Category: Team USA

PGA Tour: Justin Thomas Talks Olympic Games Ahead of Waste Management Phoenix Open

Post author By Michael Pazder
Post date January 30, 2020

HONOLULU, HAWAII - JANUARY 10: Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii at the Waialae Country Club on January 10, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and major champion Justin Thomas addresses the media ahead of the start of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Thomas talks the importance on becoming world number one as well as his desire to compete in the 2020 Olympics.

PGA Tour: Justin Thomas meets with the media prior to the start of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

THE MODERATOR: Justin, thanks for joining us for a few minutes. Getting ready to make your sixth start in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Coming off a third place finish last year, coming into the week as the FedExCup points leader and with two wins already under your belt this season. That’s a pretty good for an entire season, let alone just the beginning of a season. So with all that said just some thoughts on being back here this week.

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I’m excited to be back. This is a course that I enjoy. I feel like it sets up well for my game, if I can execute properly. I got a good couple weeks rest and I was able to put some good work in there at the end of last week getting ready for here and feel like we’re doing some of the right stuff at this point. I feel like when I take two weeks off sometimes I have a hard time getting back into it or get focused or make some sloppy mistakes, so I need to make sure that I don’t do that starting up tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: You had a chance to get out and see the course. Is it pretty much what you remember, still setting up well for you?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It’s always in great shape. I think that’s something that’s very underrated about this place. It’s obviously a great tournament, a great field, but the course is always tremendous. The greens are always rolling very, very true. The fairways are all — I mean, it feels like there’s not a blade of grass out of place. It’s very nice. Greens are maybe just a touch softer than usual. But, no, it’s always in great shape.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions.

Q. Can you imagine a scenario in which you would not compete in Tokyo if you’re one of the first four?
JUSTIN THOMAS: No. There’s — no, no scenario for me.

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

Q. What did you think of Brooks’s comments that the Majors and the FedExCup playoffs are more important? Do you get a sense of is that a majority view still or —
JUSTIN THOMAS: I hadn’t heard those comments. That was the first I heard of them. But it’s tough. I mean, no offense, but I feel like it’s a very uncomfortable question to be asked because there’s no right answer. No matter how you say it, you’re going to be ridiculed for it or say your priorities aren’t in line. I know one thing, I’m very content with winning any of those and I plan on trying to win all of those, but it’s something that’s, it’s just different. It’s once in every four years and you have the opportunity to do it. But then again, I’ve never competed in one, he’s never competed in one, so maybe our thoughts will change if we go play in it. But, no, it’s just, it’s very, you can’t really compare it to anything because it’s in its own, I think.

Q. Any thoughts on the competition out there this week with guys being overseas and in different places?
JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean, the field’s tremendous. It’s always great. It’s, I think that’s another thing that’s very underrated about this tournament. I think that it gets all the wrap of being the Waste Management and No. 16 and it’s a party, it’s out of control, but I mean, every year this place brings an unbelievable field and some of the top players in the world. So it’s something where, yeah, it would be great to win this tournament and be awesome just to kind of be in the realms of history of the Waste Management, but you’re beating a lot of really, really quality great players if you win this tournament. So that’s something I think that possibly doesn’t get talked about that much, which is, obviously, overshadowed by some stuff going on here this week. But it’s a great, great event with an unbelievable field. So I feel like every year it produces a really good tournament with a lot of big names up at the top come Sunday.

Q. I want to talk about, I guess, Kobe’s impact on you. You said that you’ve never cried for another man that you never met before. Just wanted you to just share your thoughts and what you’re going to do with your rounds going forward. This is the first tournament coming back since the tragic news, so.
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I mean, it’s weird. I was actually I was talking to Brian about it a couple days ago. It’s just, it’s weird because I’ve never met him. I’ve always wanted to meet him, but it’s just for someone to have an impact on somebody that I’ve never met, never been around, is bizarre. And yeah, it’s crazy, it’s sad. I think what really got me is just how he lost his life just being a dad and being a great dad and the fact that his daughters are never going to be able to spend any time with him anymore was just like, for me, just really hard to kind of comprehend and deal with.

And yeah, I mean, in terms of playing this week, it’s a golf tournament, it’s not like I’m going to try any harder or do anything differently. I mean, I have the stampings on my wedges. I was getting new wedges anyway so the timing worked out well to put some stamps on there for him. Just, I’ve always been a huge fan of his. I’ve always loved watching him play, just loved hearing about his work ethic and stuff that he did on and off the court and how he just always worked harder than everybody else, and it’s probably the reason — I mean, obviously, he’s freakishly talented but why he was better than everybody else because he was going to work harder to get there and just kind of will himself to be a winner. And that’s something that I hope to do when I’m out there playing, when I have a chance to win the tournament, I want to have that Mamba mentality, if you will, to try to close it out.

Q. Justin, Jon Rahm can get to world No. 1 for the first time with a win this week. Can you speak to how big of a goal that was for you and how satisfying it was when you got to No. 1?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, it’s a huge goal. It still is for me because I’ve lost it. But it’s a tremendous honor. I think it’s always something being, always really cool being a part of something that not very many people have done. You’re just, he’s going to be another name to that list if he gets that and whoever gets it next that hasn’t done it will be added. So it’s, it’s pretty cool walking around. I mean, I it for all of two weeks or whatever it was, but walking around, it’s like, I’m better than every single person on this planet in golf. That’s a pretty satisfying feeling. I’m very confident and I feel that when I’m playing well I do feel that about myself, but I unfortunately have a 4 next to my name and Brooks has a 1. So there’s three people that are better than me right now and Jon has the chance to be at the top of the top and that’s a pretty cool feeling.

