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PGA Tour: Rickie Fowler Talks Title Defense at 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

PGA Tour professional Rickie Fowler speaks to the media prior to attempting to defend the title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

PGA Tour: Rickie Fowler speaks to the media prior to Waste Management Phoenix Open

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome our defending champion, Rickie Fowler, into the interview room. He’s making his 12th career start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Four Top-5S at this event. The first, Rickie, if we can get you to take us back to your win here last year. I know it was a special victory for you. Just talk about that win.

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, there’s definitely some spots that I would like to be a little different, but at the end of Sunday we were holding the trophy on the 18th green, so I was happy about that. I mean, this tournament, with the relationships I have here with the Thunderbirds and Waste Management, yeah, it was nice to finally get the win here. It was just a matter of time, how many times we have been in contention and had a chance. So yeah, nice to be back. Looks like good weather week and nice to be back as defending champion.

THE MODERATOR: Couple top-10s in three starts this season on TOUR. Just talk a little bit about your form coming into this week.

RICKIE FOWLER: I feel good. It was nice to get the calendar year started at Kapalua. That’s always a good thing, coming off of a season with a win. Really good start in the desert. American Express. Didn’t really get anything going on the weekend on the Stadium Course. It would have been nice if we were playing La Quinta and Nicklaus Course. I had those dialed in.

But, yeah, last week really couldn’t get anything to go in, so. That’s usually one of the stronger points of my game. And obviously, I’ve had a lot of good weeks of putting here, so it’s nice to be back in the desert and see some balls going in the hole and not lipping out or missing and bouncing around. So I’m looking forward to this week. But game feels good. I was able to get a lot of good work in. Got over in town on Saturday. A lot of work on Sunday, spent all yesterday with JT, John Tillery, up at Whisper Rock. And yeah, I feel like we’re in a really good spot, ready to go tee it up tomorrow afternoon.

THE MODERATOR: Let’s open it up to questions.

Q. Curious, what was the conversation like with Larry Fitzgerald today?
RICKIE FOWLER: We were just going back and forth talking some golf. And he’s a member down at Seminole, which is close to where I live in Florida. He hasn’t been out to see MJ’s new course yet, Grove 23, so we were talking little bit about that and him getting out there soon. We just talked a lot about golf. He loves to play anytime he gets. Sounds like he was heading to Florida in the next couple days, going to play some more, and then I think he’s playing next week in Pebble. But he’s impressive to watch. He’s gotten a lot better as a golfer in the last few years. He’s putting a lot of work in. And he’s just, he’s a fun guy to be around. First time I’ve really gotten to play with him, but I’ve been around him multiple times. And, no, he’s impressive both as an athlete and as a person.

Q. I wanted to talk about the message that you posted on Instagram about Kobe, his passing, and how it’s affecting you and how is it going to affect you going into this next tournament and beyond?
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, obviously, when freak things happen like that it makes you realize how precious life is, and I think that was kind of what I was talking about with Kobe. I really wish I would have had the opportunity to meet him and just be around him. I’m never someone that really asks a whole lot of questions. I just like to be around people and see how they go about things or how they treat other people, how they go about their business. But from all the stories I had heard and watching stuff, it just seemed like he was someone that lived every day like it was his last, never left anything out — he left everything on the court, whether it was practice, whether it was game. So someone that has had, obviously, a very impressive impact not just on one generation, but mine, kids still growing up now, a generation ahead of me. So to see someone like that, I mean, he’s a world icon. To have that kind of notoriety around the world, there’s very few people that really have that, especially in sports. So, no, I think he’s someone that everyone has either learned something from or can take from. I think another one was, I saw Timberlake posted a good one. He touched so many different walks of life, not just in sports. So I was bummed that I didn’t have the chance to spend any time around him. It’s just unfortunate.

Q. Along those lines, do you have any tributes planned for 16 or anything like that?
RICKIE FOWLER: Not necessarily. I mean, I think between all the players there’s going to be plenty. I don’t think Kobe needs any help as far as tributes go. I’m sure I’ll add some stuff here and there. I know Puma had asked about adding some stuff to hats or shoes or something like that, and I may just scribble something on there. We’ll kind of go with what it feels like at that moment, what to do. But, yeah, I don’t think Kobe’s going to struggle with support from fans and people around the world. He did his job. He’s pretty accomplished and very well respected.

Q. Secondly, I was looking back to last year and the win here, I guess what would be a successful year for you this year? How would you define it?
RICKIE FOWLER: For me, a multiple-win year. That’s really where my goals start. It’s not necessarily cuts made or top-10s, Top-5s. I want wins. So that’s what would define a successful year. So got to start with the first one and go from there. But a multiple-win season would be nice. Obviously, make one of those a major and it’s a really good year.

Q. You’ve been making some swing adjustments recently. Can you talk a little bit about the biggest change or the change that’s made the most impact on your game so far?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, it’s been a lot of work. I’ve been at it for a few months now. It’s just kind of getting back to maybe some old sequencing or getting the body to work properly. It’s been pretty simple, just because it’s more so focusing on how the lower body’s working a little bit more, when it’s firing, when it’s not, and how it’s stabilizing throughout the swing. So I think more — the hardest part has just been getting the, which feel or kind of cue for me gets what we want the lower body to do or not to do. So it’s a little, I mean, I could go into a lot more detail. I don’t want to be here that long. I get to go sign for some kids here shortly, and we have had a decent amount of time at the course today. But no, it’s a lot more body-related versus just trying to get the club in certain positions. If I do the stuff properly with the body, especially the lower body, it then basically puts the club into the position that the body’s telling it to be.

