s kind of hard to beat that for me.

Q. Question for you on Collin Morikawa. Can you remember the first time you played with him or heard about him that you thought this guy’s really legit?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I played with him — I saw him play a little bit, I guess it was two years ago. Obviously, didn’t play with him, I don’t think, until last year maybe, but he’s with TaylorMade so I got to see him a little bit, but obviously I knew he was a good player.

At the beginning, you can never really tell how good of a player someone is, but I knew he was a really good, young, talented player.

Q. Jordan Spieth isn’t locked in yet for the Ryder Cup team, but what difference does it make that probably a year ago, if they’d have had the Ryder Cup when it was originally scheduled, he would not have been on the team, and now he looks to be pretty much a lock?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: What’s the question?

Q. How big a difference is it to have him on the American side in this Ryder Cup?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously, he’s playing really well this year, had a great season, turned it around a good bit. So, yeah, he’s obviously somebody we want on the team, especially when he’s playing as well as he is right now. Yeah, it’s definitely good to have Jordan on the team.

Q. Going to make the mistake of tapping your memory here. I’m curious, I was wondering when’s the last time you felt a sense of urgency for anything? By the way, you were, I think, 117 in FedExCup in 2008, your first year. Do you have any recollection of that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I do.

Q. Oh, good.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I actually remember on the 36th hole, I had like about a four-footer to make the cut on the number, which would have gotten me into the next week. My card would have been — because that was back then it went to 125 for the second playoff event.

And I horseshoed it, and I missed the cut, obviously didn’t make it into the top 125. Back then, we also had the fall season to go where you could make 125 on the money list. So I had three weeks off and went home and worked on the game really hard and obviously came out and won the first event at Turning Stone.

Q. Back to kind of my original question, I guess, if there was one, do you recall the last time you had a sense of urgency about anything, about playing, about needing a good result or something like that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah, I always need a good result. For me, every week I come here playing I want to put myself in position to win. Obviously, it’s the playoffs. It’s definitely a sense of urgency to play well and contend for the championship.

Q. If you’d have been told in January that we’re in August you and still haven’t won on the PGA TOUR, what would have been your reaction to that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I would have said I was probably struggling (Laughter).

Q. Surprised? Disappointed? Anything?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, it just is what it is. It’s golf. It happens. Like I said, the game is definitely starting to take a turn for the better, starting to see a lot more consistency in the shots and in my game. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to the next few weeks.

Q. My question is a pretty simple one. You’ve been in a lot of Ryder Cups. How important is it for the team to get along and be friendly with each other while you’re there in terms of going out and playing well?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, all the guys out here, we’re all — especially it doesn’t matter what our differences are. When you get to the Ryder Cup and you’re on the team, it’s not just about you. So we’re all adults, and we gather as a team and as a whole for that week, so I don’t feel like there’s any issues with that.

Like I said, we’re not just playing for ourselves, we’re playing for our country. You’ve got other teammates, your captains, your family, all the fans that are there. It’s definitely important that everyone comes together and plays as a team.

Q. Do you think the American team has been good at that while you’ve been a player?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think so. I think we’ve done a good job. This year I think it’s shaping up that we’re going to have a pretty stout team. So I’m looking forward to it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Highlights Tours PGA Tour

Matthew Wolff wins the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, and speaks up about mental health: “Knowing that I had to get out of bed and just like not being able to.”

Matthew Wolff was named the 2020-2021 Aon Risk Reward Challenge winner

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Liberty National Golf Club
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR:We’re going to go ahead and kick things off. We’re going to do the first five to ten minutes recognizing your award as the Aon Risk Reward Challenge winner, and then we’ll get into the tournament press conference questions.

So we’re excited to make a big announcement for you today. You are the 2021 champion of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge with a $1 million prize for the PGA TOUR. To turn it over and welcome you and thank you and congratulate you, I’d like to introduce Eric Andersen, president of Aon, who’s joining us today.

ERIC ANDERSEN: Thanks, Laura. It’s great to be with you all today.

First off, Matthew, congratulations. We’re so happy to have you as our Aon Risk Reward Challenge champion. It’s been inspiring for all of our colleagues around the world to watch you compete on the challenge holes, especially as the competition got tight and started to really become very competitive as we went down the stretch.

Watching you play, seeing your strategy, using your team, how you put yourself in a position to make the decisions that really — it really speaks to what we’re also trying to do with our clients, and it’s incredible to see that your approach has paid off in the way that it has. So really congratulations. Really excited about it.

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, first off, it’s nice meeting you, Eric. I appreciate you for what you do and for Aon and putting everything on and allowing me to do what I do and making the best decisions and getting rewarded for that. So I appreciate that, first and foremost.

Secondly, yeah, it’s an honor to be the 2020/2021 Aon Risk Reward Challenge champion. It’s a season long race and felt like a really long season this year. It was great. I just think, like you were saying, making the best decisions, and especially coming down on those holes. Those are the holes when usually they’re later in the round, and like the risk reward, it’s just you take on that risk and you can get rewarded, but it can also go the other way. I wouldn’t be sitting here if it went the other way. So I’m glad I got the reward along with the risk.