Q. Could you talk about the actual difficulty level of playing the 16th hole when there’s nobody there versus playing it when there’s 20,000 people there, because the hole doesn’t look super hard and yet, you know, it’s a tougher shot than because of the situation?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I’ve never played it when it’s empty, so I don’t know that sense. But I mean, I feel it’s very similar to like the 17th at Sawgrass. If I went and played 17 at Sawgrass, I mean, I would feel like I would birdie it every other time. I mean, it’s a wedge, 9-iron at the absolute most, potentially a sand wedge or a gap wedge, and to a relatively big green. Yeah, when you have windy days or it gets firm it’s tough. But the thing about 16 here is that just the green is tough. It’s not, it’s not a flat green, it’s not all the same. You have a lot of subtleties and you have that false front, and then when that pin’s front left, it kind of falls off to the left to where if you have anything with left spin it goes down in the bunker and then you’re short-sided, and then if you have the right pin, it all falls away. So, you know, every fan wants to see us hit it in there inside of five feet and make birdie. But in reality it’s kind of a sneaky tough hole if you get certain pins, because you never know where wind is, you’re blocked out by everything, so you’re really are kind of guessing what wind direction it is and if it switched at all from 15, then have you no idea. And it’s just, it’s an interesting hole and an interesting experience because when you have that much adrenaline you wish you could just tee a driver up and hit it as far as you can, but sometimes you have to kind of hit a little feathery 8-iron in there to a back pin with not much room for error or whatever it might be. So it’s quite an experience.

Q. Did you hit a memorable good shot in there?
JUSTIN THOMAS: I’ve hit a couple good ones. I almost made an ace a couple years ago, hit it to about a foot. Made birdie on Saturday one year. I had pretty good success my first couple years. I haven’t played it great the last couple years.

Q. Have you hit anything that caused the crowd to really —
JUSTIN THOMAS: I 4-putted, so that was pretty.

Q. Did you get booed, though, or no?
JUSTIN THOMAS: Are you kidding me? They boo a par. I 4-putted.

Q. A 4-putt, they might have had some sympathy at that point.
JUSTIN THOMAS: Oh, no. There’s no sympathy on 16 here.

Q. Players were e-mailed earlier this week about the Premier Golf League and I’m just curious to get your thoughts, not so much on the e-mail itself but more about the concept of that. Have you looked at it at all, does any element, are there any elements of it that intrigue you in any way?
JUSTIN THOMAS: You know, I feel like I’ve heard more about it from other people than I have itself that’s bad. And, sorry, Jay, but I haven’t really read the e-mail that in depth. I know I have it, I’ve seen it, but just to be perfectly honest haven’t really taken the time to sit down and just read it thoroughly and check it out. I’m, I feel like I’m out of the, a lot more so than I wish, a little bit out of the loop of what’s going on with all that. But it’s also a good thing I’m focused on what’s going on now. I mean, if that does happen, if it, I don’t know if it happens in four months, if it happens in a year, if it happens in five years or whatever it is, but at the end of the day I just need to be focused on trying to play well at the Waste Management and that’s what I’m doing. But who knows what will happen going forward, but I need to figure out what’s going on a little bit more before I say anything, I feel like.

THE MODERATOR: All right, Justin, thanks for your time good luck this week.

JUSTIN THOMAS: Thanks.

January 29, 2020

Scottsdale, Arizona

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Tags Justin Thomas, Waste management Phoenix Open

Team USA

PGA Tour: Gary Woodland Talks Special Relationship With Amy Bockersette Ahead of Waste Management Phoenix Open

Post author By Golf Post
Post date January 30, 2020

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 24: Gary Woodland prepares to putt during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North on January 24, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and US Open champion Gary Woodland speaks to the media ahead of the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open about his special bond formed last year with Amy Bockersette and describes what its like on the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.

European Tour: Gary Woodlands speaks with the media ahead of the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Gary Woodland, 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open winner, to the interview room here. Gary, thanks for coming in. More recently the 2019 U.S. Open winner as well. You’ve enjoyed a lot of success here in the past and with that said just some thoughts on being back here. I think you had a top-10 even last year, so just some thoughts on being back here to a place that’s pretty special to you.

GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, I love coming back. The Thunderbirds were nice enough to give me my first sponsor exemption on the PGA TOUR in 2011. I Mondayed in here as a rookie on TOUR in 2009. So I’ve played here every year since 2009, besides once. I’ve had a lot of success here, had some top-10s, obviously winning a couple years ago, which was nice. But this is a close to home for me because I have a lot of friend and family come out from Kansas. I think they want to get out of the snow. Obviously, this is as fun a tournament as we have out on the PGA TOUR, so I have a lot of friends and family here. And then you throw it to last year which obviously winning in 2018 was great for me, but last year had a bigger impact on me than winning. Spending time with Amy there on 16, that was, that’s what it’s all about. We’re in a very unique position on the PGA TOUR where we have an opportunity to meet a lot of cool people and spend some time with them and she’s the definition of that. So last year was very special. It was nice to be here today and spend time with her as well and look forward to a great week.

THE MODERATOR: Just one more question and then I’ll open it up to you guys. I was at Pebble with you when you won the U.S. Open and one of the things you wanted to do was FaceTime Amy. Could you have ever imagined, let alone how you felt, feel about it, but could you ever have imagined how big this story has become?