Q. It is less timing-based? And how are those changes coming along and what are you currently focused on?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yes, it’s less timing-based, but at the same time, it’s kind of all around timing. Maybe less timing as far as hands and trying to time up when the hands and the club head are meeting the ball and what the hands are doing through impact. But a lot of it is trying to make it very symmetrical as far as if you saw me a little bit maybe hands hip high on takeaway versus just past impact hands at hip height, you wouldn’t really be able to — they should look very similar. So the timing of when I’m hitting the ball and when I’m taking the club away should be matching up pretty much on point, if you were to set a metronome. So, yeah, a different way of talking about timing. But, yes, taking the hands out of it to where it’s much more body-driven.

Q. I think Gary Woodland has been asked more about Amy than about winning the U.S. Open in the past year. Just wondering how many times have you seen that video of her and have you met Amy or had any conversations with her?
RICKIE FOWLER: I haven’t. She seems like a fun, special person. I think that was, I mean that might be the video of the decade last year or was that two years ago?

Q. Last year.
RICKIE FOWLER: Last year, sorry. I feel like — I mean, I watched it so many times it feels like two years ago. When you see the highlights of it and when the video first came out it made — I mean, it was just so cool. And to have someone like Gary in that moment with her, it was awesome. I mean, he’s a good friend, great guy, and to see how like genuine it was between the two of them, his reactions, Amy just going crazy there on 16. No, I think it was one of the coolest moments with a player and a fan of golf really that has ever been kind of put together.

Q. I liked the way she waved him off, “I got this.”
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah.

Q. “You need me to help you with this? No, I got this.”
RICKIE FOWLER: She has plenty of confidence from what I’ve seen.

THE MODERATOR: All right, Rickie Fowler, best of luck this week.

RICKIE FOWLER: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

January 29, 2020

Scottsdale, Arizona

Categories
Team Spain

PGA Tour: Jon Rahm Talks About Potentially Being Number One in The OWGR Prior to The Waste Management Phoenix Open

PGA Professional Jon Rahm speaks to the media ahead of the start of the Waste Management Phoenix Open about potentially becoming the worlds number one ranked golfer with a victory.

PGA Tour: Jon Rahm talks to the media ahead of the Waste Management Phoenix Open

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Jon Rahm to the interview room here at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. This is a bit of a home game for you. You went to ASU, still live here. What’s it like to be playing at home this week and be back here playing in Phoenix.

JON RAHM: Always fun. I mean, I would say for a lot of people, I mean, I would say for me it’s probably if not the most, one of the most, one of the best atmospheres in golf. It’s unique. There’s nothing quite like it. You have more people in the pro-am day here than a lot of tournaments get all week. So that shows a lot of the fans that come to this event and how fun it is. You got the 16th hole and even though it feels like that’s just stretching, the last three holes basically feel like they’re completely enclosed. It’s just a fun event, great golf course, always in great shape, so I’m always looking forward to it, especially sleeping in my own bed. That’s always a real bonus on a week like this.

THE MODERATOR: In second last week and then won the start before that. How are you feeling about your game coming into this week?

JON RAHM: I’m feeling good. Last week was a really good week for being as uncomfortable as I was off the tee, being able to manage myself around and kind of salvage what started as a really bad day. So battled hard. I’m going to learn a lot from that experience and as simple as that. Today, it’s a new week, new tournament and just looking forward.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions, please.

Q. You’ve got a chance to become world No. 1 for the first time with a win this week. I wondered how much is that a motivation or how big a goal is that for you?
JON RAHM: Yeah, actually, I found that out 10 minutes ago. I had no idea. A little surprised. I mean, I have been playing really, really good golf and especially since that U.S. Open, just missed one cut, and for the better part of the tournaments I play, I pretty much I’ve had a chance to win or finish top-10. It’s been a really good stretch of golf. But, yeah, like always, as I said many times, being No. 1 in the world, it’s a consequence of good golf. So I got to take care of business this week and it’s not going to change my mindset. Obviously, it’s a goal in every player’s, I believe, mind to be No. 1 in the world, and it is a goal of mine at some point, but I still got things to do to, take care of every day and make the right putts and hit the right shots for that to really happen. So I’m just going to focus on what I have to do starting tomorrow.

Q. What would it mean to accomplish that goal here in your hometown?
JON RAHM: To be honest, I just, you know, it’s such a fun event that I really want to win, so I’m trying to focus more on that. But if I were to do both, you know, I mean, it would be really special. You don’t really get to choose where you do it but, yeah, it would be quite a unique experience to be able to share it here and knowing that I have a week off to properly celebrate it after on Sunday. But like I said, it’s a consequence of good play. It would be a consequence of me winning this week, so that’s what I got to take care of. I got to stay focused and like I said, keep hitting the ball good and make the putts and hopefully hold the trophy and be back here on Sunday and you can ask me how it feels again.