ERIC ANDERSEN: For sure.

THE MODERATOR: Matthew, your approach allowed you to birdie over 54 percent of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes. Your par-5 at over 45 percent. Go for the green success rate, 16 percent higher compared to the field. So many amazing stats throughout your season. Are there any Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes and specific decisions that stood out to you throughout the season?

MATTHEW WOLFF: I think one of my favorite Aon Risk Reward holes is 15 at Travelers. I just think it’s such a good hole. It’s coming down the stretch. What I love about it is I love those drivable par-4s that are those Aon Risk Reward holes because it’s just — it’s set up so perfectly to where, if you take on that risk, that you will get rewarded because par-4s are not supposed to be driven, but if you have the ability to and you’re willing to take on that risk and try to step up and hit that shot, you can get rewarded.

But I also feel like, if you don’t pull off that shot, it could definitely — you know, like it’s a break your round or maybe even tournament if you’re trying to go for the lead, and I think that’s what is so amazing about this hole — or this challenge is because it makes you really step up and hit the shot and commit and take on that risk.

It just shows that there’s much more to going about golf than just hitting the shot. It’s about preparing and looking at the statistics and seeing everything, where people make birdies from, where people make bogeys from, pulling all that together, and on top of that, just your feel of what you feel like you should be doing and putting all those factors together and making the best decision, it’s not always easy, but at the end of the year, it seems like I made the right ones.

THE MODERATOR: Absolutely you did. Players on the PGA TOUR obviously have very different approaches. Can you talk about how you build your strategy specifically to these challenge holes?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, I think I’m a very aggressive player. I feel like there’s a lot of times when I try to take on that risk. You’ll see that in a lot of players, such as Brooks Koepka, who I know was last year’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge winner. I think just being that aggressive mindset, knowing that you can pull of that shot, or feeling that confidence that you can pull off that shot, it really helps me when I get to these holes because, even though the shot may require a little more skill or a little more kind of thought going into it, I feel like at the end of the day I have that confidence and I have that ability to pull off those big shots when they’re not easy.

To me, it was just really knowing that I could — you know, having the confidence in myself and knowing that I could step up on those hard holes and take a risk and know that it was going to be — or I had a good chance of getting rewarded, which was don’t always feel that way, but it was a nice feeling.

THE MODERATOR: I have a last question, and that goes toward both of you. This is the third year of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge across the PGA TOUR and the LPGA TOUR. Eric, you launched this in 2018 and made the decision to support the challenge across both tours and anchored it with the $1 million for each winner.

Can you first tell us, Eric, about the significance of the program and gender equality in sports, and then, Matt, we’ll talk about what it means to you to have this challenge across both those tours as well.

ERIC ANDERSEN: Sure, Laura. Listen, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge for us, we really wanted to do something that really showed our commitment to what we were trying to do around inclusion and diversity both within our firm but also within our communities.

The winners of this Risk Reward Challenge, how they approach the shots, as Matt was saying before, really has nothing to do with gender. It’s around skill. It’s around preparation. It’s around working with your teams. It’s about using that right risk reward balance that’s so important to winning like you have.

For us, it was an easy decision that we wanted to back up our challenge with a financial commitment that was equal across both the women’s tour and the men’s tour. We’re really excited about it. We’ve gotten great feedback from it, not just from our own colleagues who were excited, but also our broader community. So we’re really excited about Matt for sure and also who’s going to join him in November with the LPGA TOUR winner.

THE MODERATOR: Matt, what does it mean to you to have this program launched across both the LPGA and the PGA TOUR?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, I think just kind of echoing what Eric just said, it’s more than just the gender or the skill that you have. It’s about the decision-making and the thought process going into it and also the hard work. No matter what gender you are, no matter what skill level you play at, at the end of the day, taking those extra steps and looking at the statistics and going out there and getting a feel for the hole is — that’s what an athlete does.

And being able to — you know, for Aon and everyone, just forget about gender and make everyone equal because, at the end of the day, I put in all the work that I do in order to make the best decisions and play the hole — not only the Aon Risk Reward holes, but every hole as well as I can, and they do the same thing. They put in just as much work. They put in just as much time. They go through the statistics and try to make that best decision, and they should be rewarded just the same as we are.

I think that it’s really important for other athletes, especially female, to see that and know that, you know, to keep working hard because people will realize that, and Aon is one of the first to do it.

I’m sure there are plenty of others that have the same rewards and stuff like that, but not many that I’ve heard of. So it’s really cool what Aon’s doing, and I’m excited as well to see who’s going to join me in November with that trophy.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Matthew. Thank you, Eric. We’re going to turn it over to our media here at the Northern Trust, but congratulations again on your award this year and all your hard work.

MATTHEW WOLFF: Thank you. Thanks again, Eric. I really appreciate it.

ERIC ANDERSEN: You got it. Well done.