GARY WOODLAND: Absolutely not. Like I said, we get to meet a lot of cool people and you spend time like walking down 18, we had a military caddie. I got spend some time with him and talked to him, but I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. Where Amy and I spent the time and we have stayed in contact and the impact she had on me that day was not only me, but millions around the world. You’ve seen the people that have been impacted by this, by the video and her attitude, her energy, her love. I keep saying it, it’s so contagious and the world needs a lot more of it. And especially with everything that’s going on in the world right now there’s, we need a lot more Amy in it.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up to questions.

Q. How is the jumper?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, it’s rusty.

Q. Amy’s mission is about like diversity and inclusion and giving people opportunities to see what it is that they can do. What has it been like for you to be a part of expanding a mission such as that?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, and I don’t know the impact that I’ve had on that compared to the impact she’s had, it’s been unbelievable. Everywhere I go I hear I got this, people come up to me, I mean, have adults come up to me crying because they have seen the video and they know somebody that has Down syndrome or — it’s been, the impact that it’s had on other people has been tremendous. So to be part of that is amazing. I had a kid come up to me in Maui this year after Saturday, I was going through the autograph line signing autographs talking to some kids and a kid came up to me and said, Hey, I want to let you know I have special needs and I saw the video that you did with Amy and it makes me believe that I can be a normal kid. I got emotional there. That’s what it’s all about. He says normal kid. What’s normal? Happy, loving, caring, I mean, that’s what we all need to be.

Q. What was it like today on 16, the presentation, everyone cheering for her, a standing O, all that? What was that like to see?
GARY WOODLAND: Nervous. I asked Amy when we were walking in if she was nervous and she said, No, I’m excited. And I said, Well, I’m nervous. There were a lot of people in there. The energy was amazing. Seeing everyone put those shirts on is so cool. Obviously, the Thunderbirds giving Amy and her foundation the 25,000 is awesome. They will do amazing things with it, and it’s cool to see that and share that with her again. Obviously, we had a great day last year, but to continue that relationship, to be there today, to see everybody else involved, it’s one thing for us who have a relationship together, but everybody else you feel like you know her and that’s what it’s all about. That’s so cool. And I was very glad that she was there today and I got to be there.

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

Q. For a lot of players it’s the first time being out since the like the tragic death of Kobe Bryant. How is it affecting everybody just this first time being back?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, it’s been, for me personally, it’s been an emotional week. I was playing on the golf course here in a practice round on Sunday when I got the news and you wanted to believe it was fake. And as a father, you know, Kobe’s basketball stats and everything he did on the basketball court, I think speak for themselves. You can look that up. His impact there will live on forever. But for me personally, when I think of Kobe now I think of the images of him with his daughter, with Gigi, on the basketball court, talking to her, getting back into the game because of her and the love she had for it. As a father now, I mean, that’s been very emotional for me. I’ve obviously, I’ve looked up to Kobe my whole life. I grew up in that generation with him dominating, so I’ve always wanted to be him, the way he worked on the basketball court, I wanted his work ethic. You talked to people with the Mamba mentality, that’s what we all strive for as athletes out here. For me personally, looking at him the last couple years I want to be like him as a father. I want to be able to spend time with my kids. I brought my kid out yesterday. My kid’s two and a half. That’s the first time he’s walked with me on a golf course. He came out during the practice round. Because with Kobe being taken away you don’t know how much time we have and I want to be able to share more time with my son now, when my daughters get older. But I brought him out yesterday because of that and let him experience being out and spending time with him. And the impact he’s had, you look, he shut the world down for a day. It’s the people, the stories, and it’s, he’s one of those guys where I never met him, but I feel like I knew him. And that’s the impact I think that Amy’s had as well. People, even if you don’t know her, you felt like you know her. And that’s, it takes a special person for that and he was definitely that.

Q. I was going to ask you about the U.S. Open and how it maybe has changed your life, but I have the feeling it’s not as big a life-changer as the week with Amy last year for you. Can you talk about those two things?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, the impact of the U.S. Open was cool from a personal standpoint. Obviously, it gives me a lot of confidence. I show up to golf tournaments, now I know I’m a major champion, I know I can beat the best players in the world any given week, so that’s special. From an impact that Amy’s had on me, that’s changed me in everyday life, being a positive attitude, loving people, staying in the moment. And that’s, that will help you on and off the golf course anywhere you go. That’s the way I try to live right now. I’m trying to instill that in my kids and my family and that’s because spending time with her.

Q. How do you describe 16 to people? And what’s the funniest thing that’s ever been said about you out there?
GARY WOODLAND: I don’t know if you can describe 16. Today it’s a Wednesday and there’s 10,000 people in there. I mean, sometimes we don’t see 10,000 people during a day out on a golf tournament. This is a Wednesday. It’s as close to a sporting event and an arena as we’re ever going to get. It seems like it grows every year. They’ve got the suites now down by the tee level, which might be a little interesting Friday afternoon and Saturday. But it’s the adrenaline. I mean, I was hitting it pretty short all day today, not much adrenaline. I get in there and I hit it 15 yards farther than I was expecting, all because of the adrenaline of the people around there. When I was a rookie they were chanting my girlfriend — my wife’s name now, my girlfriend’s name at the time, they were chanting that. The guys right there from, I think they’re from Minnesota, they Google everybody and they all have lines, and they throw out some random stuff. They chanted 16th hole virgin the very first time I played the time. So you never know what you’re going to hear in there. I’ve got Missouri people yelling at me, KU people cheering for me. It’s, in 2009 when you miss the green, they booed you. Now if you make par, they boo you. You better hit a good shot in there. And it’s one of those where you don’t want to chip. You want to hit a good shot and hopefully make birdie and get out of there. But there’s nothing like it. There’s no adrenaline rush like that when you get in there. When you get in there you can hear it from the other side of the golf course. You can hear it when you tee off on 1, so you try not to think about it, but you can definitely hear it and something you need to look forward to, for sure, going in.