Q. Maybe I’m wrong, but does it sound like, has it ever been a goal of yours or is it — being No. 1?
JON RAHM: Of course. Of course. Yeah. It is. I mean, I wouldn’t be doing this if my goal wasn’t to be the best. It’s as simple as that. I tee it up to win every time, I practice to be the best I can be, and hopefully the best I can be takes me to No. 1 at some point.

Q. Can you talk about your memories of this event, like coming here as an amateur, and then from there to now?
JON RAHM: Well, I’ve played good pretty much every year, and the first year, obviously, being extremely different. You come here as an amateur and I tee off on 10 and from 10 to 15 all I can think of was 16. That’s probably why I was 4-over par. I could not focus whatsoever on what I was doing. I was just completely scared of 16 and getting booed. And yeah, I hit probably one of the worse pitching wedges I’ve hit in my life, made a good up-and-down, and that’s what got things going, and after that, that’s about as much fun as I’ve had on a golf course really ever, right? I mean, go from college events, some amateur events that gets some people on the golf course. I did play Mayakoba before, but it just doesn’t have room for big crowds.

And then to play here Saturday, being out there with Brandt Snedeker and Keegan Bradley and just having a big group, it was unique. And to actually have the support I had from being an ASU alumni and then every year after that it feels like the crowd has gotten to know me a little bit more and more and more. And even this year, the support I’m feeling this year, it’s quite unique. But every time I come back it’s like, I feel like it’s back to 2015 again. I feel the same way. It’s just such a joyful week for me, so much fun, and it’s great to have the home crowd support.

Q. You posted an emotional tribute to Kobe on Instagram the other day. I want to get your thoughts as the first tournament back since his passing and how it’s going to affect you going forward.
JON RAHM: Well, I tried to express my mind as much as possible in that video. I’ve told many times — not many people know this, but I’ve told some of my closest friends, I mean, I’ve been asked before if there was one person in this world that I would love to talk to, because I idolized him so much, I’ve read everything about him, seen everything about him, read his books, it would have been Kobe Bryant. And I actually have a friend who was friends with him who was, it was going to be a possibility, we were talking about possibly meeting the week of L.A. or next week. And just how much he’s impacted my life. He’s, him and Rafa Nadal are two of the people that I really lean on to try to improve my behavior and the way I’ve, I come through sometimes on the golf course and I’ve seen a lot of their stuff and how they think and how they portray themselves and it’s just so sad. I mean, and not only him, there was nine people on that helicopter. There was three teenagers that didn’t get to live full lives. There was, I think that one of the teenagers’ parents, who also have two other kids, those kids missed, are never going to see their sister and parents again. And I think there was another, an assistant coach, a mom of three, and obviously, the other people in the helicopter, right, it’s an incredible tragedy. I know a lot of people are just focusing on Kobe, and I did mention that in the video, but you can’t forget there’s many other families affected. And to me it’s just, I think a lot of us take for granted how much of a blessing it is to walk out the other side of your front door and just come back the same night. You never know what’s going to happen, you never know what could happen. And that’s why we got to live our life to the fullest. We all have an expiration date. Unfortunately, we don’t know when it is and that’s why you got to live every day like it is your last and just try to enjoy it as much as possible.

Q. You played with Michael Phelps today. Can you talk about what you think about him as an athlete and how was playing golf with him today?
JON RAHM: I would say he’s way too flexible to play golf. That’s what I can say. He is, he’s super nice. We’re members at the same golf course and we had a really fun group going on, so it was a really fun day. But when it comes to athlete, I mean, he’s the most decorated Olympian of all time. It’s crazy. And he has to be up there in the conversation with many greats of the greatest athlete of all time. What he’s done for, I mean, competing in as many Olympic teams as he’s been and to do all he’s done, I mean, I don’t know how many medals does he have? 25? 26? I know in the 20s in gold as well. It’s ridiculous. I know they have maybe more events or athletes competing, but to be at that level at every single one of those events and to be able to win every single one of the events one year, it’s absolutely mind blowing. I don’t think a lot of times people appreciate some of what these Olympians accomplish because we only hear about it every four years. But I mean, he’s, if he’s not the greatest Olympian of all time, I don’t know who is. I got to say. It’s, and he’s got to be really, really the discussion of greatest athlete of all time could not be had without him in mind. It’s unbelievable what he’s done. And it was nice to see him have fun and enjoy life. And his wife was there with the kid and it was just a fun day and it’s nice to see somebody like him just have a normal day and enjoy, if you can call a pro-am at the Phoenix Open a normal day.

Q. So with your chances of being an Olympian this year, how much of an emphasis is that?
JON RAHM: Yeah, it’s great, because I never grew up with that being a goal of mine because golf wasn’t in the Olympics. But four years ago we got enough to be introduced. And as an athlete, I know I’ve said it before, I don’t think it’s got the, maybe the validity or the level, that other sports have to have a gold medal in golf just because it’s so new, but it will get to that point. And to be an athlete to have a gold medal, I don’t think there’s anything better than that. There’s not many things that you can say that would be a better feeling than to say you have a good medal from the Olympics. You’re and Olympian and you’re a gold medalist. It’s a very select group of people that can say that in human history. So it’s, now, it’s definitely a goal and I hope it can be there in Tokyo and fight for it.