Q. You’ve now played, I think, six times since you came back at the U.S. Open. Just wondering how are you doing mentally and personally? How are you handling life on TOUR differently than you were before?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, it’s still a grind. I’m doing a lot better. I am. I feel like I’m starting to feel like the results based — or the performance doesn’t so much affect the person that I am, and I can still be friendly to fans and talk to people and smile and have fun out there and enjoy all the hard work that I’ve put in to be where I am today.

Sometimes I definitely take that for granted, and it’s hard when you’re out there working really hard and feel like you’re ready for a tournament and then going out and not performing, it takes a toll on you, especially when you’re not playing well in that moment, and it might happen over and over again.

But I just feel like I’ve really got to stick to what I’ve been working on. I trust the people that are on my team, and it’s definitely getting better. You know, I can’t say by huge amounts really quickly, but I know incrementally the scores might not be better, but I’m feeling better. I’m happier. And I’ll look to keep on being happy.

Q. And with what happened with Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, it does feel like there’s a momentum to addressing these mental health issues in sports. Do you feel like there’s momentum in that way, and did you notice support from other guys on TOUR for stepping away the way you did for a little while?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Absolutely. I feel like stuff is starting to go that way. What you said about Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles and stuff, I want to move that to what Rory said. He was at the Olympics, and they asked him about Naomi and Simone, and I think his quote on that was so powerful and so true. It was mental illness or not being happy, that’s an injury, and people don’t look at it as that. People look at it as, oh, you’re not happy, or you’re a little screwed up in the head or you’re just playing bad. It’s like get over it, keep on working.

But it’s more than that. It’s more than just how you play. It’s about enjoying yourself. There’s so many guys out here that have such good attitudes, and even when they’re not playing good, they’re going out there, having fun, talking, laughing. They’re enjoying themselves out there.

If you don’t feel right, if you don’t feel like you want to be out there and you feel like — some of the feelings that I had were like getting up in the morning knowing I had to get out of bed and just like not being able to, being like I don’t want to get out of bed. I just want to stay in my bed and not be in front of everyone and not screw up in front of everyone, and I think that what he said was really powerful because, if you don’t feel a hundred percent right, no matter if it’s physical or mental, it is an injury, and you should be able to rehab and take your time in order to get to a place where you need to be.

I feel like I had that time, and I’m looking forward to this off-season to working on it a little bit more.

Q. Hey, Matt, this is where you had your first playoff appearance two years ago. When you look back at two years ago, is there something you’re possibly trying to recapture or kind of those feelings you talk about? Did you have those in 2019? I guess how would you — what are the things that 2019 Matthew Wolff, you want to get back in 2021 Matthew Wolff?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, I think just how free I was. Obviously, I made the cut here, but I didn’t have that good of a tournament. I think just the aggressiveness and the go for it attitude and the everything — not everything’s going to be all right, but I’m taking on that risk, and if it doesn’t always happen the way I want it to, not getting frustrated because I know there’s going to be times when I do take on those risks or I play how I used to in 2019.

Just I would say more fearless if anything. It was going up and getting after every round and being like I’m going to go out and shoot 62 today and not being like I hope I shoot under par, and I just think that little mindset is something that I’ve been working on.

Yeah, playing here always helps even if it’s only one time. You see guys out here, they’ve been playing for 15, 20 years, and they show up on Wednesday morning or Tuesday night, and they just play the Pro-Am and they’re ready to go because they’ve seen it before.

It is nice knowing that I’ve seen this course before, and maybe subtle things on the greens or lines on tee shots that I can feel a little more confident with this time as opposed to the first time I played here. But I think at the end of the day, I’m just going to stick to my game plan and try to have a good time out there.

Q. With the fall, do you feel like you’ll use that as a time to step away again and work on the things you talked about? Or is that a time, because you had a break, you could maybe play a little more than you would have attended if you played the fall season? I guess how do you view what you possibly want to try to accomplish in the fall?

MATTHEW WOLFF: Yeah, I think that my fix or what I’m working on isn’t a quick thing to fix. It’s not something that is a choice. It’s not, oh, just be happy because if I’m working really hard and my results aren’t good, it’s hard to stay positive. The most important thing for me is to keep on working on it and make sure that negative results or bad days don’t take away from the overall product of what I’m trying to do.

I think that I’m definitely going to take as much time as I can off in the fall to work on that and work on my game as well as my mental side and just being happy, but I do think that I’m ready to go in the fall. I think I’ll have a couple months off, and that will be a good time to reset and work on what I need to work on. Or my bad, a couple weeks off, and then play the fall, and then I’ll have a couple months off.

It’s a long season. The PGA TOUR, they play a lot of tournaments, and just like any other professional athlete, you play a lot of games in any sport that you play, and any down time that you can get is really important, and I think that’s one thing that I’ve learned since I’ve been out here.

In junior golf and when you’re younger, you feel like your motor always goes. As soon as you get out here and travel week to week and play a bunch of weeks in a row, you feel like your motor kind of wears out quicker than it usually does. Rest is just as important as practice, in my opinion.