Q. Why has this always been such a good course for you?
GARY WOODLAND: It sets up well for me. Obviously, the par-5s I can get to. Length’s a huge advantage, especially 15’s tough second shot in there. 13, I can take out a lot of the trouble with driver. 3, some guys can’t get to some days and I can. So outside of that, the greens get pretty firm, so you got to drive the golf ball in the fairway. I’m a pretty good driver of the golf ball. And it’s one of those where I got off to a good start a long time ago, and all of a sudden the golf course you start seeing lines, and you have some success and you come back and those memories keep coming back to you. So this is one tournament I look forward to every year.

Q. Couple things, a lot of guys are doing or some guys are doing stuff tributes to Kobe and so forth this week. Just curious if you have any plans for anything?
GARY WOODLAND: Yeah, I’ll have some stuff on my shoes this weekend. I changed the putter cover. Lakers colors on putter cover this week that a lot of guys are using. They’re from Scotty Cameron. But I think the biggest tribute is try to imitate him in the way to be a father like he was and work hard every day because you never know when it’s taken away from you, so you can’t take any day for granted on and off the golf course.

Q. Just to follow-up: You were getting a little emotional, it looked like just a minute ago. Curious why?
GARY WOODLAND: It’s funny, like I said, I get emotional for somebody that I’ve never met. My wife and I were very emotional when I got home that day. You see him, when I saw Kobe play basketball, and I watched a lot of Kobe playing basketball. I watched, growing up I watched a lot of sports. Like, when I watched Tiger Woods play I used to record his press conferences afterwards because the golf shots are one thing I wanted to hear what he said, I wanted to hear what he was talking about, what he was thinking, and he never let off much, so you had to piece a lot of stuff together. Kobe was the same way and you see Kobe win NBA championships, yeah he was excited, but he always felt like he had to continue to work and continue to get better. When you see him with his children, he looked like he was happy, he was smiling all the time, laughing, when he was coaching her. That’s the love and energy that I want to have and it makes me sad that him and his daughter and seven other people’s lives were taken away way too soon. And I just, I want to be there for my kids and not have to miss anything, because you never know when it’s — I travel a lot, I fly a lot, weekly, and it just makes you a little nervous that something tragic can be taken away so quickly.

Q. Anything that you learned from Tiger from having him as your captain at the Presidents Cup?
GARY WOODLAND: A lot. I was able, I was fortunate enough or he was nice enough to invite me up to spend some time at his house, so I was around him a lot leading up to the Presidents Cup where it was just him and I practicing, hanging out, working out, doing a lot of things together. So his work ethic, the way he thinks about golf course. We talked about golf clubs a little bit, I switched my wedges to the wedges he’s using from spending time with him and seeing why he hits certain shots. But as a captain we were down 4-1 the first day and I was a rookie — I was an old guy on the team but I was a rookie — there were four other rookies, maybe five rookies from the Presidents Cup we were all down a little bit and he comes in laughing, hat backwards, laughing. And we’re all down like, one, we were getting our buts kicked, but, two, we don’t want to let him down and he’s laughing saying, Hey, we’re in the perfect spot. And each day he just continued to do that. We were continuing — obviously we were down every day — but his attitude and his belief is a joke, I mean it really is. Obviously he’s won 82 times and 15 Majors, so he has a lot to rely on. But the way he attacks things, the way he sees golf courses — he was sending me scouting reports of the golf course three weeks before the golf tournament. His mind’s different. A lot like Kobe, he thinks differently. But I had to adjust, I got to work a little bit harder, work on certain things differently when I’m practicing now from what he’s doing, how he recovers, I’ve seen the way he is in the gym, it’s very impressive. And you think you work hard and then you go spend time with the best that’s ever done it, you see why he is where he is.

THE MODERATOR: Gary, you’re used to being asked the questions, but I’m going to Your Honor it the tables on you for a minute and see if we can get you to ask a question. Amy is back here, we would love to have Amy come up and join us for a minute. I think Gary mentioned, talked about picking people’s brains and taking bits and pieces of things. I think he’s got a question he would love to — come sit, take my seat, you’ll probably do a better job than me anyway.

THE MODERATOR: So Gary, anything?

GARY WOODLAND: Amy, did you have fun today?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yes.

GARY WOODLAND: You enjoyed all those people out there?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yes.

GARY WOODLAND: Well we’re all happy for you and we’re happy that the Thunderbirds gave you that money for your foundation. You’re going to do amazing things good luck in your golf tournament this weekend, first tournament of the year.

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yeah.

GARY WOODLAND: Are you are you going to go out and dominate?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yes.

GARY WOODLAND: That’s what I’m talking about. Give me some love. We’re all glad that we met you and we get to spend time with you and we look forward to watching you in the future.

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yeah. I’m so happy (laughing).

THE MODERATOR: All right, we’ll get a quick picture of you guys together. Amy, do you have a question for Gary?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yeah. Gary, when are you going to play golf with me like you said last time?

GARY WOODLAND: Am I going to play golf with you.

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yeah.

GARY WOODLAND: We need to do that. Sooner than later. When I get back in town we’ll play golf together. Is that a deal?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yes.

GARY WOODLAND: Okay. It’s a deal.

(Handing gift to Gary.)

GARY WOODLAND: Oh, thank you. You bring gifts. That was nice of you.

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yeah.

GARY WOODLAND: I love it. Divot tool. “I got this.” Come on.

(Hugging.)

THE MODERATOR: Okay, well, Gary, thank you, Amy, thank you for coming up being a special part of the day and good luck in your tournament.