Q. You mentioned earlier your recent results and the fact that it hasn’t been a few weeks, but this is really seven or eight months in the making, going back to Pebble Beach and there was so much discussion at the end of last season focused on Brooks and Rory and the Player of the Year debate. Do you feel at all like your results and your performance recently has gotten a little loss in that shuffle?
JON RAHM: The only reason why I mention that is because I just saw it on the TV, so that’s why it’s in my mind. I would say I’ve been playing great golf for the last three years. You got Brooks winning Majors PLAYERS, WGC’s, Tournament Of Champions — sorry, TOUR Championship — you know, it’s, it’s of course they’re going to be in that conversation. I’ve just been incredibly consistent for three years and I’ve been able to win some events on the European Tour that maybe in the U.S. can be overlooked or forgotten about as well, so that’s why I’m showing my face over there right now. But it is not my job to put myself in the discussions. Like I said, my goal is to go out there and beat them all and that’s what I’m trying to do.

Q. I was told by D.J. Gregory that he was walking with you this week. I don’t know, I’m sure you know his story and all that. Just how much can that inspire you in a given round or just in general does his inspiration, how much his story inspires you?
JON RAHM: You know, it reminds me a lot of what Kobe would talk about. We all are trying to be the best version — we should be trying to be the best version of ourselves and trying to inspire others. And D.J.’s definitely doing that. I mean, a lot of people don’t even walk 18 holes and he has a hard time walking and he walks all 18 of them on every single golf course, every single week of a year, it’s unbelievable, I see him everywhere. And that’s actually, this year I asked to see if we could have him, I could help him out more than one tournament, just because I really believe in what he does. It’s quite unique and how many people he’s helping out. And, I mean, I hope I make a lot of birdies so we can donate as much as possible, because it’s a worthy cause, it’s something else to play for, which is always a nice thing. It’s, it’s, I can’t think — I’m thinking in Spanish right now — when it’s, when it’s something, like it’s a fundraising thing or you’re donating for a good cause, it’s, I mean, it’s always a special feeling. I’m lucky, I’m really lucky to be 25 years old and to do what I love for a living and luckily earn more than I need to live my life. So if I can share that with the people that can actually make a difference in this world and hopefully at some point start making my own difference in this world, I’m going to do it. So it’s nice to have somebody like DJ focusing on golf and doing what he does and hopefully, like I said, hopefully I can make a whole lot of birdies out there.

Q. One last one, on playing 16 — and Gary asked this to Justin earlier. The difference between if you play it in the spring or fall to this week and just how seismic a shift that is from when there are no grand stands to when there is and all the factors you then have to evaluate as well.
JON RAHM: Well, the grand stands and the atmosphere turn what is relatively a simple hole — I would never hit probably, unless it’s windy day, for me it would be no more than an 8-iron to the back, maybe a pitching wedge to the front if I’m feeling, particularly swinging good that day. It will be a par-3 where on any other course or even in a PGA TOUR event without the grand stands would just be average people looking or watching, you’re probably looking to at least go even par on that hole. Just because of the atmosphere and how you get full of adrenaline and how hard it is to control that sometimes, I don’t know about other people, I will take 3s all day for the rest of my career and I’ll be perfectly happy with that, honestly, play that hole even par forever, I’ll take it. Because it make it that much harder. It’s not just the fact that you’re in a semi-stadium, it’s how pumped up you are and how far you can hit the ball. I can’t believe how many times I’ve gone with, I’m going to hit an easy nine, and completely just flush it way over the pin just because you can’t control what’s going on. It’s one of the few shots in golf where I can’t hear when I make contact with the ball, just because of the noise around it and how unique it is. But it’s fun, I mean it’s one of the main reasons why probably people come here to play, just to experience that hole, and I wish there was more of it.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in, best of luck this week.

JON RAHM: Thank you.

January 29, 2020

Scottsdale, Arizona

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

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

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.

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

Categories
Team USA

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

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.

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

Categories
Team USA

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

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.

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

Categories
Team USA

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

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.

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

Categories
Team Ireland

European Tour: Shane Lowry Talks Debut at 2020 Saudi International

PGA Tour and European tour professional Shane Lowry speaks to the media ahead of the 2020 Saudi International about possible new premier golf league, the olympics, and current state of his game heading into this week.

European Tour: Shane Lowry speaks with the media prior to making Saudi International debut

STEVE TODD: Shane, thanks for joining us. Your debut in this event after the inaugural event last year. I know you got a chance to have a look at the golf course yesterday here at Royal Greens. Just give us your initial impressions of it, having played nine holes.

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, it’s very good. You know, I didn’t know what to expect coming here. It’s very much a Middle East-style golf course, and something that I like the look of it straightaway. It’s in great condition.

You know, hopefully I can go out and play well, but I do really like the look of the golf course, and as I said, it’s in absolutely perfect condition. So I’m looking forward to it.

STEVE TODD: You mentioned Middle East golf courses, you’ve played a lot around the Middle East and have a great deal of success. How much do you enjoy that style of golf.