Press Release by ASAP Sports

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PGA Tour

Ian Poulter is literally on his way to the Play Offs

Ian Poulter makes it to the FedexCup Play Offs and he shares the excitement in social media.

Last weekend at the 2021 Wyndham Championship was stressful at the least for some remarkable players such as Rickie Fowler or Justin Rose, among others. However, the Britishman Ian Poulter was ranked 79th in the FedExCup ranking, within the Top 125 of the Northen Trust, making the cut for the Play Offs by a 189pts difference with Justin Rose, who goes first on the list of players that have missed the cut.

Ian Poulter has made three Top 10 during the 2021 season. He finished T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, T9 at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, and T10 at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, which played an important role to classify for the Play Offs.
Poulter initiated his professional golf career back in 1995, and him and his always colorful looks in the golf course do not think of hanging their spikes any time soon. The golfer Ian Poulter wants to continue achieving great things, and he shares such intentions with his fans in a funny way, always keeping his unbroken sense of humor.
HEAD-SUP
Ian Poulter makes it to the FedexCup Play Offs and he decided to get going already. Poulter is so exciting that just got in the car and he is now on his way to give it all. Stay Tuned!

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PGA Tour

Justin Rose is “gutted” over his PGA season being over

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 15: Justin Rose of England lines up a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 15, 2021 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Despite his successful year, Rose failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup for the first time in his PGA career.

His current season highlights include finishing T8 at the PGA Championship, his second consecutive top-10 at the event and fifth in his career. Led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (2.932 per round). During the Masters, he shot a first-round 65 and took a four-stroke 18-hole lead before finishing solo-seventh.

The FedExCup is a season-long points competition which culminates with the FedExCup Playoffs, a series of three events to determine the FedExCup Champion. The top 125 players in the FedExCup standings are eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs with the three events featuring a progressive cut with fields of 125, 70 and 30. Justin Rose currently ranks at 126 which leaves him out of the running for this season’s championship. Despite missing out this year, Rose seems to be holding his head high for his fans.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Player’s Career Highlights from the official PGA website

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Knowledge PGA Tour Team UK Top Tours

Justin Rose is named the 2021 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award

Justin Rose named recipient of the 2021 Payne Stewart Award

Justin Rose, the englishman golfer who is a 11-time PGA winner, as well as the 2013 U.S. Open winner and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in Rio, was named the 2021 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award, which is presented annually by the PGA Tour to the golfer who best exemplifies character, charity and sportsmanship.

Stewart, a three-time major champion, perished in a 1999 plane crash as the reigning U.S. Open champion. A year after that fatal date, the PGA created this award to honor his name and character.
Rose, turned professional in ’98, a year before Payne died, and was able to have a few brief interactions with Payne long before Rose held a trophy in his honor. The 2021 recipient definitely remembers the kind words that Steward had with him at The Open Championship in ’98, when Rose was just hitting balls on the range and Payne stopped by to compliment his swing: “Oh, that’s how it’s done.”

The Payne Stewart Award is specially meaninful because it goes beyond the golfing skills, but instead this prize recognizes the characteristics that define a great role model for the rest of the world, without any descriminations.
Some of the most recognizable players have won this Award in the past as well, such as Ernie Els (2015), Gary Player (2006), Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer both in (2000).
It is a chance for the recipient to bring the world matters back to the spotlight and to create awarness through their actions or foundations. Justin Rose and his wife founded The Kate & Justin Rose Foundation in Florida, which helps members of the community with lack of sources and money to fulfill their plates and to enrich their minds, raising more than $3 million and providing “500,000 hunger-free weekends” and 300,000 books.

“Justin Rose embodies everything the Payne Stewart Award represents,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said. “Like Payne, he has been one of the premier players of his generation while using his platform to better the lives of those around him.”

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PGA Tour

Niall Horan confirmed for BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am

Niall Horan during the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth Golf Club on September 18, 2019. (Photo: Getty Images)

Press Release

Niall Horan, who rose to global fame during his time as a member of boyband One Direction, is the first in a series of A-list celebrities to be confirmed for this year’s BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am, taking place at the prestigious Wentworth Club on Wednesday, September 8.

The Irishman, who has since become a successful solo artist with his band, The Slow Hands, is no stranger to the star-studded Celebrity Pro-Am, the traditional curtain-raiser to the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s third Rolex Series event of the 2021 Race to Dubai.

As a member of Wentworth Club, the 27-year-old is familiar with the challenging West Course. However, the hugely popular event attracts a considerable crowd and performing in front of thousands of fans on the golf course is very different to performing up on stage.

Horan, who plays off a handicap of nine, said: “I’ve sung in front of thousands of people; performed concerts all around the world, but when you hear your name called out on the first tee at Wentworth, and you step out in front of that crowd onto the tee box…it’s nerve wracking! We’ve done okay over the years though – I think we’ve won it twice – and it’s pretty cool getting to play with the pros. 

Niall Horan also states,

“It’s a proper family day out and a great atmosphere before the actual tournament and serious stuff kicks off. The celebrity turn out is amazing. You have all sorts of actors, singers, sports stars and TV personalities. I just love it. It’s my home club and it’s always a great day.”

