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PGA Tour: Cameron Smith press conference after Players Championship win

Cameron Smith talks about his win at the Players Championship (Foto Getty)
Cameron Smith talks about his win at the Players Championship (Foto Getty)

After his Players Championship victory Cameron Smith answered the journalists’ questions at the following press conference. He spoke about the significance of the victory for him and what influence his family had on it.

STEWART MOORE: Cam Smith, 2022 PLAYERS champion. Thank you for joining us here in the interview room. Quite a long week here at TPC Sawgrass and certainly a roller coaster of a final round for you today.

Maybe just some opening comments on the victory and thoughts on the week.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it was obviously a long week. Yeah, today I think I just kind of held in there today. Lots of birdies, kept staying aggressive, kept trying to make birdies, and went through a little bit of a lull there in the middle, I guess.

And yeah, just bounced back really nice and proud of the way I hung in there.

Q. What was your heart doing when the ball was in the air going towards the flag at 17? What was your heart doing when the ball was going towards the water on 18? And could you explain hitting driver on 18.

CAMERON SMITH: I mean, on 17 I hit a really good shot. The wind didn’t quite hit it as much as what I thought it was going to. Kind of left it alone there for a long time and just kind of helped me out there at the end.

I’d be lying if I said I was aiming there. I was probably aiming 10 feet left of that. But still wanted to stay aggressive, still wanted to make birdie.

18, just a hole for me that doesn’t really suit my eye. I like to work the ball left to right off the tee. That’s where I feel comfortable, and I feel as though I can’t hit that shot down there. Just haven’t quite figured that hole out.

Driver, just because I just wanted to get it down there as far as I could basically. If it did turn over, I was going to have a short shot in, and it just didn’t quite turn over.

Q. The punch-out, did you think it was going to get to the water when you hit it?

CAMERON SMITH: No, I thought the shot was actually going to come out quite soft because it was in amongst some pine straw, and it actually come out really nice.

Definitely I was trying to hit it probably 30 yards less of that. I just thought it was going to come out tumbling and just roll out on to the fairway. Yeah, but just kind of come out nice, and it was unfortunate, but held it together. And great up-and-down.

Q. I’m assuming you last saw your family after Presidents Cup.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah.

Q. You’ve talked outside so much about chill time this week, hang time, golf kind of a second priority. Do you think that helped you in terms of expectations, or do you even have any expectations at any event?

CAMERON SMITH: I’ve never been one to expect much of myself. My expectations are I wake up, go to the gym, practice as hard as I can for a couple hours, and then go and have a good time. That’s it basically every day.

My expectation is to prepare well and then kind of let everything fall into place from there.

Q. How do you think seeing them this week helped or didn’t?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I’m not sure if it did or not. It was nice having some company at home, I guess, in the rain delays. Last week we spent a lot of time just kind of hanging out, showing them around Jacksonville.

They obviously knew I had to play this week so they weren’t really expecting much, but it’s nice to come out here and play well for them.

Q. You mentioned staying aggressive throughout the round; was that an emphasis you had coming into today, or what went into your thinking of keeping the pedal on the metal throughout the day?

CAMERON SMITH: I think I just knew that the golf course was going to kind of let up a few — there was a few pin spots out there that were very gettable, and being the way that the course played with all the rain, just soft and sticky, I just knew I had to make plenty of birdies.

I was a few behind, I think, going into the start of the round, and just needed to get after it basically.

Q. In Atlanta you told us that you don’t know what you would do with $15 million. What are you going to do with $3.6 million?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I don’t know. (Chuckling.)

I really don’t. I don’t have an answer for that. It hasn’t sunk in.

That’s a lot of money. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it.

Q. Kind of a nerdy question, but the tee shot on 16, is it similar to how you guys play the tee shot on 13 at Augusta National now?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, similar. I think you’re trying to work it maybe a little bit more on 13 at Augusta. I would typically hit 3-wood off 13, as well.

Like I was saying before, I typically like to move my driver left to right, and that hole kind of sits awkward for me, as well.

It’s very similar, but probably just a different club.

Q. Aside from the 10 birdies that you made today, could you talk also about the right-to-left par putts that you made on 14 and 15 and how nervy those putts were because of the break?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, the putt on 14 is not really a putt you expect to make, to be honest. You’re just trying to hit a good putt, and if it goes in, it goes in. That one had a lot of break. It was obviously a bit longer.

The one on 15 I felt really comfortable over the top of. It was probably only eight or nine feet, and the putter felt good all day, so felt really comfy over that one.

Q. After you went in the water on 18, what you did do to calm yourself down? Or did you even feel like you needed to calm down at all?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I was obviously very frustrated at myself. For somewhat of an easy chip shot, probably the easiest shot I had all day, to hit it in the water was quite frustrating.

But yeah, just kind of regrouped. I knew I had to get up-and-down to really close it out.

Q. Which one of the pars on 14, 15, 16 was the most difficult?

CAMERON SMITH: I think 16. It was a horrendous drive. Had a chip-out and still had maybe 220 meters to the hole, so maybe 240. I think that’s where it could have got away from me a little bit.

Obviously hitting over the corner of the water there can get quite nervy, and yeah, just had to step up and hit a really good shot and was able to do it.

Q. You looked pretty confident with club selection and the line you took on 17. Were you feeling pretty calm inside?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I struck the ball really well. It was the shot that I wanted to play. I just thought the wind was going to kind of hold it up for most of the way. It actually kind of drifted right and then held its line at the end there.

Yeah, heart was in the throat there for a second, but I knew it was the right club.

Q. Everyone has been trying to understand the Australian term of essentially toughness. Can you describe as best you can what it means to be a Queenslander and what it is about you guys that have got you where you are today?