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, I’ve done well in obviously Abu Dhabi, Race to Dubai, played okay in the Desert Classic the last couple of years. Yeah, it’s the type of golf that I like. The wind picks up here in the afternoon, which would suit me a little bit, as well. It is a type of golf that I do enjoy playing. It’s perfect weather and perfect condition golf course. You wouldn’t want to be playing anywhere else. It’s just perfect. It’s ideal, yeah.

STEVE TODD: And quick word on the game, Hong Kong, and solid week last week, as well, to come into this week.

SHANE LOWRY: Obviously I got off to a great start in Hong Kong after a long break and didn’t know what to expect. Then came to Abu Dhabi, and I sort of had a mental error on the last hole and missed the cut out of nowhere.

I felt, to be honest, last Sunday morning, just looking at last week, I finished 11th, probably would have liked to finish better, but any Sunday morning you’re sitting there eating your breakfast and feel like you have a chance to win the tournament is a good day.

Yeah, I feel like my form is okay, and hoping to do all right this week and pick up a few more World Ranking points, Ryder Cup points.

Q. You faced a couple of really tough tests in the first two events of the Middle East swing. How does this compare to those? Is it quite nice, even if it is a little easier than those two, the rough in particular?
SHANE LOWRY: I only played the back nine yesterday, and it’s obviously to the going to be as penal as Dubai was last week. I mean, that was fairly brutal how that course was set up. Brutal as in hard, not bad.

I think this golf course will obviously play a little easier, but there’s a few spots you can find yourself in a bit of trouble like, a few run-offs into the water and stuff like that, run-offs into the desert. When you don’t know a golf course, you need to figure it out fairly quickly and where the misses are.

But hopefully, obviously it won’t be as hard of scoring as last week, but it will be similar. I think it will be like similar to Abu Dhabi, sort of mid teens probably win around near, I don’t know, to be honest.

Q. Last week, the consensus it was brutal but people seemed to enjoy playing how the course was set up?
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, I just think we got to Sunday — if the wind didn’t blow as hard as it did Sunday, it would have been a perfect week. I think it was just a little bit brutal on Sunday. Too, with me going out, I thought if I could shoot 3- or 4-under, I would win the tournament, and it did suit the guys coming from behind. It didn’t suit the leaders at all.

Yeah, it was set up — it was fairly hard last week, not what we are used to in Dubai. So I think that’s kind of what threw everyone at start of the week. But it was good. It was a good test of golf.

Q. Having a good friend out there in the practice round yesterday, how good is it to see Cormac Sharvin on the Tour, and another Irishman there, as well?
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, it’s great. When I started on Tour there, was 12 Irish on Tour, and now obviously there’s not as many. It’s great to see him here. Obviously his nephew is my caddie, so there’s a bit of added interest there.

I played with him for the first time at Lahinch last year in a practice round. I was very impressed. Impressed again yesterday. Even we played with Martin yesterday, and me and Martin talked about him last night and Martin was impressed with him. Hopefully he’s got a bright future and he can get his season off to a good start this week and maybe have a good year and I suppose make The Race to Dubai or something would be a good season.

Q. We talked to a couple guys yesterday about the Olympics. I know it’s a long way off and I know the schedule is kind of brutal, but what does the Olympics mean to you, and would you ever conceive for yourself skipping if you were to qualify?
SHANE LOWRY: Well, I skipped last one. I got a bit of stick for that.

No, it’s fully in my schedule this year. I mean, I’m not guaranteed on the team yet, but it would take a really good season for someone to pass me. My flight’s booked. I’m due to fly out the Wednesday after The Open and go to the Opening Ceremony and hopefully play.

I think what it means to — look, I’d be sitting here right now, this year, sort of the second Olympics, does it mean more than the majors? Probably not. But I do see it down the line being a big thing in golf. But the thing is for me, being Irish, we don’t win many Gold Medals at the Olympics. So I think that’s one kind of goal that I have in my head; that I think it would be incredible to bring a Gold Medal back to Ireland. That’s kind of the way I’m going about it this year.

I think the Olympics will grow, and golf will grow in the Olympics and I think in 20, 30 years’ time, I think it will be huge. It will be like a fifth major I think.

But right now, you know, some people would say that the majors are probably, you know, a little bit more important, but because we play — we have the four majors. We are very lucky. We have four majors every year. Look, we’ve got 20, I play between 25 and 30 events every year, but the other Olympic athletes, they are training for four years for one thing. So that’s not the way we go about our business.

We never grew up. I never grew up dreaming of winning an Olympic Gold Medal, but it just kind of got — we got thrown into it a few years ago, and now it’s a reality. So it will be pretty cool to go out there and see what it like and hopefully come back with a medal for Ireland.

Q. The reason four years ago?
SHANE LOWRY: I did get a lot of stick for it, but the whole Zika virus thing. It was funny, myself and my wife, we had just got married and we were trying for a baby. Honestly the day before we went to, I had to make my decision, and the day before we made the decision, she found out she was pregnant. She was only five weeks pregnant at the time, and we didn’t want to take any sort of chance at all. Now we’ve got a healthy and happy little girl. No Olympic medal can match that.