The tournament itself gets underway on Thursday September 9, when Tyrrell Hatton will return to defend his BMW PGA Championship title. The Ryder Cup star leads a host of home hopefuls aiming to make it three English victories in a row at the Rolex Series event.

Hatton will be joined by fellow Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, as well as the 2020 Race to Dubai Champion Lee Westwood.

The 2019 BMW PGA Championship winner and 2016 Masters Tournament champion Danny Willett will also tee it up at the Surrey venue, as will World Number 22 Matt Fitzpatrick and four-time European Tour winner Matt Wallace.

They will all be hoping to impress in front of the home crowd at Wentworth Club, which will host some of the biggest stars of world golf in the final qualifying event for the European Ryder Cup team. Pádraig Harrington and his team will attempt to retain the famous trophy against the United States two weeks later at Whistling Straits, in Wisconsin.

Kit Gartrell, Championship Director of the BMW PGA Championship, said: “The BMW PGA Celebrity Pro-Am has become a real highlight of the week, offering fans the chance to see some of world golf’s biggest names tee it up alongside stars of the stage, screen and sport. The players receive a wonderful reception from the huge crowds that come to watch. It promises to be another fantastic day.

“With live concerts returning as well, there will be a real festival atmosphere to this year’s BMW PGA Championship. Rock trio Feeder will be performing on the Saturday, and then Global hitmakers Clean Bandit will headline on the Slingsby Show Stage on the Sunday.

“We cannot wait to welcome everyone back to Wentworth to enjoy five days of world-class golf and entertainment in a relaxed and fun environment.”

Tickets for the BMW PGA Celebrity Pro-Am Day start at £25 for adults (complimentary tickets for children aged 13 and under). Prices for the BMW PGA Championship start at £15 for Tuesday’s practice round. Concessions are available for OAPs and students.

Interview transcript by European Tour Communications

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PGA Tour

Poulter makes fast start in Memphis

Ian Poulter of England plays a shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational. (Photo: Getty Images)
Poulter makes fast start in Memphis

Harris English made the most of a lightning start to card a 62 and take the first round lead ahead of two time World Golf Championships winner Ian Poulter at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

The American went out in 28 to match the lowest nine holes on the 2021 Race to Dubai and while he dropped two shots early on the back nine, a strong finish moved him to eight under at TPC Southwind.

Englishman Poulter carded a blemish free 64 to sit two shots back alongside European Tour affiliate member Carlos Ortiz and American pair Jim Herman and Matthew Wolff.

Major Champion Bryson DeChambeau was then at five under with fellow American Scottie Scheffler and Australian Marc Leishman for company, a shot clear of four home favourites in Daniel Berger, Sam Burns, Max Homa and Will Zalatoris.

English is a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR, including at this event in 2013 and twice this season, but his victory in Memphis came before the tournament had World Golf Championships status, and he is still seeking a WGC breakthrough.

Player Quotes

Harris English: “Birdieing the first four holes is good all the time. It was just one of those rounds where you’re hitting it where you’re looking.

“Everything was working, you just kind of get in the zone. All you’re thinking are positive thoughts, you’re hitting good shots and hitting good putts so you just try and keep the gas pedal down.

“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s my seventh time playing this course and this tournament so I feel I’ve got a good strategy.

“I’ve been working hard at home so I feel I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, keep hitting fairways and greens and see what happens.”

Ian Poulter: “Just steady golf, to be honest with you. I’m coming off two weeks off and you never know when you’ve been at home for two weeks whether you’ve done enough practice. Practice at my home course was great fun, great to see family and friends.

“Today was one of those days where I tried to fill myself in the tournament, feel my way in and obviously I think I did that really nicely. No bogeys, clean card. Had plenty of chances, a couple of outside looks which kind of sniffed the hole, so all in all it’s a great start.

“I don’t see it as any different to any normal tournament I’m going to play in the whole season. The only thing I’m focused on is playing as well as I possibly can. I’m not high enough up in the FedExCup, I need to obviously move up in that. I’ve got two opportunities this week and the first FedEx event, so I need to move forward. Not only that, I need to pick up some points for the Ryder Cup team. So I don’t look at this as a WGC, I don’t look at that in any way, shape or form. It’s a good tournament, a course I like, so hopefully I can just continue on that.”

Interview transcript by European Tour Communications

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PGA Tour

McIlroy bringing Olympic mentality to Memphis

(Photo: Getty Images)

Tournament: WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational

Rory McIlroy will tee it up at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational in Memphis buoyed with his recent form and a new attitude following his debut appearance at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The 32-year-old missed out in a seven-man play-off for bronze on Sunday at Kasumigaseki Country Club and is just one of a host of players making their way back from Tokyo to compete at TPC Southwind this week, including Golf Medal winner Xander Schauffele.

McIlroy, who won this event in 2014, is hopeful his experience in Tokyo and a newfound freedom in his game will help the Northern Irishman move back into contention once again as 48 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings tee it up in Tennessee this week, including nine of the World’s top ten.