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Are you going to get to come and watch Gary some as well?

AMY BOCKERSTETTE: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Oh, fantastic. Good luck charm.

GARY WOODLAND: Thanks, guys.

January 29, 2020

Scottsdale, Arizona

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Tags Gary Woodland, Waste management Phoenix Open

Team USA

European Tour: Patrick Reed Talks Presidents Cup, Masters and New Tour Ahead of The Saudi International

Post author By Golf Post
Post date January 30, 2020

UNSPECIFIED, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 29: Patrick Reed of the USA during his press conference during the pro-am event prior to Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 29, 2020 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and Masters champion Patrick Reed addresses the media ahead of the Saudi International, touching on subjects ranging from thoughts on the new proposed golf tour and his presidents cup experience.

European Tour: Patrick Reed addresses the media prior to round one of the Saudi International

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome world No. 12 Patrick Reed here to the Saudi International.

Patrick, you played in the inaugural event last year. Tell us, how does it feel to return?

PATRICK REED: Yeah, really enjoyed it last year, and look forward to playing it today obviously. I’m very excited to be back. I absolutely enjoyed the time I had here last year, and aside from hole No. 18, I played the golf course pretty well. Hopefully I can get back to playing well and just master that 18th hole.

THE MODERATOR: Tell us a little bit about what happened on the 18th hole.

PATRICK REED: On the weekend, I hit the fairway both times. I walked off with a 10 and a 6. You know, whenever you do something like that, it definitely obviously kills your round, especially on a reachable par 5.

I think the biggest thing now is to learn from those mistakes and if I continue on the trend, since Saturday was a 10 and Sunday was a 6, that means I’m improving four shots each time, so hopefully I have two this week.

THE MODERATOR: You haven’t been out playing yet, so today will be your first look?

PATRICK REED: Correct. I walked around a little bit yesterday whenever I got here, kind of keep my legs moving. Just walking out around the golf course a little bit, it looks perfect. I practised a good bit yesterday on the practise facilities. The putting greens are rolling nice and quick. Yeah, we look forward to it.

THE MODERATOR: Yesterday, at your request, you went back to visit a school you were at last year. Can you tell us about why you wanted to go back and how it was?

PATRICK REED: It was unbelievable, going over to the World Academy, and spending time with the kid last year was a trip. Just the support they gave myself and the support they had for the tournament, for a lot of them coming out and watching the golf tournament meant a lot to me, meant a lot to what I’ve always wanted to do, and that’s to grow the game. Because of that, when I decided to come back this year, there was no doubt I was going to go over there and spend time with the kids and just enjoy my time.

THE MODERATOR: And you shipped some gifts over for them, as well.

PATRICK REED: We did. We gave them a some gear and tee shirts. The kids love it and hopefully I see them walking around later this week.

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Saudi International

Q. The teacher who was with them watching you play, they asked the teacher, “Are we allowed to clap,” because they had not a clue whether they could clap?
PATRICK REED: So last year, they didn’t really know what they could or couldn’t do because golf was so new to a lot of the kids. You know, last year, they were great, the kids that came out. The support they gave, they caught on pretty quickly on when to clap, when not to clap, etc. It’s just awesome to see the interest, coming out and watch and trying to learn something new and something different.

Q. It’s been a difficult few weeks, and you then go to a place like that where eyes are lighting up; what does that mean to you personally?
PATRICK REED: It means a lot. You know, when I first turned professional, it was live and breathe golf. You know, I didn’t have children of my own, and you know, your attitude was determined by how you’ve played on the golf course. You either had a good day because — you had a good day on the golf course or your day wasn’t that great, how you played.

Once I started having children, it just put golf in perspective. When I want to leave the golf course, didn’t matter whether it was a good day or a bad day. Just coming home and seeing your kids puts everything in perspective. You forget about golf. Just want to hang out with them.

Any time I can go and hang out with kids around the world and try to grow the game of golf and get away from the game, it’s awesome. And then to be able to tie golf back into it and try to teach them about golf or something different, it’s always a lot of fun.

Q. Because you play so much on The European Tour, you don’t get Ryder Cup points for this. Do you think it’s something that The PGA of America should look at; that somehow as a European Tour member, you play and get some points on some list?
PATRICK REED: I think it’s something that we definitely need to look into. You know, because at the end of the day, all of us want to grow the game of golf, want to improve golf worldwide, not just in our own countries. For me, it would help for sure because I play everywhere.

At the end of the day, we know what the criterias are ahead of time, so you kind of set up schedules for that. With you for me I’ve always wanted to be a worldwide player, so it’s not going it deter me coming overseas playing. I absolutely love the time I’ve spent on The European Tour and to come over here and play in these events, it means a lot to me.

Q. Obviously last time around for the Masters, you were defending. Now you come in, differently. No pressure on you with regards to the defending part. So how do you approach this time around and do you approach it any differently?
PATRICK REED: Well, I think now I’ll just get back to playing my regular schedule on how I prepared and the schedule I had during the week of the tournament.

Last year, being my first defence of a major and not really knowing what to expect, you know, on obligations, things that come up throughout the week, it was a learning experience for me. I felt like I didn’t have my full focus on actual golf, and you know, this year, I need to get back to focusing on golf. The good thing is now I know what to expect after winning a major. When that time comes again, I know how to handle it to play the best golf I can to hopefully defend.

Q. I think it’s fair to say that you’ve shown in the last few years quite a thick skin. At the same time, has some of the behavior towards you in the last couple of months concerned you? Have you been upset by some of the behavior?
PATRICK REED: Honestly for me, I try to go out there and play golf day-by-day and live life the way I need to handle myself on and off the golf course, and if I do that, that’s all I can control. I can’t control what people say, what people write or anything like that.

All I can control is what I do, and if I’m happy, I feel like I’m living the right way. That’s what I have to do because at the end the day, you can’t please everyone, and if you allow naysayers or people to write things that are negative to affect you, then it’s going to affect your ultimate goal and that’s to play the best golf we can.

Q. Have some people crossed, though, at the same time?
PATRICK REED: There’s always people that cross the lines. That happens. But those are the things where you just have to keep your head down, keep plugging and continue playing the best golf you can.

Q. At the Presidents Cup, how impressive was Tiger as captain, and if you do get on that Whistling Straits side, how impressive would he be in the team room as a player?
PATRICK REED: Well, he’s always impressive as a player. That’s a given. But then, also, now watching him not only be a captain but being a playing captain, it was very impressive the way he was able to handle everything, when it comes to handling team meetings and talking with the team and managing the team, but at the same time making sure his golf game was where it needed to be. It was very impressive.

You know, it just speaks volumes of how mentally strong Tiger is and how he can compartmentalise different tasks in order to continue playing well that week and not allowing anything to slip by.

Q. What are your thoughts on the new world tour?
PATRICK REED: Obviously I’m here to talk about this week and this awesome event and being over here and playing on The European Tour. I really don’t have any comment for this right now.

Q. You’re the only one that’s come in here that wouldn’t comment about it. Is that because you don’t know enough about it or because —
PATRICK REED: Honestly, it’s because I’m here playing in a golf tournament that I really respect and I really respect playing over here on The European Tour.

I don’t really know enough about it, as well, to really make comments about it.

Q. Can you confirm, too, that you got a letter from Jay Monahan by e-mail?
PATRICK REED: The whole tour has. Every tour has gotten, every player on Tour has gotten an e-mail.

Q. And have you read that e-mail?
PATRICK REED: I actually saw it for the first time last night and I didn’t — I didn’t read it after I got done with my obligations.

Like I said, I don’t know enough about it, and I would need to do a deeper dive to make any comments about it.

Q. You’ve spoken about how crowded the schedule is with The Ryder Cup. How are you going to handle the schedule and the fact that the majors are now compacted in such a small period, and then you’ve got the Olympics and The Ryder Cup?
PATRICK REED: The Olympics is always on my mind. Any way I can go and represent my country, it’s something I’ve always dreamed about and always loved doing. It’s always on my mind, but at the end of the day, to make Ryder Cup teams, to make Olympic teams and things like that, you’ve got to play well.

That’s my biggest focus right now is to play good golf and get myself into position where I can actually make the team. You know, I mean, the condensed schedule, to me, it’s just normal for me. As much as I play and travel around the world, it doesn’t make a difference whether they are spread out through all 12 months or whether they are combined into two months.

Still going to play because I would love to compete and love being out here with the guys and going to battle with them.

Q. Not asking you to comment — you said you respect being here and you don’t want to talk about it, which is fine. But one thing that slightly surprises me — was it a very long e-mail that you didn’t manage to get through it?
PATRICK REED: The reason I didn’t get through it was the jet-lag and everything with flying over and how long the day I had yesterday. By the time I got back to the room, I could barely even, you know, open up my phone.

Literally as I was going back, texting my wife at 9.15 and told her that I love her, was going to bed and literally when I got to the room, TV didn’t even go on. I was asleep at 9.20. For me, it was one of those things that I didn’t think I had the mental capacity and energy to really look through e-mails, read e-mails, etc.

Q. I see. But had you won the equivalent of the lottery or football pools, would you have noted what it said? Everybody seemed to have got this e-mail, but nobody’s got through it. In my mind, I’m seeing a very long and boring e-mail. Maybe it wasn’t.
PATRICK REED: Like I said, I wouldn’t be able to tell you because I didn’t read it yet (laughter). But once I read it, I’ll be able to tell if you it was boring and interesting, etc.

It’s just one of those things with playing last week and traveling overseas and getting here Tuesday and having some obligations to take care of yesterday, I just haven’t really had time to open up and take care of other business.

THE MODERATOR: You also didn’t manage to read the press conference schedule this morning, which was two lines. Just saying. Carry on. Any other questions?

Q. I have a question about there’s three Saudi players here, two amateurs and one turning professional. They talked yesterday about how Tiger was inspirational growing up. How much responsibility to you feel as a role model to inspire others to take up the game — for kids who might never have seen golf before?
PATRICK REED: It’s awesome seeing players from Saudi playing. I hope they play well. Hopefully someone can make the weekend, because it’s a special time to play on the weekend in a golf tournament.

You know, it’s always been part of our responsibility as top players, especially if you travel around the world, to play well and get ourselves in contention and give back and try to grow the game. Because that’s the only way golf is going to grow in the next generation and generations after that is by doing things that Mr. Nicklaus, Player and Palmer did, and the things that Tiger and Phil have done, and now it’s our role with DJ, Brooks being myself, Rory, guys like that, to continue to grow the game, continue to strive and play, play well, and be good role models on and off the golf course in order to allow the game to continue down the panel that we all want it to go.

THE MODERATOR: What was your favourite question from the lads? All the kids asked questions yesterday. My favourite question was, a little by who put his hand up and said, “Do you remember me?” What was your favourite question?

PATRICK REED: My favourite one, wow, there’s so many. There’s just so many. I think it had to do have been — one of the favourite questions/comment, one of the top rows, one of the boys asked, “How many holes in one have you had?”

And I said, “Two.”

“That’s it?” (Laughter).

“Sorry.”

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

January 29, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Tags Patrick Reed, saudi international

Team USA

European Tour: Phil Mickelson Talks 2020 Goals Ahead of The Saudi International

Post author By Golf Post
Post date January 30, 2020

UNSPECIFIED, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 29: Phil Mickelson of the USA in action during the pro-am event prior to Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 29, 2020 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Phil Mickelson speaks with the media about his 2020 expectations, the importance of growing the game and even makes a super bowl prediction ahead of the Saudi International.

European Tour: Phil Mickelson speaks with the media prior to the start of the 2020 Saudi International

Q. Your initial impressions of the Royal Greens?
PHIL MICKELSON: It’s a really good golf course, and it’s a challenging test. It’s a fair test. It’s really well done. The greens are really well done. I just think the course is just a great test of golf and a wonderful place to hold the tournament.

The conditions can be difficult, like we saw today with wind, and if that’s the case, it’s really tough test of golf.

Without wind, you can score low, but it’s a really well done golf course that’s very playable in difficult conditions, and yet still challenging in calm conditions.

Q. The growth of the game, how important is it to introduce new countries to the sport?
PHIL MICKELSON: I am excited that there are so many courses planned for this new city. I’m excited to have met a young girl who wants to be the first professional Saudi professional. She seems like she’s driven and motivated, and I love the support that she’s getting.

I care about this game, and to see the excitement level in some of the young kids here, and to see that there are plans for many courses here in this new city, I think that’s really cool.

I love seeing the game grow all over and I love seeing the plans for courses here, and I love seeing kids. I love seeing kids out here; the more we get, the better.

Q. How excited are you about the year ahead and the work you’ve done off the golf course?
PHIL MICKELSON: So I’m very optimistic about what this 2020 brings. I’m more surprised that the first two weeks haven’t gone the way I planned, but I feel like my game is a lot better than it was last year and I just need to be patient. The scores will come.

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Saudi International

Q. What do you feel you need to improve?
PHIL MICKELSON: So the practise rounds, like I come out here today, and I drive it great. I hit 11, 12 fairways. I need to do that in the regular tournament. Sometimes I get a little tight and I get a little scary, and I just need to go out and play relaxed, because I want to force the result. Because I know I’m playing well, I try to force the result and I just don’t get the best out of it. I just need to stay patient and it will come.

Q. Some terrible news at the weekend, Kobe Bryant.
PHIL MICKELSON: Man, I think that has hit everybody really hard. Myself and everybody, we just can’t comprehend something like that. Because a guy like that, you think he’s going to live forever, and it just kind of is a reality of what a finite process life is, and it’s really hit everybody hard, especially people that know him.

He’s one of the premiere icons in all of sport, in all of America, and I think many parts of the world, too, as global as basketball has become. I don’t even know what to say. We’re still all shocked at what happened.

Q. What’s your favourite memory of him?
PHIL MICKELSON: Meeting him and spending time with him. One time I was with Amy at a Lakers game and he came over and gave us a hug. That was kind of a moment. He had this way to make you feel so good; that it wasn’t so much the things he said, although he said some incredible things, but it was the way that he made you feel when you were around him.

Q. Super Bowl is this weekend. Your prediction and thoughts on the game?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think it’s exciting to have two such evenly matched teams in such an explosive offense that Kansas City has. Historically, a better defense has always won, a team that has thrown as much as Kansas City. But in this instance, there might be a mismatch in the secondary. I think it’s just going to be an exciting game.

Q. Score prediction?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think it’s going to be a higher scoring game, 35-31, and I’m not really sure who I’d go with, but I would guess KC.

January 29, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Tags Phil Mickelson, saudi international

Team USA

European Tour: Dustin Johnson Talks Title Defense Ahead of the Saudi International

Post author By Golf Post
Post date January 29, 2020

UNSPECIFIED, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 28: Dustin Johnson of the USA talking to the media prior to the Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 28, 2020 in King Abdullah Economic City , Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Dustin Johnson speaks with the media prior to the start of the Saudi International about what it will take to defend his title along with 2020 season goals.

European Tour: Dustin Johnson addresses the media prior to Saudi International title defense

TOM BENBOW: We welcome back our defending champion, Dustin Johnson to the Saudi International. The current world No. 5 was victorious last year with a total score of 19-under par.

Dustin, how does it feel to be back?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I’m feeling good. I’m really pleased with how I played last year, and I’m excited to be back in Saudi Arabia for this tournament.

TOM BENBOW: You’ve defended a trophy once before in your career. Do you think about that coming into an event as defending champion?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Any time you’ve won somewhere, yeah, you’re looking at it, but every event that I go to, whether I’ve won there or not, I’m always trying to win it.

But you know, it’s more like the process. Like I want to get myself in contention. I just want to give myself a chance to win on Sunday. I feel like if I can put myself in a position to have a chance to win going into the back nine on Sunday, then I’ve done what I wanted to do that week, and you know, just see what I can do those last nine holes.

TOM BENBOW: Have you had any chance to look at how the course has developed since last year?

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Saudi International

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not been on the course today. I am going to get out there right after this press conference and get on the golf course.

TOM BENBOW: One more from me before I send it out to the floor. Aside from being back, you’re obviously depending your title. Was there anything about Saudi Arabia that made you want to come back, anything you did off the course, or any other reason?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, last year, met a friend that lived here and took us out on a SCUBA dive, and then so that was something I was looking forward to doing again this year. So we went out this morning and did another dive, which was really nice. It’s beautiful, the Red Sea.

Q. How do you assess last season as a whole, and what are the goals for this year?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Last season was okay. You know, definitely didn’t play quite as well as I would have liked to, especially towards the end of the year.

This year, I’m looking forward to having a big year. I feel like the game, it’s in pretty good form. Obviously I haven’t played much since Atlanta, but I had surgery in the off-season, so I’m just kind of getting back into it. Everything feels really good, and I’m excited about this year.

Q. What let you down last year towards the end?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it was a little bit of everything. I don’t think there was just one specific thing. I think everything was just okay. It wasn’t good enough.

Q. What’s the wisest thing you’ve ever heard from your friends about being a defending champion? You may have listened to Tiger, or anything on the subject. What have you picked up?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have no idea. But you know, obviously being a defending champion comes with, you know, there’s — you have a little more obligations, but you know, just managing your time and stuff with those obligations.

You know, just still understanding just because you won at a golf course, too, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win again. You’re going to have to work for it.

Q. The other thing I wanted to know is what did you see under the Red Sea?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: We actually saw a shipwreck. It was a really neat dive. All kind of fish, sting Rays. Pretty much what you see anywhere a lot of places in the world when you’re diving.

Q. Sharks?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No sharks today.

Q. Was it an old ship?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was. It was a hundred years old, I think, from what I was told.

Q. Such tragic news coming out of the states on the weekend. Did you ever meet Kobe in your golf career, and can you share with us your thoughts? Devastating news.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, he was a great ambassador of the game. You know, he was an idol to a lot of people, including me. I grew up watching him play basketball, and you know, just kind of everything he did. I thought it’s definitely tragic news.

I did get to meet him. I actually was on a phone call with him not too long ago because we’re both involved — well, he was one of the main investors in Body Armor, which is one of my sponsors. So we were on a call not too long ago.

Yeah, it just tragic news.

Q. Some reports over the weekend about a proposed Premiere Golf League. Can you ask if you’ve had any contact about what your thoughts are?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously, of course, I’ve heard of it. I think it’s in the early stages, but sounds interesting.

Q. Would you require some reassurances that if you were to go for that, you could go back to the PGA Tour, or is there anything that you need to hear from them that would convince you to go with it?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think everything is in the early stages right now. So it’s kind of hard to say.

Q. When you say it “sounds interesting,” what part of it — well, let’s just go the other way. What would it take for you to basically lose your card and go play somewhere else?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I don’t know if that’s even a possibility, but it would take a lot.

Q. When you say “a lot,” financially, or some other way?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think probably in every way you could think of.

Q. That being said, could you see 48 guys go that way?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, it’s possible for sure. I think so.

Q. Has there been any contact from the PGA Tour to the players since the start of the weekend.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: From what I was told, I got an e-mail recently. I haven’t read it yet. Probably read it right after this.

Q. Tell us about it after that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Sure (laughter) you’ll be my first call.

Q. Last week Sebastian S�derberg played the fastest round of golfer on The European Tour. Did you see any of that online?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I did not, but I do know Sebastian.

Q. He played in 1 hour, 36 minutes, he was just running around?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: What did he shoot?

Q. 75?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: That’s not too bad for playing that fast.

Q. What do you think of his decision to do that, and if you did find yourself on the first group on Sunday, would that cross your mind to go out and do that, too?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Well, I wouldn’t — I wouldn’t be running. But I’d probably play very quickly, especially if I was first out on Sunday. Probably wouldn’t — yeah, I wouldn’t like being first out on a Sunday. So yeah, I’d probably play pretty fast, kind of like he did. Maybe not that quick.

Q. Do you think that could — say somebody goes lower than him, do you think that might build a bit of excitement, guys might start talking about it and wanting to go lower and it might become a thing?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don’t think so. But maybe some guys want to have that record. But it’s not one I’m looking for.

Q. I have actually two concerns, my question. Maybe you’re not the right guy to ask. Is there any specific type of fitness, able to play this sport? It’s a new sport in Saudi Arabia and nobody knows about the requirements to play this game. That’s the first one. Second, I used to be a billiard champion, and once I started playing, actual lifting weights and going to the gym, all my shots were shifted and I had to re-design all my shots again. Is it the same that applies to this kind of sport; that if you start playing — lifting weights or playing a different kind of sport, you need to readjust all your shots?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I don’t think so. There’s not a specific body type, either. If you look at the guy who is play, you know, there’s not a specific body type. And then also, lifting weights and playing, as long as you’re still — if you’re doing the right things, you know, I think if you just go to the gym and just lift weights, it could definitely hinder your game. But as long as you’re doing the right things in the gym and you continue to stretch and swing while you’re training, which is something that I do a lot, then it hasn’t really affected me. If anything, it’s helped.

Q. Pretty jam-packed season this year with the Olympics, The Ryder Cup. How important is it to get that schedule right? And is the goals Ryder Cup and represent the States in the Olympic Games?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, schedule is always a big part of your season. You sit down at the beginning of the year just to kind of schedule out to see, you know, what events fall where. You know, how you’re playing.

But everybody is different on the amount of events they like to play in a row or how many weeks they want to have off, when they need time off.

But yeah, it’s something that you constantly battle every year, making a good schedule that fits you. Yeah, obviously Olympic year is more difficult just because, you know, the way the schedule falls, and obviously it’s an extra tournament that’s in the season, so they moved some things around.

But yeah, obviously representing the United States in the Olympics is something that, you know, definitely be proud to do. But is it going to fit in the schedule properly? I’m not really sure about that, because there’s so many events that are right there and leading up to it. So you know, I’m still working with my team to figure out what’s the best thing for me to do.

TOM BENBOW: Thanks very much for joining us, Dustin. Best of luck this week.