Q. Did you feel it was unfair on you at that time to get that stick? A lot of guys were being accused of using the Zika virus as a convenient excuse?
SHANE LOWRY: I got accused of that, and it was a genuine excuse for me. But look, I think the way I go about my business, I don’t worry about what other people think. I just made the decision for me and my family, and that was the biggest thing for me.

Lowry Talks New Golf Tour

Q. A lot of talk about a proposed new world golf tour. What are your thoughts?
SHANE LOWRY: I genuinely don’t know anything about it. Obviously I’ve heard the rumbling about it, people talking about it, a little bit about it. But I genuinely don’t know anything about it.

It would be hard to sit here and talk about anything to do with that. I’m a European Tour and PGA Tour player. That’s what I am, and who knows what’s going to happen, but I don’t know much about it to be honest.

Q. Do you feel golf needs a shake-up or are you a traditionalist?
SHANE LOWRY: I’m very much a traditionalist. I don’t like — I don’t see new formats or anything like that being a way to go about golf.

I think golf is a great game. We’re very lucky to do what we do for a living and we’re very lucky to be involved in such a great game and such a great history. I love golf the way it is, and I’m happy with that.

Q. Can I just ask from a local point of view, this is obviously second Saudi International, and a lot of people are coming for the first time. Is it refreshing to come to a new places like this?
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, look, it’s always cool and interesting to come to new places. I find The European Tour is always like that. You always go to different place, see different cultures. It is pretty cool to come to a new place and see what it’s like.

Coming here, you don’t know what to expect, and it’s been really nice so far. I’ve enjoyed my time so far here.

Q. Going back to the question of the proposed new tour, do you think you would get 48 people who are not traditionalists and very happy to take off with that, or not?
SHANE LOWRY: I don’t know. It depends what people are talking about, as well. I just don’t know. Like we’re very fortunate to play in the tournaments we play in, and for the purses and the opportunities to win big tournaments. It’s just hard to tell.

Look, there’s obviously a certain — the top of world golf is very strong at the minute. So I mean, I think you’d need those guys first, but I just don’t know if you get 48 players.

Q. Do you think perhaps people ought to be more satisfied with what they have got? You’re talking about it as if it’s all very precious, but do you think maybe —
SHANE LOWRY: What do you mean by —

Q. You’re very happy with the tours you’ve got and you’re very grateful for what you’ve got.
SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, look, I always say it. I’m very lucky to do what I do for a living and I love doing it. I’m very lucky to be able to provide for my family very well that way, and I think, you know, that’s the way I look at it. So I mean, I don’t know, do we need something else? I don’t know. I don’t think so. You know, right now, I’m very happy doing what I’m doing. So you know, yeah, I don’t know what else to say. I’m just very happy the way it is now. There’s nothing else I can say.

Q. Is there one thing you would change?
SHANE LOWRY: In golf?

Q. On the tours you play?
SHANE LOWRY: No. Like I say, golf’s a great game. We’re very fortunate to do — I keep saying it; we’re very fortunate to do what we do. But even you look at today, go out and playing in the Pro-Am, what other sport in the world can you go out with the sponsors the of the tournament and actually play the same golf course the day before the event? You know, stuff like that, you just can’t do in other sports. That’s why I think golf is a great game. People of all standards, age, sizes get involved and play with other people. That’s why I love the same.

Q. Sorry to come back to the professional golf tour. Right now, I think everything — years ago, people spoke about the WGCs — if 20 years from now, the majors — they have survived for more than a hundred years, and WGCs are catching up, maybe something new like this, obviously we can’t expect everything to be the way it is forever.
SHANE LOWRY: I genuinely think golf’s majors will always be the biggest thing like. I really do. I think they will always be the be all end and all for the players. That’s just the way it is. Like you said, they have stood the test of time for many years and I think they will for many more.

Obviously the WGCs have come on board and they have become quite big, and there’s obviously a lot of other big tournaments. But at the end of the day, if you win a major, you’ve hit a different level than you were at. Yeah, I don’t think that will ever change.

STEVE TODD: Shane, thanks for joining us.

January 29, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team Spain

European Tour: Sergio Garcia Speaks to Media Ahead of The Saudi International

European Tour professional Sergio Garcia speaks with the media ahead of the Saudi International about the current state of his game and his favorite memories of Kobe Bryant.

European Tour: Sergio Garcia speaks with the media before the Saudi International

Q. Just describe the quality of these events?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, they are really good I think, and they get better every year. We’re excited for this beautiful swing that we have and excited to be back here in Saudi to hopefully have an amazing week and really enjoy.

Q. What does it mean to support these events, in a new country like Saudi Arabia?
SERGIO GARCIA: I think it’s very important. At the end of the day, we are trying to globalise the game of golf as much as possible and bring it to everywhere we can. To come to new places like Saudi Arabia and some others around the world, it’s important and they want to see us play. They don’t get to do it too often, so it’s good to be a part of it.

Q. Does it bring an added ingredient in the quality of the field this week?
SERGIO GARCIA: I mean, I think we seem to get great fields these three weeks in the Middle East. That’s obviously a job well done because it’s not easy to get the quality of the players that we have week-in, week-out. Everyone should be very proud of that, and you know, it obviously makes it an even better tournament.