Schauffele clinched gold on a tense final day that saw Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini shoot a record-breaking round to take silver, while C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei earned bronze after prevailing in the seven-man play-off.

The 27-year-old American is the only medal winner in the field this week but is joined by McIlroy, Open Champion Collin Morikawa, Masters Tournament Champion Hideki Matsuyama and Ryder Cup teammate Paul Casey, who were all involved in the seven-man play-off for the Bronze Medal eventually won by C.T. Pan.

Also making their way from Japan are the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Reed, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Garrick Higgo, Justin Thomas, Si Woo Kim, Abraham Ancer, Joaquinn Niemann, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Carlos Ortiz, Sungjae Im and Corey Conners.

Players quotes

Rory McIlroy: “Memphis has now become obviously a permanent stop on the schedule with it being a WGC and then turning into the first leg of the Playoffs next year and it’s great. This course here in Memphis, it’s a wonderful golf course. I think it always produces great winners, great champions. You have to play some really good golf here to contend and win.

“So yeah, good to be back. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks with being over in Europe and then Tokyo last week and sort of here, there and everywhere. It was nice to get a couple nights in my own bed before flying up here last night. Got to look at nine holes of the golf course this morning and do a little practice after this and go out and play tomorrow.

“Last week was certainly unexpected, I would say. I certainly didn’t expect to feel the way I did when I was there, but it was great. It was a great experience. I had a wonderful time. I had a good chance of getting a medal there at the end and didn’t quite pan out, but it was a great week. I’m already looking forward to Paris.

“I think the Olympics was a big week for me last week because I played with more freedom there and that obviously panned out well. I played my best tournament I’ve played since the U.S. Open, which was good.

“So, I think that’s really the the focus for me over these next few weeks, is play with as much freedom as possible. That’s really it. I know if I do that, then I’ll be able to play some of my best golf or at least give myself the chance to play my best golf. More freedom, less thought, more fun, try to have a little more fun with it and then go from there.”

Xander Schauffele: “Still really excited, just an overwhelming amount of positivity coming my way. Just obviously in a really good mood.

“I think the biggest thing for me is being able to sort of hone in and focus on the task at hand this week. What was done last week is done, and we’re going to talk about it a little bit more, I think, but besides that, I need to sort of get back on the time zone, really start to focus more, lock back in and try to play well this week.

“Fortunately I’m not coming to a new property, one that I’ve played a few times and had minimal success on, but I think I’m obviously in decent form coming overseas. Looking forward to the week.”

Collin Morikawa: “Although I wasn’t able to get a medal there even through that long play-off, I’m an Olympian and that’s what happened over the past week is one of the best experiences in my life.

“Obviously winning The Open a couple weeks ago is just awesome. Life’s in a great spot right now, I’m very happy, I’m playing well. I’m having a good time and that’s the biggest thing I think for me at 24 is just to enjoy it. I said I’ve had a lot of fun, especially that summer of turning pro obviously I played really well. You play bad here and there, but overall it’s just about enjoying it, how do I learn, how do I get better. That for me is I want what’s more and what’s next. I want to keep winning, I want could keep putting myself in contention because it’s fun. It’s enjoyable. Those are the kind of pressure situations you want to be in.”

Interview transcript by European Tour Communications

Categories
PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson: “I love to compete, I love playing the game”

Phil Mickelson aufter the PGA Championship 2021. (Image: Getty)
Phil Mickelson aufter the PGA Championship 2021. (Image: Getty)

Q. Can you share your emotions about such an historic day and what inside of you made you keep the belief that this could happen again?

PHIL MICKELSON: It’s been an incredible day, and I’ve not let myself kind of think about the results until now, now that it’s over. I’ve tried to stay more in the present and at the shot at hand and not jump ahead and race. I’ve tried to shut my mind to a lot of stuff going around. I wasn’t watching TV. I wasn’t getting on my phone. I was just trying to quiet things down because I’ll get my thoughts racing and I really just tried to stay calm.

I believed for a long time that I could play at this level again. I didn’t see why I couldn’t, but I wasn’t executing the way I believed I could, and with the help of a lot of people, my wife especially, Andrew Getson and my brother Tim and Steve Loy, I’ve been able to make progress and have this week.

It’s very exciting because I’ve had a few breakthroughs on being able to stay more present, be able to stay more focused, and physically, I’m striking it and playing as well as I ever have but I haven’t been able to see that clear picture.

Although I believed it, until I actually did it, there was a lot of doubt, I’m sure.

Q. Over the last several years, as the age crept up, you never really let that get in the way. You always downplayed it, actually tried to dismiss it, probably. How did you do that? I mean, certainly, you know the history that it doesn’t work out as much at this point. What did you do?

PHIL MICKELSON: Worked harder, is the deal. I just had to work harder physically to be able to practice as long as I wanted to and I’ve had to work a lot harder to be able to maintain focus throughout a round. That’s been the biggest challenge of late.

My desire to play is the same. I’ve never been driven by exterior things. I’ve always been intrinsically motivated because I love to compete, I love playing the game. I love having opportunities to play against the best at the highest level. That’s what drives me, and I think that that’s what is — the belief that I could still do it inspired me to work harder.

I just didn’t see why it couldn’t be done. It just took a little bit more effort.

Q. You’re going to have so many stories when your career is over to your grandkids. How would you describe this day to them, do you think?

PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly one of the moments I’ll cherish my entire life. I don’t know how to describe the feeling of excitement and fulfillment and accomplishment to do something when — you know, of this magnitude when very few people thought that I could. But the people that believed in me, my wife, Amy, Tim and Andrew Getson, those are the people that continued to inspire me to get the best out of me.

Q. You’ll be remembered for a lot of achievements and one of them now is an old guy who broke records. What does that mean to you?

PHIL MICKELSON: So it’s very possible that this is the last tournament I ever win. Like if I’m being realistic. But it’s also very possible that I may have had a little bit of a breakthrough in some of my focus and maybe I go on a little bit of a run, I don’t know.

But the point is that there’s no reason why I or anybody else can’t do it at a later age. It just takes a little bit more work.

Q. You’ve mentioned him a few times, but can you talk some more about your relationship with Andrew Getson and what he’s done to get you here?

PHIL MICKELSON: So he is a tremendous instructor because of his ability to simplify it. He has helped get my swing on plane from parallel to the ground. Obviously I have a long swing but rather than try to change that when it’s halfway down, halfway through, you know, it’s on a track and he helped me get there and develop and refine my feel and touch and simplify it. He doesn’t cloud my head with a lot of things.

When he’s out here with me, he’s able to keep me on track right away if I make a few errors. His guidance has been invaluable, really, to get me back to playing at the highest level because I was striking it very poorly when we started working together years ago, and I had a great performance at the 2016 Open Championship where I lost to Henrik Stenson.

But he’s really helped me get my ball-striking back and as I’m starting to focus a little bit better. You’re starting to see the results, but he has been getting my swing there for some time now.

Q. You’ve given credit to your brother for his role. Can you share a story of something he did today or even along the way?

PHIL MICKELSON: I’ll tell you a perfect example, and this is an intangible that makes him relatable or understand me, get the best out of me and makes him a great caddie is I’m walking off 6, I had made some uncommitted swings the first six holes. I had been striking the ball awesome the first three days. I had a wonderful warm up session, like I was ready to go and I made some uncommitted swings the first six holes. He pulled me aside and said, “If you’re going to win this thing, you’re going to have to make committed golf swings.”

It hit me in the head, I can’t make passive — I can’t control the outcome, I have to swing committed. The first one I made was the drive on 7. Good drive on 7 gave me a chance to get down by the green and make birdie. From there on, I hit a lot of really good shots because I was committed to each one.

Q. I just have two questions. One quickly, I know you can’t think of it at 5 holing out of the bunker, but when you look back on that, that just seemed like a moment where it’s meant to be for you to some degree. You probably are not thinking that at that moment, but thinking now, is that one of those things that happens in a round that maybe is a sign?

PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly it was a momentum builder. It was a little bit early in the round to start jumping ahead because, you know, so much can happen. It was only the fifth hole but that was a big momentum thing.

Biggest thing was getting it up-and-down. I just didn’t want to throw away another shot and I had fought hard to keep the round in check and I was still 1-over through four. So that — I just needed to get that up-and-down and to have it go in was a bonus but I knew I had a lot of work ahead.

Q. Does this forge your belief even more, all the focus and what you’ve done these four rounds that you’ve talked so much about, trying to keep the focus? How does that help you for The Open?

PHIL MICKELSON: I’ve believed for some time now without success that I could play at my best and compete in major championships still, but until this week, I haven’t proven it to myself or anyone else.

But I do believe that I believe that if I stay sharp mentally I can play well at Torrey Pines. I’ll take two weeks off before that and go out to Torrey and spend time, spend time on the greens and really try to be sharp for that week because I know that I’m playing well and this could very well be my last really good opportunity, although I get five more, but really good opportunity to win a U.S. Open. SO I’m going to put everything I have into it.

Q. Can you describe the scene on 18 and did you think you would ever see Brooks after he got swallowed up by the crowd?

PHIL MICKELSON: It’s an incredible experience. I’ve never had something like that. It was a little bit unnerving but it was exceptionally awesome, too. So that was kind of a special moment that I’ll be appreciative of the way that people here have supported me and the entire tournament.

Q. The last couple days in here, you seemed drained. Were you, and how different physically and mentally did this week feel than when you won majors when you were younger?

PHIL MICKELSON: Certainly it takes a lot out of me. It takes a lot out of me. Like last night I didn’t have enough sunlight to work on the things I wanted to. I wanted to work on some putting and work on a few shots that I hit before this round and I didn’t want to let it go all the way till this morning. And because we finished so late, I just didn’t have a lot of time.

Certainly takes more energy out of me. But if I work a little harder, spend a little more time in the gym, eat well, practice hard, there’s no reason why I can’t put it all out there for 18 holes.

Q. Can you talk about what happened with the driving iron before the round and how that might have impacted you?

PHIL MICKELSON: Little things happen, but yesterday, I hit a couple of squirrelly shots on 12 and 13 and the face on my 2-wood flattened. Fortunately I had a backup head and swapped it out and hit it great today.

As I was teeing off today my 2-iron face cracked. I mean, just you can’t swing it as hard as I hit it and not expect them to crack — I’m kidding.

Tim noticed when I put it back that it had cracked across the face. It happens. In fact, if it doesn’t happen, you start to question the manufacturer, hey, aren’t we making this as hot as we can. It’s certainly part of it, but fortunately I had a 4-wood that’s a very comparable club to that 1-iron distance-wise and I was able to use that club effectively. I used it off 3 tee, 4 tee. There was a few times that I hit it and I hit that club very well.

It’s just one of those things that happens and you just have to be prepared for it, which is why I bring backup clubs out here.

Q. What do you call it?

PHIL MICKELSON: I call it both. I have a 4-iron and then I have that iron so it’s a one, two, three, whatever you want to call it.

Q. Can you talk about the back and forth that happened over the first five holes? As we were watching it, it seemed like a heavyweight fight. What was the experience for you?

PHIL MICKELSON: I was not as steady as I had been. I just made a couple uncommitted swings and it led to some inconsistencies in scores because those first four or five holes — those first four holes are not that hard. 1 is downwind, if you hit a decent shot it’s a sand wedge in. 2 I think I hit a 2-wood off the tee and a 4-iron in. You should birdie those holes. 3 was drivable and I played them, you know, over par, so I was just not making committed swings.

And I think Brooks had a couple poor swings, too, and we just weren’t steady. But we seemed to steady it out a little later.

Q. Earlier this week you mentioned some of the brain training and longer meditation sessions. What other breakthroughs did you find?

PHIL MICKELSON: Just the ability to kind of quiet my mind and get rid of all the exterior noise. That’s kind of been the biggest — I don’t want to get all spiritual but that’s kind of been the biggest thing for me.

Q. What was the best shot you thought you hit today and how does this win inspire younger golfers that may have grown up watching you and now believing that they can have a long career?

PHIL MICKELSON: I hit a couple of good shots on the back. I thought the 7-iron into 10 was really good because I had to start that ball out over the bunker at the bunker’s edge and made that birdie putt there. So that was a big swing.

And I made some good tee shots on 15 and 16. Those were really good swings, too.

But there’s no reason why the game of golf can’t be the game for a lifetime. And if you take care of your body and do it the right way, and now with the exercise physiology and technology that’s out there like with TPI and everything, that you can work out the right way to get your body to function right and play golf for a lifetime, so I’m appreciative of that.

Q. That scene on 18, did you allow yourself to enjoy that? I mean, I know you’ve still got the hole to finish, but you hit a great shot from back there, but could you for a moment or two take that in?

PHIL MICKELSON: Yes, like I’ve never had that experience, and to see that kind of — to feel that kind of excitement and enthusiasm was — and be at the forefront of that was pretty special. That’s a moment I’ll always, always cherish.

Q. When we were all younger, you watched Greg Norman and Tom Watson have opportunities in their 50s to win Open Championships back then. When you saw those back then, did anything in the back of your mind think that, yeah, you know what, it will be normal competing for major championships when I’m there?

PHIL MICKELSON: I didn’t see why — I mean, I thought the 2009 Open Championship performance by Tom Watson was the greatest — one of the greatest sporting performances, and he hit a perfect second shot, too. He couldn’t land it any better and it still went over. It was one of the greatest performances in the sport. And it’s inspiring, yeah, to see people like that do it.

And I hope that this inspires some to just put in that little extra work, because first of all, there’s no reason why you can’t accomplish your goals at an older age. It just takes a little more work.

Q. On 17 when you backed off the tee, was it the wind or did a particular thought cross your mind?

PHIL MICKELSON: As I was standing over, it I didn’t feel right-to-left. I felt almost the wind go straight down left-to-right, and I’m playing close to the pin and letting it work away. And if I had a left-to-right pin that wasn’t going to be the right shot or line.

So it didn’t feel right as I was over it and I started to have doubt and it just didn’t feel right, so I backed away. But that’s was what I was sensing. It just wasn’t — my senses weren’t feeling what I was anticipating or expected.

Q. You talk about the amount of work it takes at this age to keep going. What’s the biggest thing you’ve had to give up, sacrifice or miss out on in recent years when other guys are able to enjoy certain things in life?

PHIL MICKELSON: Food. (Laughter.) Yeah, I’ve got to eat a lot less and I’ve got to eat better. I just can’t eat as much and I have to let my body kind of recover. But it’s also been a blessing for me because I feel better and I don’t have inflammation and I wake up feeling good.

It’s been a sacrifice worth making.

(PGA Championship Pressconference, Source: ASAP Sports)