CAMERON SMITH: I think it’s probably just never give up. I grew up watching rugby league and watching the Queenslanders come from behind, and even when it got gritty they’d somehow manage to win. I think that’s kind of instilled in all of us.

Q. Is it fair to say that the competition of golf is what you love the most, i.e., the fight rather than chipping, putting, driving, et cetera?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. I had a bit of a break towards the end of last year, probably had two months off, and more than anything else I just wanted to get out and compete again.

I was sick of whacking balls at the back of the range and playing rounds with mates. I wanted to compete against the best guys in the world and try and beat them.

Q. For a guy who only made one par in his first 13 holes today, did it feel at all like a wild ride that it looked like, or did you feel like you had everything under control?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I was hitting the ball really well. I felt really confident with my irons. My driver got a little bit skewy the last kind of 12 holes, but was able to kind of scramble around and hit really good iron shots when I needed to.

I felt really comfortable with my iron shots. I felt as though I had it under control. I just needed to hit the fairway. That was the big thing.

Q. You move to No. 6 in the world, and you’ve done things to get there. Do you feel like the No. 6 player in the world? Do you feel like you should be part of that kind of elite class of golf?

CAMERON SMITH: I feel as though I’m playing the best that I’ve ever played. It’s kind of weird to think like that, being kind of the — probably the last three or four years being the guy that kind of goes from 20th to 40th in the World Rankings, and then all of a sudden to be 6th is kind of weird.

But I feel as though I’ve put in the work and I feel as though I’ve done a lot of work on my body and I’ve put in the time.

Yeah, it’s nice to see all that stuff paying off.

Q. How often do you see your family even in the best of times, given the distance, and who exactly made it here?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, probably see them typically twice a year. I’ll go home in the middle of the year for a couple of weeks just for a little bit of a hangout, and then I’ll go back down and play some golf in Australia and have a little bit of a hangout over Christmas, as well, typically.

So I probably only spend six weeks at home. It was my mum and sister that had come over, yeah.

Q. Their names, and also the significance of being Australian and winning this tournament? There have been some pretty great champions from your country.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, mum’s name is Sharon and my sister’s name is Melanie. Yeah, it’s so cool. Obviously lots of Australians have won here, lots of great Australian golfers have won here, you know, but the best that have ever lived have won here, as well.

So it’s pretty cool to have the name on the same trophy as them.

Q. Was there a moment in the final round where you thought or said to yourself, This is my tournament to win? And if there was that moment, what did you do after to make it a reality?

CAMERON SMITH: Like I was saying before, I felt really comfortable on the range with my irons, and I knew if I could somehow get it in the fairway, I felt it was mine to win from the start.

I feel really comfortable on the greens around here, so I just needed to get it on the fairway, and if I could do that, then I knew I had a red hot chance.

Was able to do that a little bit on the front nine at least, and then kind of got a bit wavy there at the end.

Q. You told us yesterday that despite living five miles from here, you try not to play this course. How, if at all, did that help you? Or maybe now are you saying, maybe I want to play this course a couple more times a year?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I try not to play it because it’s typically just set up a little bit softer and a little bit slower. I found myself — I thought moving here originally it would be a huge advantage, but I found out after a few missed cuts in a row that it maybe wasn’t.

Just hitting some different clubs off tees and some different lines when it gets firm and fast, and also the pressure of the battle. You don’t realize how tight this place is until you have to hit a shot.

When you’re playing hit-and-giggle with your mates it can be easy at times, but it’s a different beast.

Q. Who in your family, if anyone, do you think you inherited your mental toughness from?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I don’t know. I think both sides of my family, my mum and my dad’s side. Both have — just both mentally strong. They’re working class people who have had to work their whole life to live basically, and yeah, I guess that’s just kind of what I grew up in.

Q. A lot of times when players win this tournament they have to go off to the next event or fly home, but you are home, so how are you going to celebrate this one?

CAMERON SMITH: Sleep. I feel like I haven’t slept in five or six days. It’s obviously been a long week. I’m sure there will be a few beers around the fire tonight, but yeah, I can’t wait for a good sleep.

Q. When you made three bogeys at 7, 8, and 9, did you tell yourself something in that walk between 9 and 10 to get to where you made four birdies in a row again?

CAMERON SMITH: I guess it was just keeping it simple, back to one shot at a time, just trying to hit the fairways off the tee.

Was able to hit a couple of nice drives off 10 and 11 and give myself some really good opportunities into the greens there.

Yeah, it was just kind of knuckling down and kind of knowing what I had to do.

Q. I don’t know how much you’ve watched this tournament over the years back home, but do you remember anything about Adam Scott’s win? And if you do, did you think about him at all?

CAMERON SMITH: No.

Q. I was going to ask if you saw it. You don’t know that Adam did the same thing on 18?

CAMERON SMITH: No, I got told after the round, but I had no idea.

Q. And you didn’t see it being replayed on every screen around you as you were getting set for your drop?

CAMERON SMITH: No. No, I didn’t.

STEWART MOORE: Cam Smith, thanks so much, and congrats on your first PLAYERS Championship

(Text: ASAP Sports)

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PGA Tour

PGA TOUR: Monday finish at the Players

The Players Championship will be decided in a mega Monday finish (foto: Getty)
The Players Championship will be decided in a mega Monday finish (foto: Getty)

The Players Championship has been running for four days, but even now there is still no winner. In all likelihood, the tournament will end today. So a mega golf day awaits the players. After these eventful five days of Players, one of the players will prevail and take home the 3.6 million dollars.

Bad weather overshadows the Players Championship

The tournament was not under a good star. Already at the beginning of the Players week many responsible persons were aware that an end of the tournament on Sunday, as regularly planned, will be very difficult. Bad weather with heavy rain falling for hours on the TPC Sawgrass and partly heavy thunderstorms delayed the play more and more and made it difficult for the professionals. Now it’s Monday, actually the week after the tournament. But the tour has a clear plan and goal this Monday to finish the tournament. A mega-Monday finish is planned: First, the third round will be played out in the early morning in Florida. After that, the complete fourth round will be played. If everything goes smoothly, there would even be enough time for a playoff.

An epochal Monday finish

The exact schedule has it all: After the actual fourth day of the tournament was interrupted at 7:30 p.m. local time due to darkness, the players will take to the court again very early on Monday. Virtually at sunrise, the players who have not yet completed the third round will get going again. The PGA Tour gives the remaining players three hours to finish the third round. At 11 a.m. local time, i.e. at 4 p.m. German time, the round will then be completed.

At the same time, both the tee times for Round 4 and the new pin positions and tee shots will be gradually prepared. At 11 a.m. local time the first players will start into the final round, in three-man flights from tee 1 and 10. The best placed players after round 3 will start at 1 p.m. according to the tour. If all goes well, the final round is scheduled to end at 6 p.m. local time. After that, there would even be time for the traditional three-hole playoff. The tour is very optimistic about keeping to the schedule and it looks like the weather is finally playing along as well. Until the start of the fifth day, you can enjoy the best shots from the 17th hole here:

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PGA Tour

The weather at the Players Championship 2022: Is a Monday Finish looming?

Will there be a Monday finish at the Players Championship (foto Getty)
Will there be a Monday finish at the Players Championship (foto Getty)

An hour later start and a thunderstorm interruption of over four hours: That was the first day of the Players Championship 2022 at TPC Sawgrass. What will the weather be like on the coming days of the PGA Tour’s most valuable tournament? And above all, in view of the already large shift in tee times: Will the tournament be able to be completed by Sunday or can a Monday finish be expected?

Even before the start of the Players Championship, the weather forecast looked anything but rosy. After the most beautiful weather in Florida prevailed in the past weeks, cool temperatures, rain and above all thunderstorms threatened for the Players Championship. The first effects were already felt on Thursday, but that was not all.

Players Championship 2022: More thunderstorms expected

On Friday, the worst weather conditions are expected, with a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms. Thunder and lightning may continue to occur through Saturday, with clearing not expected until midday Saturday. Sunday is the only tournament day where no rain is expected. But the temperatures will drop. With a predicted maximum temperature of 12 degrees Celsius, it could be the coldest day in tournament history.

In addition, the wind is expected to increase and could be a challenge for the players, especially on Saturday. The fact that the wind is expected to come in four different directions during the tournament doesn’t make things any easier.

PGA Tour Meterologist Wade Stettner expressed optimism all things considered, however. “I think they’ll be able to play some golf every day. Also, the amount of rain we’re expecting doesn’t look like so much that the course will be unplayable because the drainage is good and there’s technology installed to pull the moisture out of the greens.”

Will there be a Monday Finish at the Players Championship?

If the cut is decided, there’s also the possibility of speeding up play over the weekend by sticking with flights of three and starting two tees. So while a Monday finish is not yet necessarily expected, it remains to be seen.

The last time there was a Monday Finish at the Players Championship was in 2005. After a nice first day, the second round was a complete washout. Some players went on the course, but their results were cancelled and the round was restarted on Saturday. However, there were also repeated interruptions during the weekend, so that a large part of the third round and the complete fourth round had to be played on Monday. The tournament even threatened to drag into Tuesday because of a playoff between Fred Funk, Tom Lehman, Luke Donald and Joe Durant, but Funk secured the win with a par putt.

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PGA Tour

Players Championship Video: Ian Poulter in a race with darkness

Ian Poulter in a race against darkness at the Players Championship (foto Getty)
Ian Poulter in a race against darkness at the Players Championship (foto Getty)

Ian Poulter was in a particular hurry in the first round of the Players Championship on the PGA Tour. Due to the thunderstorm interruptions, the round could not be played to the end. But Poulter, who was already on his last few holes, didn’t want to get up at the crack of dawn on Friday just to finish one more hole and then wait who knows how long. So speed was the order of the day.

Players Championship: Darkness gets players going

Players use this strategy from time to time. The reason for this is that once a player has teed off on a hole, the hole may be finished if the round is interrupted due to darkness, should the players wish to do so. The situation is different if the round is interrupted due to thunderstorms. Because of the dangerous situation, players have no choice.

The speed did not harm the Ryder Cupper. Almost it would have been two birdies to finish. After winning the stroke on 17, he almost holed a chip from 15 yards for birdie on 18, but the ball stayed less than 20 inches from the hole. He eventually holed it for a round of 73.

It’s actually not the first time Poulter has rushed the final holes at TPC Sawgrass, either. There were similar images at the 2011 Players Championship:

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PGA Tour

Justin Thomas has a new apparel deal with Greyson Clothiers

Justin Thomas has a new apparel sponsor (Foto Getty)
Justin Thomas has a new apparel sponsor (Foto Getty)

Justin Thomas and Greyson Clothiers announced their future collaboration on Monday. The fashion brand is now the official outfitter of Justin Thomas. Just a year ago, Thomas had lost a large portion of his sponsors as a result of a homophobic outburst at the Tournament of Champions. Among them was his old supplier Ralph Lauren, who had very quickly withdrawn in the wake of these remarks. Since then Justin Thomas has appeared without an official outfit sponsor. But already during this time he played again and again in outfits of the brand Greyson.

Justin Thomas, the biggest name in Greyson’s player lineup

Then on Monday it became official: the new partnership was announced on all media channels. Thomas is now the biggest name in the company’s athlete lineup. Other sponsored players include Luke Donald and Harry Higgs. Both Greyson Clothiers and Justin Thomas are excited about the newfound partnership, “What’s interesting about the deal is that the head of Greyson, Charlie Schaefer, was the former design lead for Ralph Lauren. He was also at Ralph Lauren when Justin Thomas became a partner at the company. Now they are crossing paths at his own company. A true friendship has grown between Thomas and them, Greyson let it be heard on Instagram.

Justin Thomas had fallen out of favor with many of his sponsors 14 months ago. At the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the American had made homophobic slurs on the course. Ralph Lauren and other sponsors stopped their cooperation with the golfer shortly afterwards. Back then, he had apologized and expressed his “deepest” shame.

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PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy: “I feel like I play well enough to win tournaments.”

McIlroy talks about his first round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour (Foto: Getty)

Following his first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour Rory McIlroy was very pleased with his form and the outcome of day one. In a post round interview he discussed his play and his feelings about the course and youngsters like Will Zalatoris. Read the interview here:

Q.  Rory, they talk about golf courses fitting a guy’s eye, Graeme said that about you. Is there something about the mental component when you get to Bay Hill because you’ve done so well here?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think you turn up at any golf course where you’ve had success, and automatically you’re going to have some confidence coming in. I’ve shot some really nice scores here. I think the last couple of years I’ve opened up the tournament really well with scores similar to what I shot today.

Yeah, I feel there’s a nice flow to this golf course where you can really build a score. You have par-5s, one every few holes, and you’ve got a couple of scorable par-4s. As long as you don’t do anything stupid and you keep it in play, you feel like you can sort of methodically build a score on this golf course. That’s what I tried to do today.

I played the par-5s particularly well, and that was the bulk of the score. I’ve sort of said this all along. I don’t feel like you need to do anything — like you can play within yourself here and still shoot a good score, I feel, if you’re just disciplined and pick off the birdies where you’re supposed to.

Q.  Can you talk more about your stellar play on the par-5s.

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I hit a couple of really good long irons into a couple of them. I hit a 4-iron into 12 and a 4-iron into 6. They were probably two of the best long irons I hit in a while. So when I start hitting long irons like that, I know my swing’s in a pretty good place. Seeing shots like that certainly gives me some confidence.

Q.  And do you prepare differently as the course conditions get tougher?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I was actually pretty surprised at how firm the greens were already. From the Pro-Am yesterday, we played at a similar time to today. The golf course is firmed up already. I think with this weather and the sort of warmer weather that’s coming over the weekend, it’s just going to get more and more firm as the week goes on. Then that places a premium so much more on just getting the ball in play. Fairways and greens and just being really disciplined with your game.

Q.  You talked about 6 yesterday, specifically the tee shot and having choices. When you hit a shot like you did there today, does it embolden you to be maybe more aggressive the rest of the weekend?

RORY MCILROY: That was as far left as it needed to be. I was trying to hit it into that fat part of the green, like that front third. I did — the wind maybe took it a little further left than I wanted to. I hit it well enough I knew it was always going to cover.

No, I mean, you just — that hole, you’re trying to get your tee shot away. Then if you do, you’re just trying to from there just get the ball down in three and make a birdie and move on.

Q.  Rory, Adam was just over here talking about how nice it is to play with you. He likes watching your swing. He thinks it maybe rubs off. Isn’t it sort of the same about him?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, any time I play with Adam, it’s a good pairing. We chat about all sorts of stuff. I feel like we’ve got quite a bit in common. Yeah, anyone could watch Adam Scott swing the club all day long. He’s got a nice rhythm.

Yeah, it’s nice. If he feeds off me, I certainly think I feed off him a little bit too.

Q.  Do you like having no runoffs or fewer runoffs around these greens? Why or why not?

RORY MCILROY: Not. I prefer the runoffs. I think it separates the good chippers from the bad chippers. I feel like, when you miss a green when the rough is like this, you know, it’s half skill, half guesswork, luck. There’s a little bit more that goes in. I think, whenever you miss greens and there’s runoffs and it gives you options, I think that’s where the guys with the better short games separate themselves. So that’s why I like runoffs. I like that style.

So, yeah, I don’t particularly understand why they did that this year, but it presents a different challenge. You just have to adapt to that.

Q.  Do you think most TOUR players like the thick rough, though, because as long as they know the lies, they kind of —

RORY MCILROY: It certainly makes it a little simpler if you don’t feel like you’ve got a great short game. But like even next week, for example, wherever that second cut is, it’s not too long, I think even a cut like that, I feel like the guys can really show their skill around the greens if they have that skill.

And it’s fun to see. I think that’s the other thing with — it’s fun to see different shots and you can play it certain ways. Obviously, a setup like this this week, that takes that out of the equation. You basically miss a green, and you’ve pretty much got just blast it out and try to hole the putt.

Q.  Rory, you’ve won early in the year versus not winning early in the year. Does it mean anything? Does it matter?

RORY MCILROY: It’s nice to win just regardless. I mean, regardless of when it comes in the season, it’s nice to win. Or in the year. This is my fourth start of the calendar year, and I’ve had one really good chance to win and probably one other half chance.

Yeah, I feel like I’m playing well enough to have chances to win golf tournaments, but all you can ask of yourself is to keep putting yourself in those positions on Sundays, and then you see where your game really is. Hopefully, this is another week where I put myself in a position where I can really see where my game is when the pressure’s on.

Q.  In Dubai on that Sunday, that seemed to sting you.

RORY MCILROY: Standing on the — after birdieing 13, standing on the 14th tee with a one or two-shot lead with five holes to go, and I did all the — in Dubai, I did all the hard stuff right. I made par on 14, par on 15, par on 16. And then you’ve got two gettable holes on 17, 18, and those are the holes where I made the mistake.

So I did the hard part, and whenever the opportunity came to sort of shut the door and win the tournament, I didn’t do that. I think that was what was most frustrating about that.

Q.  I think I heard you say that you felt you had a turning point in your putting, one of the earlier interviews. When was that, and what did you find?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, like putting is — like with putting, I feel half the battle is already done before you hit the ball — reading the green, getting your setup right, aiming the putter. I think I just got a little bit lax on that side of things.

I’ve actually really enjoyed not having a green book. I feel like it’s got me more into the putts. I feel like I’m more — I’m not consulting a green book as much. Honestly, I feel like it’s benefited me these last few weeks, and that’s been a nice thing.

It’s just been a little bit setup, just a little bit of setup, and a little bit more green reading and practicing that. Those two things have — those have stayed constant, and I’ve putted well because of that.

Q.  Did you find that on your own, your caddie, or Fax?

RORY MCILROY: A little bit of both. I was putting with Fax before going to the Middle East, and I just felt like I started to creep a little too far away from the ball. Eye line was a little too far inside, and what happens then is my right arm leaves my side. I really like, if I can keep my right arm in my side and the shaft plane and my right arm match up, it sort of becomes almost automatic from there. It’s almost like your right arm acts as a piston, and that’s the feel I like. Just setting up like that and having that constant is important for me.

Q.  Rory, as someone who came up young and was pretty polished on and off the golf course as you were, I’m curious what your impression is of Will Zalatoris. While you’ve gotten to know him. He hasn’t been out here that long. What do you see in his game and how he handles himself?

RORY MCILROY: Great player, obviously. Hell of a ball striker. Drives the crap out of it. Hits his irons good. He’s got a nice flight. He can hit it up in the air. I don’t know him that well. I don’t even know if I’ve played with him on TOUR at this point, but from what I’ve seen with him obviously playing in front of us today and watching him on TV, he seems like a great kid. Kid — I can’t believe I’m saying kid. He seems like a great kid with a lot of potential and a really bright future.

Q.  On the rough, is it around the greens, is it a hit and hope, or do you have a certain distance you take it back if you have to hack it out ten yards?

RORY MCILROY: It depends on the lie. Some are hit and hopes, and others, if you get a decent lie, it’s more technique-based. But there’s a little bit of both in there.

Q.  Off the fairway, does it cost you a shot?

RORY MCILROY: You’d have to look at the stats, but it’s probably close to it.

Q.  When you’re in position to win, do you feel like you’re supposed to?

RORY MCILROY: When I’m in a position to win? Like Dubai, for example?

Q.  Anything.

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think with the experience that I have and the tournaments that I have closed out in my career, if you’re two ahead with five to play, I think you should win that, yeah.

Q.  Generally in position on Sunday, I guess your attitude if you don’t, on your reflection time, is it always something that you blame yourself, or is it ever something where you acknowledge doing something different?

RORY MCILROY: Sometimes someone just plays better than you and you’ve done all that you can. You’re always going to nitpick and think there’s things you could have done better. I’d say 25 percent of the time it’s someone’s just played better than you and you’ve given it your all. But I’d say three-quarters of the time there’s self-error in there somewhere.

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Live Panorama

Tiger Woods confirms that he will be back

Tiger Woods talks about potential comeback (foto: Getty)
Tiger Woods talks about potential comeback (foto: Getty)

Just over a year ago, Tiger Woods was involved in a devastating accident and nearly lost his life. The coming months were an up and down ride on his way back to a normal life. This week the Genesis Invitational is taking place at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods is also part of the tournament. He is unfortunately not yet fit enough to play himself, but will be at the tournament this week as Tournament Host. In a press conference on Wednesday of the tournament week, the 46-year-old commented on his health, how things will continue for him in professional sports and what he thinks about Mickelson’s accusations against the tour.

When will Tiger Woods make his comeback?

“Will I be back? Yes. Am I coming back and play a full tournament schedule? No,” he asked, answering. “That’s never going to happen again. I can play a few events here and there, but at a full-time level, no, that’s never going to happen again.” Tiger Woods’ press conference before the start of this year’s Genesis Invitational on the PGA Tour is sobering for his fans.

Many of the day’s questions revolved around his rehabilitation back to the Tour and how his fitness and golf game are faring. For him, and certainly for his supporters, the process is slow, perhaps too slow to have high hopes for a comeback anytime soon. When asked how his health and his game on the tour are doing, and if he is making much progress, he admitted: “Short game, yes, I can do that. As for the long game, no, that’s not going so well yet, because that means more strain, more rotation of the leg,” he said. “I still have a long way to go. My leg wasn’t in a good position about a year ago, and I had to go through a lot of different surgeries and scenarios.”

“Will I have sore muscles? Yes, but I can handle it.”

The possible comeback to professional golf seems a very long way off. A reporter asked him if he could imagine, or if it would even be physically possible, to play in the par-3 contest before the Masters and if a comeback was possible via that route. Woods clarified: “I’m talking about playing golf. By that I mean practice rounds plus a pro-am day, or if it’s a major, it’s even more,” he explained. “It’s the competitive nature of it that takes a toll on you mentally, physically and emotionally. I didn’t prepare for any of that. Going for a walk and playing a par-3 contest, I can handle that. Will I have sore muscles? Yes, but I can handle it.”

While this statement does not rule out possible participation, the answers Tiger has at the ready show one thing very clearly: golf like it used to be is still a very long way off for him, perhaps even completely impossible. His focus 12 months after the accident is still on the basics: “I’m still working on running. My foot was a little banged up about a year ago, so running is something I’m still working on, strength and development in that area. That takes time.”

Tiger Woods optimistic about players’ media rights

Tiger Woods, despite these adverse circumstances in his life, is grateful for what he still has after that fatal day. However, you can clearly see the frustration and strain on him. “The fact that I still have my right leg is great,” said Woods, who turned 46 in December. “I still have a lot of problems with it, but it’s mine and I’m very grateful for that. What’s frustrating is that it’s not on my schedule. I want to be at a certain point, but I’m not. To keep working, and getting better, yes, but not at the speed and pace I would like. You also have to consider the age factor. The healing process is not as fast anymore, which is frustrating.”

On the sidelines of his health issue, the conversation also briefly turned to Phil Mickelson’s statements and how Tiger Woods felt about them. The former world No. 1 was cautious in his comments on the subject. He is of the opinion that the media rights are a topic for Jay Monahan – Tour Commissioner of the PGA Tour. However, he said he was convinced that good talks were being held between the players and the tour and hoped that an agreement would be reached soon between the individual parties.

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European Tour

EUROPEAN TOUR: Jon Rahm wins Seve Ballesteros Award

Jon Rahm wins Seve Ballesteros Award (foto: Getty)
Jon Rahm wins Seve Ballesteros Award (foto: Getty)

Jon Rahm has won the Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted the 2021 Player of the Year by his fellow professionals on the DP World Tour.

The Spaniard scoops the prestigious accolade for the second time in three years after another spectacular season in which he claimed his first Major Championship, spent 27 weeks as World Number One and finished as Europe’s leading points scorer at the Ryder Cup.

A spectacular season for the Spaniard

Rahm became the first Spanish player to win the U.S. Open, and just the fourth player from his country to win any Major, when he finished one shot clear of Louis Oosthuizen at Torrey Pines Golf Course in June.

The 27-year-old, who only two weeks earlier had tested positive for Covid-19, produced a sensational finish to hold off the challenge of South African Oosthuizen, draining a 25 foot birdie putt on the 17th hole before closing out with another birdie from 18 feet on the last.

Earlier in the year, Rahm finished tied fifth in the Masters and tied eighth at the US PGA Championship, and he extended his remarkable form in the Majors by finishing in a share of third position in the Open Championship at Royal St George’s in July.

His impressive 2021 season also included a share of fifth position in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and seventh place in the abrdn Scottish Open, the second Rolex Series event of 2021, while his statistics were equally notable on the PGA TOUR where he recorded 15 top ten finishes in total.

Rahm also took his stunning individual form in golf’s biggest events into September’s Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits where he finished as Europe’s leading points scorer with 3.5 points from his five matches.  Three of those points came from his undefeated partnership with compatriot Sergio Garcia which evoked memories of the legendary Spanish pairing of José María Olazábal and Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm also followed in the latter’s footsteps by returning to the Number One spot on the Official World Golf Ranking, spending more than half the calendar year at the summit of the game.

Jon Rahm first winner of the new award

He receives the Player of the Year award named in his compatriot’s honour which, for the first time this year, now also incorporates the former Golfer of the Year award into one singular honour voted for by the players, helping further commemorate Ballesteros’ incredible legacy as the European Tour group embarks on its 50th anniversary year.  

Rahm said: “Winning anything with Seve’s name on it is a huge honour for me, as is the fact that this is voted for by the players of the DP World Tour.  

“It is very unique to be recognised by your peers like this. It is a true honour to be able to win this award for a second time and hopefully I can continue to make the DP World Tour proud.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said “In the first year of this being the Tour’s combined Player of the Year award named in honour of one Spanish great, it is fitting the winner is another incredible Spaniard who is creating his own remarkable legacy on the global stage.

“Jon’s form throughout 2021 was simply outstanding and his victory at the U.S. Open, in front of his family, was undoubtedly a highlight that will live long in the memory. That cemented his place among the pantheon of Europe’s all-time leading players and his contribution in the colours of Europe at the Ryder Cup also demonstrated what an extraordinary competitor he is.”

(Text: DP World Tour)

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Panorama Top Tours

The Sportswashing Spectacle Saudi International: High Time for Hypocrites

ason Kokrak is first to the reason for his participation in the Saudi International 2022. (Photo: Getty)
ason Kokrak is first to the reason for his participation in the Saudi International 2022. (Photo: Getty)

Well, there you go. At least Jason Kokrak has the guts to freely explain why he is taking part in the Saudi International. Kokrak is very open to a Super Golf League financed by the Kingdom of the Persian Gulf: “I want to make as much money as possible in as short a time as possible. Cash is king.” Blunt, unsparing, thank you! Finally someone says it. He doesn’t hide behind phrases and empty words. He does not disguise with either defiant coarseness or convoluted reasons why for millionaires money is more important than morals.

“The players take bloody money”

The fourth edition of the sports-washing spectacle called Saudi International has just begun. It takes place at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in the test-tube King Abdullah Economic City. Since 2019, this special week in the desert has become high time for hypocrites.

Every year, Dustin Johnson and his fellow players hire themselves out for horrendous entry fees as willing puppets of the Riyadh regime to add glitz and glamour to golf and wash the ugly stains of murder, human rights violations and multiple abuses off the waistcoat of Saudi Arabia’s international reputation.

“The players should be aware that they are taking bloody money,” wrote the “Washington Post” some time ago, directly affected by the murder of its employee Jamal Khashoggi*. He received attacks on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the man behind the machinations.

“Sport is always political”

Not only the pampered protagonists don’t care. Moreover, there are more helpers from the PGA and DP World Tour this year than ever before. To go far and beyond, the chorus of excuses almost becomes a cacophony. At the top of the hit list of lazy phrases is “I’m not a politician”, alternatively “I’m not here for politics, I’m here to play golf”.

As if the decision in favour of the tournament alone were not a political statement. “Sport is always political,” says Prof. Dr. Carlo Masala, Chair of International Politics at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Neubiberg. Dr. Masala explains it in the ARD documentary “Spiel mit dem Feuer – Wer braucht noch dieses Olympia?” (engl. Playing with Fire – Who Needs the Olympics?). Under this title, the former slalom star and today’s TV alpine skiing expert Felix Neureuther asked active athletes, scientists and officials on the occasion of the Winter Games in Beijing. The Winter Games 2022 begind tomorrow and they are not less controversial.

“I’ll take every advantage”

Bryson DeChambeau, for one, loves the “I’m not a politican” slogan. So does Shane Lowry, who moreover drags his family into his excuses: “I’m just trying to take care of them as best I can. This is part of that.” One almost wants to feel sorry for the Irishman who is obviously plagued by existential needs.

Even Kokrak, who incidentally has made it to a career prize money of just over $19 million so far, a million more than Lowry, sugarcoats his relentless bluntness: “I’ll take any advantage I can to give my kids a good start in life.”

“Growing the Game” At the expense of human rights

Of course, the reference to the contribution to the development of golf cannot be omitted; “Growing the Game” is number two on the scale of tried and tested euphemisms. The aforementioned Jason Kokrak has therefore let himself represent Golf Saudi as an ambassador. The media asked about his attitude to the grievances. However, Kokrak explains in all seriousness that he is not a government ambassador, so he has nothing to do with it. “I am paid to grow the game on a global level, not to represent the government or similar institutions.”

“Human rights responsibility of sport”

Are you serious? As a reply, Martin Klein, representative for international sports policy of the association “Athletes Germany”, is quoted here: “Human rights apply universally. That has little to do with politics.” And: “Being politically neutral does not mean tacitly accepting human rights violations […] and even legitimising them with this silence.” With passivity and ignorance, one “possibly makes oneself a collaborator.” Klein expressed this to Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) and others also in connection with the Olympics and the role of the IOC, but stressed the fundamental “human rights responsibility of sport”.

Rory McIlroy and the moral questions

Now some will cry again and insist that athletes do not necessarily have to be role models, and point the finger at other sports in a fine “whataboutism”. These are neither shy nor scrupulous about getting involved with questionable friends from the totalitarianism and autocracy department – see IOC and China, FIFA and Qatar or Formula 1 and Riyadh. And that such things are commonplace nowadays anyway and result hard to avoid.

Even Rory McIlroy admits the problem: “We are all long past the point where moral issues alone are the deciding factor. What you do, where you go and who you meet – aligning everything with morals and principles makes life extremely difficult,” muses the Northern Irishman. “There is not only black or white, but also a lot of shades of grey. I’ve thought about it a lot and wrestled with myself for a long time: If you only take the hard line, you will hardly be able to do what you want to do.”

How about a clear statement, then?

Nevertheless, he says no to the Saudi International and to a Super Golf League of Saudi Arabia’s dollar grace, “because I don’t like where the money comes from”. Just like the British tennis star Andy Murray, by the way, who refuses all opulent offers for show matches for the same reason. See Washington Post and “bloody money”. It works.

But if solid players like Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia or Xander Schauffele don’t have the backbone to resist the siren song of the Saudis… How about at least making a clear announcement? Why not simply address the grievances as a mature athlete?.

Formula One hero Lewis Hamilton did it during the PS circus’ recent visit to Saudi Arabia: “I don’t feel comfortable here because I really believe that everyone should have human rights, freedom of speech and freedom of movement, and this is one of the places where that is not allowed. However, unfortunately I don’t have a choice because motorsport has now chosen this scenario.”

Symbiosis of Gage and “Grow the Game”

Or – even better – actually donate part of the fee to golf development, let deeds speak instead of permanently singing the mantra that has long been used ad nauseam. “Grow the Game”: Ideally with the establishment or promotion of a training academy for girls. That would be something. As if a million or two mattered to the already saturated stars.

Didn’t Bryson DeChambeau recently say that he had enough money anyway, that he could stop playing golf and do something else that he enjoyed? We have an idea, and we’d like it to be scientific. Maybe DeChambeau didn’t do the math right this time at the Saudi International of how much harm they cause.

But no, instead the mongrels wrote the muzzle directly on their hay licence and rake in as much dough as they can get. Hush money, that is. Or: What goes around comes around.

Mickelson’s Alibi Argumentation

And then Phil Mickelson comes along yesterday and even tries to give the obvious a legal basis. He said he was looking around for other competition opportunities. Mickelson felt short-changed with regard to his media rights, the right to his own image. “It was the disgusting greed of the PGA Tour that opened the door to all the recent deviant efforts,” rants the man who is worth around 800 million dollars, not least because it was the PGA Tour that commissioned his appearances and thus made him and himself attractive to sponsors.

For decades, this was part of the deal, “Lefty” played along happily, recently even claimed the lion’s share of the popularity bonuses offered as part of the Player Impact Program – and now the self-employed entrepreneur Mickelson is stylising the Tour as an exploitative villain because all this is suddenly supposed to have a bad taste. Really? What an absurd alibi.

Lack of a compass for moderation

If the six-time major winner is so interested in personal rights, he should think hard about not jumping out of the frying pan into the fire with the Saudis. But at least he doesn’t have to worry about the rights of his wife Amy and his daughters. They certainly won’t move to Riyadh just because daddy might soon make his pockets even fuller in the Formula 1 format and will have to dance to Greg Norman’s tune. So much for crooked enemy stereotypes.

It is simply ridiculous what the professionals use to justify their greed for money. Some of them seem to have lost their compass for moderation. Or are they simply puppets of their managers who are responsible for making money?. Anyway, what can you expect from people who show solidarity with crude minds like Novak Djokovic or sympathise and party with nefarious bullies like Donald Trump.

In contrast, Lee Westwood almost becomes likeable again, who confesses with simple frankness: “If someone my age offers me 50 million dollars for a few more years of tournament golf, then I don’t rack my brains about it for long.” For this chance, the 48-year-old Englishman would even throw overboard his ambitions to be European Ryder Cup captain, “because even in the medium term I still see my future on rather than off the fairways”.

Watson and the definition of “bi-God”

Bubba Watson’s drivel, on the other hand, is downright unbearable. He travels to Saudi Arabia in order to enjoy God’s beautiful creation in this corner of the world, the professed Christian babbles. The only question is whether this also includes the rubble with which adulterers or homosexuals are stoned to death in the name of Sharia law. The man from Baghdad – in Florida – is so religious that his spirit and his sanctimonious claptrap are enough for two deities: the All-Father above in heaven and the idol Mammon here on earth. Bi-god, that is.

For Bubba, who is a Bible-believer, the Old Testament was obviously not enough. He would do well to read the part of the “Exodus” in the Second Book of Moses that deals with Moses’ wrath and Yahweh’s retribution because the people strayed from the right path and danced around the golden calf at the brightly blazing fire (fed by oil?).

To conclude with the end of Giovanni Trapattoni’s famous rage speech: Habe fertig! (engl: I am finished)

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*Saudi Arabian “Washington Post” journalist Jamal Khashoggi, critical of the regime, was executed and his body dismembered by a hit squad in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul embassy on 2nd October 2018. According to findings by the US Foreign Intelligence Agency (CIA), the murder order came directly from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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Live Panorama Top Tours

Golfers excuse themselves at the Saudi International: “I’m not a politician”.

Not everything at the Saudi International is as dreamy as the sunsets. (Photo: Getty)
Not everything at the Saudi International is as dreamy as the sunsets. (Photo: Getty)

This week, the Saudi International takes place for the first time under the umbrella of the Asian Tour and at the same time gathers the strongest field of players in tournament history in Jeddah. Why many of the PGA Tour players will make the long journey to Saudi Arabia should be clear to most. It is said that the players receive up to seven-figure sums just for playing. Of course, no one wants to say this publicly. Instead, the question arises year after year: For what reason do the players make such an effort?

The “Growing Game”. Real or just a politically correct discourse?

For a long time, “Growing the Game” was at the top of answers list, including both men and women, especially while the tournament was under the patronage of DP World, formerly the European Tour. In fact, that was the excuse that fit perfectly with the narrative of the global tour. Besides, the core mission was to revitalise the sport through new formats and venues, and surely the Growing Game speech looked ideal from the outside in.

New PR strategy at Saudi International

The DP World Tour has let itself off the hook by not renewing contract with the Saudis. Meanwhile, they seek for a minimum level of respect for the Saudi International. Also, it is convenient to the DP World Tour to keep the hurdles low for the big golf stars by buying into the Asian Tour. That this is but a step towards the long-awaited Saudi Super League of our own is obvious to many. Especially after the announcement of the series of ten tournaments that belong to the Asian Tour, which is sponsored by LIV Golf Investements.

The PGA Tour’s already elaborate defence strategy of denying participation to its players for lack of membership has now been breached. The way is paved for golf’s stars, but not entirely unrestricted. So what will be the new “I make a lot of money and voluntarily disregard human rights violations” this year? Shane Lowry tells us, and so does does Bryson DeChambeau.

The perfect excuse: “I’m not a politician.”

As if this fact exempts one from having an opinion or responsibility of one’s own, Lowry and DeChambeau excuse themselves by claiming that they are “not politicians”. Tyrrell Hatton pulls his head out of the noose even more expertly. “I agree with what Shane said,” was their response when Golf Post asked them about human rights and the controversies surrounding the tournament at media events in the run-up to the Saudi International.

When will people finally start speaking out?

In other words, the participants are still shying away from a public discussion about the topic. The latest answers at least show more awareness than, for instance, Bubba Watson’s “I like to travel and see other places”. But it only proves that the golfers don’t care as long as there is enough money involved. After all, just like Lowry says: “I’m earning a living for myself and my family and trying to provide for them. This is just part of it.” After earning over €16 million in prize money, an unconvincing argument to the least.

The other side of the coin: Golf boost.

There is no denying that the Saudis’ investment gives golf a decent boost. Apart from the efforts at home, the question is justified to what extent the PGA Tour’s record prize money, the strategic alliance with the European Tour, as well as its cooperation with DP World, and the increase in prize money, were triggered by the developments around the possible competition of a Saudi Super League or even a Premier Golf League. According to the motto “competition stimulates business”.

On the other hand, press conferences and marketing before the Saudi International are the best example of “sportswashing” in action. Instead of legitimate critical questions, it’s all about superficial matters. There is more attention going into the last Christmas, and the upcoming Netflix documentary, among other topics. Not to mention how beautiful the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, venue of the Saudi International, is. Not only media, but also golf fans alike are fed up. The visibility of the Saudi International on English free TV has grown a lot. However, despite the multiple other sport press conferences, no one is speaking out.

Considerably more honorable to be straight up

National Club golfer Alex Perry is not entirely wrong. “We’d have a lot more respect for you guys if you’d just say you’re only doing it for the money. We can all relate to that. You are not politicians, but you are human beings.”

In contrast, Jason Kokrak, is an ambassador for Saudi Golf. Kokrak comes across as downright refreshing with his brutal honesty: “Money makes the world go round. If someone pays me enough money so that my children’s children have an advantage in life, then I’ll take full advantage of it.”