Q. What improvements have you seen?
SERGIO GARCIA: It definitely seem like the course, it kind of settled down a little bit. Everything seems like it’s a bit more mature, everything: The tees, the greens, everything seems like it’s less grainy and definitely faster than they were last year. It looks really good, and you know, it just comes down to us to put on a good show.

Q. In time, do you feel it can establish itself as a world-class event and venue?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, I mean, I think it’s already halfway there. You know, to be able to get the quality of players that they have had the first two years, it’s not an easy thing to do. I think they are really trying hard to make it a great event, and I think it’s definitely on its way.

Q. How is your game coming into this week?
SERGIO GARCIA: Feels pretty good. I feel like the first two weeks, they have been pretty solid. Obviously a couple things here and there that, you know, beginning of the year, kind of getting used to some of the new equipment and stuff like that. But overall, I’ve seen a lot of good things. Some things that obviously need to improve on, but you know, overall, it’s been positive.

Q. What do you feel those are?
SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I think that at the end of the day, consistency obviously needs to be a little bit better than it has been. But overall, I feel like the short game has been quite solid for both weeks. Hopefully we’ll keep — obviously we’re working hard on it and we’ll keep on that same momentum here this week. You know, it’s just a matter of kind of keep grinding and keep improving on every aspect of the game that we can.

Q. Kobe Bryant’s passing, what are your memories of him?
SERGIO GARCIA: Unfortunately I can’t recall meeting him. Obviously we’re different brands. You know, I remember watching him, so many games on TV, and the way he played. He was just an amazing basketball player. Just a great sportsman and a true legend of the game. It’s very sad for him to pass. He’s just a year and a half older than me, so it kind of putts things into perspective a little bit. You know, you feel terrible for not only his family, but the families of everyone else that was in that helicopter.

Q. Living in the States for a number of years, how influential a character was he over there?
SERGIO GARCIA: Oh, he was very influential for sure. He did so many amazing things, not only on the court, but you know, obviously off the court and even winning an Oscar.

So obviously, you know, he moved a lot of people and a lot of people were huge fans of his. So it’s a big loss, but you know, unfortunately these things happen.

Q. Being at the top of the sport as he was, did he inspire you?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, I think that every time you watch a sports man like him, it does inspire you, even if it’s not in your own game. So when I watch Ronaldo or Messi or some of the greats? Football, they inspire me, and when I watch Rafa and Roger and Djokovic and all those guys in tennis, any sport that you watch, it’s inspiring to see someone at a level like that.

January 28, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

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

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?

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.

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?

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.

January 28, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Team USA

European Tour: Brooks Koepka Talks Controversial Saudi International

PGA Tour professional Brooks Koepka talks to the media ahead of the start of the controversial Saudi International tournament about his recent return from injury, relationship with Kobe Bryant and the new Premiere Golf league.

European Tour: Brooks Koepka speaks with the media prior to Saudi International

STEVE TODD: Pleased to welcome Brooks Koepka back to the interview room. Brooks obviously you played in the inaugural event last year. Just give us your thoughts on being back here at Royal Greens this week and having seen the back nine today, your thoughts on the course and how it’s developed.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s gotten a lot better than it was last year. Any time you can give a course an extra year to really develop, you’re going to see the progression of it. The greens are a lot faster. The rough’s a lot thicker. It’s settled in nicely.

I’ve only played nine holes, but it looks incredible shape just as it was last year, just a little more settled in, which will be different. You never know what the scores could be. A few greens are a little firmer and faster, and if the wind gets up like it usually does in the afternoon, it might be a different story this year. You don’t know.

STEVE TODD: And you made your return from injury in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago. Give us a sense of what you’ve been doing in the period over in Dubai and your thoughts on the game coming into this week.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Just practised all week. I had three months off, so there was no point in having a holiday or a vacation. It was more of a work thing. Just got the game ready. Felt good in Abu Dhabi. Felt good in Dubai. Feels good here.

Just a matter of going out and executing. I played just fine, great shots in Abu Dhabi. Just didn’t score and that’s my own fault. Just coming here to try to figure it out and put some scores together, put some rounds together, and yeah, try to eliminate some mistakes.

Q. You put out quite an emotional Tweet after the dental of Kobe Bryant, posting that message. Can you talk about that message? Was it personal to you — it referred to injury recovery?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, he sent that to Gordon Hayward when he destroyed his leg about two years ago, with the Celtics. He sent it to him and I remember reading it and thinking, wow, that was pretty cool.

My wrist, I had it in the background of my phone every day. So it was something, his words were what I looked at every day, or every time I looked at my phone, which I think everybody knows is about 20, 30 times a day, if not more. Just pick it apart, see different things. It kind of helped me understand that it’s okay to be upset. Okay, I don’t want to say I was depressed, but you get pretty down, and just the fact that it’s okay to be down and figure it out and actually grow and enjoy the process. Because it sucks at the time, but what’s going to come out in the end is going to be a whole lot better and it makes you appreciate everything and look at it different.

Q. What stands out to you about him?
BROOKS KOEPKA: To me, I was a Lakers fan because of him. I kind of missed the Jordan era, so anybody I think my age was a big, big Kobe fan. I mean, I cried, I cried that night. I’ve never met him, but I cried for him, you know, just for him, his family and everybody that was golfed. I guess goosebumps now thinking about it. I just can’t imagine those last — you know, those last few seconds, having to hold your daughter and not know and not see the rest of your family again. Made you really appreciate life and what you have, and golf’s a stupid game that we just play. It’s really not that important. I know everybody likes to think it is, but it’s not. Your family, your friends, everybody around you; the impact you might have on other people is way more important than what I do out here and what I shoot. If I shoot 80 tomorrow, or I guess Thursday, or 60, it doesn’t matter.

Q. There’s been a lot of talk the last few days about this proposed Premiere Golf League. Can you give us your thoughts on what you’ve scene or heard? I know there was talk, an e-mail from Jay Monahan to the players. Have you had a chance to look at that and your thoughts on that?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I saw the e-mail last night before I was going to bed. We’ve heard talks about it for a while. I was only brought up-to-date, I think on January 4th where it was more of — instead of hearing about it for a couple years, okay, I think this might actually happen. I just don’t have enough information on it, I really don’t. I’m always going to speak my mind and tell you what I think, and I think everybody in this room knows that, but I just couldn’t know enough to genuinely have an opinion or know — know enough to speak on it. So I’m kind of — don’t really — I don’t really have much to say on it because I don’t know all the facts.

Q. Is the Tour response how you think it would be in terms of what Jay said to the players?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, I mean, what do you think their response is going to be when something comes along the way? We’ll see. I have no idea. This is all basically a month old for me when I realised that, okay, well, this could be a possibility. I don’t know.

When I know all the details, I’ll be happy to sit in front of you guys and talk to you about it.

Q. Along the same line, I know there’s not one thing that would sell you on leaving the PGA Tour and doing this, but if you had a list of things that you would like to see differently on the Tour, is there anything?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, it would start with pace of play, so that was good. I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about a bunch of things I would change.

I think field size. I think I would shorten the field size a little bit because there are times where it’s very difficult to finish, especially in the fall for those couple tournaments.

Smaller field size, yeah, that’s what I got off the top of my head. That’s actually a really good question. If you give me a day to think about it, I’ll give you an answer.

Q. Would continued access to major championships be the absolute deal breaker?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, that’s obviously — there’s a lot of things that are going to have to play into it. In golf, that’s what you’re remembered by, major championships. You know, it just depends on how things go. So far, I haven’t even thought about it. I mean, the Olympics is still even new. You know, it not something I grew up wanting to do. Golf wasn’t in the Olympics. It was never an option. So kind of don’t know how I feel about that.

And then, you know, major championships are how you’re remembered. It’s not — I know everybody always gives me grief about not winning enough PGA Tour events or European Tour or not winning enough, but I said this a couple weeks ago, I guarantee most of you in here don’t even know how many regular tour events Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson; you just know how many majors they won. At the end of the day, that’s how you’re remembered by in golf.

It’s a big part for me, and see where it goes. I mean, things are, I guess, developing, even as we speak. When things are more finalised and kind of put in stone and I understand it and I exactly know where things are falling, then I’ll be probably one of the first ones to make a choice or figure out what I’m going to do.

Q. You mentioned the Olympics, and you’ve seen what’s happened with Justin Rose having a Gold Medal. Can you think about that for a second and if you think now if the Olympics are maybe as important as a major to you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Because it’s so new, I don’t — no, I don’t think it is, just because it’s so new. I think it’s an incredible honour. You ask most athletes that are running 100 metres, gymnastics, anything like that, that they wait four years for that.

We have four majors a year. Track, you’ve got indoors and outdoor championships, different things like that, but that’s their big event, the Olympics, and it only comes around every four years. Golf, we’ve got four majors every year, and now we’re going to add the Olympics and you’ve got The Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup, plus the FedExCup for us, and that’s a lot of weeks on the road, a lot of weeks traveling back and forth, a lot of time zones.

You know, it just all kind of depends how you feel, how your body feels, whether — to me, the four majors are definitely more important for me. The FedExCup, too. That’s pretty — that’s a goal of mine. We’ll see where everything else falls.

Q. I understand, Brooks, that you see the majors as more important, but your Asian colleagues on Tour probably don’t, do they, and they think so much more so about trying to win golf in the Olympics. I wonder if in 20 years or so as the Asian players coming on at the moment, if an Olympic medal will mean every bit as much as a major around the world?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Everyone’s allowed to have their own opinion. If it’s more important to them, that’s great. If it’s more important — I’m sure it’s more important to some people that are playing this week. It’s their own opinion.

I mean, I’m sitting up here giving you opinions. I mean, you’re asking me my opinion, so I gave it to you.

Q. No, I’m very grateful to have your opinion. I’m just wondering what — you do speak to your Asian colleagues about what they value more.
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I haven’t spoken to anybody, really, about the Olympics. I’ve spoken to other Olympic athletes. I don’t speak to guys out here on Tour about the Olympics. I don’t. It’s just they are my competitors. I don’t really talk to them. I don’t hang out with them. I don’t ask them, hey, you know, thinking of playing the Olympics in seven months, a year, four years?

Q. I find that quite interesting. Thank you.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Got other things to talk about.

STEVE TODD: Brooks, thanks a lot, thanks for joins us. Good luck this week.

January 28, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports