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Brooks Koepka brings the good from the Ryder to the Shriners Children’s Open: “I like where my game’s headed.”

Brooks Koepka of the United States walks from the second tee during the first round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club. (Getty Images)

SHRINERS CHILDREN’S OPEN

October 6, 2021

Brooks Koepka

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

TPC Summerlin
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Brooks to the media center here at the Shriners Children’s Open. Brooks has five starts at the event previously, including two top-5s. So Brooks if we could just get an opening comment from you ahead of your sixth start here.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I’ve always liked it here. I think it’s always been a good course for me. I’ve kind of either been right up there with a chance to win or it’s just been two days and pack your bags. But I feel like my game’s trending in the right direction, I like how everything went at the Ryder Cup I feel like I finally saw the turn because I thought this whole year after the injury was pretty poor. I just like the way it’s trending. I like where the game’s headed.

THE MODERATOR: Making your first start of the new PGA TOUR season, you picked up your 8th PGA TOUR title last season at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Goals you’re looking to accomplish this season as we start with a clean slate?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, just want to keep winning. I think that’s the goal. That’s what I’m out here to do is to win, to win multiple times and then probably stay healthy is probably a good goal.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. With the news yesterday coming about The Match, curious how that came to be, when discussions started for that and what your thoughts are on that.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean I think we’re excited. So it’s going to be good, you’ll see it, what, the day after Thanksgiving.

Q. When did discussions for that begin, when did that sort of conversation start?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t know. You can ask Bryson.

Q. You said the key is staying healthy. How do you do that? I know you’re playing every season but what will the steps after what you’ve been through to try and stay healthy?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m still looking for that answer, man. I don’t know. I think part of it maybe realizing — I mean I still in my head I still think I’m young, I still think I’m like 22, 23, 24 in my head, but realizing that my body can’t do the things that I used to do, tend to take it a little bit slower and just be more cautious, I think, whether it be in the gym, at home doing certain things messing around. It’s just not, I’m not as mobile as I was years ago. So just be a little more cautious and watch it. Some things you can’t avoid, you’re always going to be a little, I don’t want to say dinged up, but a little bit, you feel something. But it’s just part of the game. You don’t feel a hundred percent every week and you’re not going to. But just really trying to minimize the big stuff.

Q. Distance has always been important on the PGA TOUR from Nicklaus to Daly to Woods to yourself and others. But now with what Bryson is doing seems like there’s a new spotlight on it. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind with his embracing of the long drive philosophy and what potential impact and influence do you think this will have on the TOUR?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I think it will be a big impact. I think you kind of saw it maybe coming out of COVID. I think you saw even other guys trying to hit it further. Swing a little harder, trying to maximize their distance. I think it’s going to change the game of golf forever, personally. But if you’re going to hit it that far and you find a couple fairways, it’s tough to beat. It does get very difficult when you got wedge into hole where guys got 6-iron. Your odds are going to be in your favor. That’s what he’s done. It’s impressive to be able to actually change a body, change the way you swing and but yet still compete out here action I think that’s probably the most impressive thing. It’s one thing to do it and then just kind of mess around with it at home but not bring it to an actual tournament. So the fact he’s able to do that, the fact he did at the Long Drive, I don’t think anybody really thought he was going to get that far, but the fact he did was quite impressive. So I think and it’s one of those things you’re seeing all these younger guys, they come out of college — and I remember hearing about Cameron Champ from Sean Foley for probably about two years before he was out here. And I think you’re just going to continually see that type of distance come from the kids that are in college or high school now that will be out here in five, six years.

Q. I would think rest would help with your injury situation, so I was curious what your philosophy is about playing these fall events and how many you plan to play and if you wish there was a longer off-season.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, I always try to take my breaks. I like playing, if I can play, play a couple weeks in a row. Usually my first week out isn’t very good, that’s why I try to play as much as I can in between or right before a major. My second, third week out is usually the better of it and then at four it doesn’t work for me, I don’t play that well in the fourth week. So just trying to manage it and the fall schedule, I’ll play these two and then Houston as well, helping design that golf course. So it’s one of those things where I felt like I need reps so that was one of the things why I want to play. I need more competitive golf. Because I felt like, I don’t know what, I can’t think of the results, other than playing decent at the PGA, but I felt like I didn’t play that well. I know I had the injury, but it was just, it wasn’t up to my expectations. So kind of turning that corner now of all right I can starting to see some things, especially at the Ryder Cup I thought that was a big thing for me. And just stay healthy, because then I can, I don’t have to worry about rest.

Q. Speaking of next week, you’re playing in a course nobody’s really ever seen before. What’s your philosophy going into a tournament like that where it’s a brand new venue?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Really doesn’t matter. I’m pretty sure there’s been guys that have pitched up to — I mean, we did it all junior golf, colleague, amateur stuff, you never played the golf course and go play. So I personally don’t think it’s a big deal. I think sometimes it’s made a little bigger deal than what it is. Done it our whole lives or especially more when we were younger, not so much when we’re on TOUR. But it’s fine.

Q. Do you know anything about the Summit Club?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Nothing. I know it’s in Vegas, that’s about it.

Q. You talked about you like where your game is trending and you saw some good things at Whistling Straits. Just curious what did you kind of see in your game there, what were the shots you were seeing that were really encouraging?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I thought I drove it a lot better, I thought for obviously I didn’t drive the ball as well this year. I didn’t have, we call it, me and Rickie and everybody kind of on the team, we call it just like a little fairway finder where it’s a little bit lower flighted, cuts a little bit more than a normal shot for me. And I just couldn’t put, I just couldn’t find the fairway with it, it just kept leaking and then I kind of had the both-way misses with the driver, but that was more swing related than anything. Just the scoring clubs too. Making quite a few bogeys with wedges in your hand where, to be honest with you, I tried to play too perfectly is I think maybe the best answer for that and tried to play perfect golf. Sometimes when you are trying to be so perfect it ends up backfiring on you. Just trying to be a little bit more patient. I think I was getting a little bit more frustrated, impatient, all those things and really kind of had to take a step back and just realize, all right, like I’m not playing as bad as I think I am and I’m just putting more internal pressure I think than anything. And then as far as putting goes, it’s just been I struggled, it wasn’t the fact I was lining up wrong or the stroke was bad, it was my green reading. So I’ve kind of gone to my putting coach, Jeff Pierce, we worked a little bit on AimPoint, I started to use that, Ryder Cup was the first time I used it and I thought that was a big thing, it’s just using it kind of more as a not the answer, more of the double check or having an idea where to, this is the region where it’s, this putt should be breaking, then get behind it, bend down, look at it, do my normal thing, okay, they both work, just a double check system. Plus it takes a little bit off of having to bend down all the time on the knees so it’s a double added bonus.

Q. I was going to ask you, we also had Scottie Scheffler in here a couple minutes ago, I’m sure you got a different window inside looking at him through the Ryder Cup. Just curious, he went out Sunday, gave you guys a huge point. Curious what your thoughts were on him as a young player and just the way he carries himself and his game.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, we have the same agent, Blake Smith, so it’s I’ve known Scottie for a long time. Even when he was an amateur golfer, you knew he was going to be out here, good player, very solid, very consistent. I think he’s going to be, he hasn’t won yet but he will and it’s going to be very quickly. I think to being apart of this Ryder Cup and winning important points and being in that atmosphere, for me it was the same way, I felt like I had the most confidence after 2016, it really kind of propelled me. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens to him. If you look at all these big events, the major, the WGC’s over the last few years, that’s where he plays his best, it seems, the bigger tournaments. And he’s a big-game hunter so I wouldn’t be surprised if he pops off a major win very shortly, but that win will come and it’s going to come pretty quick, I think.

Q. I was interested what you said about Bryson at the Long Drive. Do you think he’ll ever be able to unload to that extent in a Regular Tour event and if it hadn’t been for the injuries, is that a route you would have followed, looking for extra distance?

BROOKS KOEPKA: To the second part, no, I wouldn’t. Look, I played the same way for, I’m 31, to probably maybe 20 years, I would say, pretty consistent of what my game is. Don’t try to do anything I can’t do. I don’t try to press the issue. But what was the first part of that again?

Q. It was whether he could unload to that extent in a proper TOUR event or will conditions always be against that?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, he could. I think if conditions are right, wide enough fairway, not that he’s spraying it, but if you get something that looks like a pasture out there and it’s a long hole, I mean, I’m pretty sure he could if he wanted to. I think he could, without a doubt. If he’s done it out there in the Long Drive, he can do it out here, it’s just a matter of how tight the fairway is, where the miss is, all those things kind of go into play.

Q. I know your little brother didn’t make it through Q-School a couple weeks ago. As someone who has played on the Challenge Tour and all these different levels and you’ve played a lot of golf with Chase. How small is the gap between the guys who are struggling to get there and the guys you’re going to be playing against this week?

BROOKS KOEPKA: There’s a very minimal gap. I played with guys outside my brother, including, even including my brother, where you’re trying to figure out how they’re not out here. Just comes down to playing well at the right time. It’s more difficult to get out here than it is to stay out here, I think. Once you get that actual — I mean, you got to play well one week a year, Q-School and then you got to have a year on the Korn Ferry to get out here. It’s not like it was back in the day where you could have one good week and then you’re out on the PGA TOUR.

As far as my brother goes, he was down there with us before the Ryder Cup and I watched him play, he’s plenty good enough to be out here, just needs to put it together at the right time and kind of find his way. I think he’s doing a lot better job of that, just from talking to him over the last couple weeks and I think he’s really kind much I don’t want to say found himself, but he’s doing — I’m impressed with what I see. I know it didn’t work out for him, but he’s definitely going in the right direction and I’m proud of him for that.

Q. I had one follow-up on you working with the AimPoint. I don’t know ifs hard or easy to learn, but at 31 does it keep the game fresh that you guys are always kind of learning stuff and discovering nuances and different little things in this game?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s kind of funny. Yeah, I don’t probably use the AimPoint as the AimPoint people would like it, it’s just like a rough guess, I just, is it a 1, 2, 3, 4, what ever it might be, I don’t try to get too specific with it and just kind of have a ballpark region. So to go with it. But, yeah, it was refreshing because we were talking about it on the course today of like growing up when I was little my dad taught me pretty much the game and we were talking about plumb bobbing it and that was always the way to read it. But it’s actually the most, it doesn’t work (laughing), as much as people might think it does, it all depends on where you stand. And I just learned that today, so I was kind of fascinated by that. But it’s interesting with all these new, we have so much technology now, you think about it, I don’t even, 10 years ago I don’t know if Trackman existed, I don’t really use it that much, barely ever. But there’s so much technology there, where if you want information you can go get it and if you don’t, I’m probably on the less information side of guys out here, and there’s some things where you got to keep improving year after year. You look at it, traditionally 30 or 35 is when guys have their prime out here and I’m just kind of starting that prime at 31. So hopefully that holds up true. But you got to find a way.

I’ve fallen off, to be completely honest, I’ve fallen off of going to world No. 1, injuries, all this stuff, and I haven’t been where I expect myself to be, so I think that’s been the disappointing part, so it was a, kind of kicking myself and trying to figure out how to get better and that was just one of the ways. So I like where this information is coming, because it’s definitely helping and I think having maybe an open mind to certain things is key out here.

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

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European Challenge Tour European Tour Highlights Tours Ladies European Tour Ladies Tours Live LPGA Tour PGA Tour Professionals Satellite Tours Top Tours

How the Skandinavian professional golfers raise up their national pride. A weekend filled out with golf.

Joakim Lagergren

Last weekend hosted events for all professional tours, and this is an overview on the performance of the golfers from Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. There are not many players from these countries. However, some of their names are getting more and more noticed within the golf world.

European Tour: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Starting of with the European Tour, the Swedish golfer Joakim Lagergren, was close to bring home the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship trophy. He signed four rounds of (67-72-67-66) to finish with a total of 16-under par, for a silver medal only two shots behind the winner, Danny Willett. Lagergren showed a very solid game throughout the entire tournament, being two and six the average of bogeys and birdies per round respectively. Kristoffer Broberg finished strong with a fourth round of 7-under par (65) for a T9, coming close to the end one of his best seasons in the European Tour.
To round out the Swedish crew, Alex Noren came in T12 with a total of 11-under par (70-68-70-69). Noren is currently ranked 59th in the OWGR, and he is one of the players from Sweden with the most number of European Tour wins, a total of 10, only one victory behind Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson.
Nicolai HØJGAARD and Jeff Winther, from Denmark also had a good performance that placed them both at T14, finishing with a total score of 10-under par.

Joakim Lagergren of Sweden tees off on the 5th hole during Day Four of The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course. (Getty Images)

Challenge Tour: Swiss Challenge

Moving on to the Challenge Tour which consisted of the Swiss Challenge hosted at Golf Saint Apollinaire, Michelbach-Le-Haut, France. Denmark leaves a mark within the Top 10 finishes, bringing the first and second place trophies home. Marcus Helligkilde was proclaimed winner after he signed a total of 25-under par (65-67-62-69). Helligkilde is currently 3rd in the Challenge Tour, and ranked 143rd in the OWGR. All signs point at him playing the Main Tour next season. Only one shot behind at the Swiss Challenge, his fellow national teammate Nicolai Kristensen completed a four-round performance with scores of (65-67-65-67) for a total of 24-under par and a T2. Kristensen improved his Challenge Tour Ranking (CTR) by 28 positions last weekend, although that will not be enough to get the main card just yet.
Niklas Nørgaard MØLLER, also from Denmark, made a Top 5 at Golf Saint Apollinaire, shooting a total of 20-under par, and Lauri Ruuska came in T8 for Finland, only one shot behind of 19-under par.

LPGA Tour: Shoprite LPGA Classic

Looking at the LPGA, we can focus on the Swedish professional golfer Anna Nordqvist. She recently came in at T12 at the Shoprite LPGA Classic with a total of 9-under par and rounds of (69-69-66). Nordqvist currently holds 9 Career victories and 75 Career Top 10. Her solid game shows in the Rolex Ranking, where she is placed 16th. Anna felt at home during the Shoprite LPGA Classic and that is how she wanted to transmit it through social media: “No place like home but some weeks on the road are a little better than others… thank you @borgataac and my @mgmresortsintl family for making me, my clubs and my caddy feel “home” this week during @shopritelpga” published Anna on her Instagram account after the tournament.
Few positions below, her fellow Swedish player Madelene Sagstrom, and the professional golfer from Finland, Matilda Castren finished 6-under par for a T27 position.

Ladies European Tour. LET: Estrella Damm Ladies Open

The Estrella Damm Ladies Open took place last weekend 1st-3rd of October 2021, in Club de Golf Terramar, in Spain. Maja Stark from Sweden, took a 2-shot lead and brought the tophy home after three rounds of nonstop improvement (74-69-65) that drove her to be first with a total of 8-under par.
With a difference of four strokes, Krista Bakker (FIN) came in T4 and Linda Wessberg (SWE) T6 with a total of 3-under par. Sweden showed some golf power as Jessica Karlsson also made a Top 10 on the leaderboard with rounds of (71-70-73).

PGA Tour: Sanderson Farms Championship

Lastly the PGA tour where the Sanderson Farms Championship was played at the Country Club of Jackson, in Jackson, Mississippi. Henrik Norlander sits on the spotlight as he was the only player from the Skandinavian area to make the cut. Norlander left the standards high with a T4, only 2 shots behind the leader Sam Burns, from the U.S.

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European Challenge Tour European Tour Live Satellite Tours

Santiago Tarrio: “I look around and think I can do this..” Welcome to the European Tour, Santi.

Santiago Tarrio Ben from Spain during Day Four of the B-NL Challenge Trophy at The Dutch golf course. (Getty Images)

Good morning, we are here today with Santiago Tarrio and his caddy Noelia, a Spanish golfer from Padron. He has been playing the European Challenge tour since 2016. We are going to get started to get to know you a littler better and what your goals are and how you feel about this upcoming season, you obviously are ranked number one now, showing a solid golf game so we hope to keep it that way for longer.

Welcome to Golf Post, how are you today?

Tarrio: The feeling is good, the results are amazing and it is going better than expected. I am very happy for me and for my team. The main goal was to make it to the main European Tour, and now that is accomplished after all, I am very happy and excited about next year, I cannot wait to be surrounded by all of the other boys from the Tour and try to play my best.

Golf Post: You have accomplished one of the biggest goals that any golfer can dream of, how does that make you feel?

Tarrio: I am very excited. Now, we are playing in some of the European Tour events, and I am looking forward to playing all of them next year, and enjoy those nice courses out there and catching some experience.

Golf Post: We are here today at the golf course that saw you grow up since you first introduced yourself into golf. After five years of jumping from one place to another every other weekend, does this course still feel like home? Do you still practice here or have you found some other field that fits your needs better?

Tarrio: Yeah, I was basically born on this course, I started to play here, this is my course and this city is my home, so when I have one week off, I come here to see my family, friends and have some rest too. Of course, I also play and practice at other courses but I like to spend time at the course that saw me growing up. I love it here.

Golf Post: In 2005, your handicap was 6,5, and now in 2021 you are Top 100 in the OGWR. How does that feel? Did you expect to come that far in your golf career?

Tarrio: Wow, I was only 15 years old in 2005 and I tell you what, I do not remember what my handicap was back then, but it is really nice that you tell me and now for me to think about it. I always try to improve every year. I stopped playing golf entirely for five years when I was 17 though. But I returned 5 years ago, and I started to play the Alps Tour and some minor tours. My goal was to become a professional golfer and play the Challenge Tour and soon the European Tour. Now, five years later, I accomplished my goal, and I am very happy about it, I got it.

My amateur life was short, I only used to play the national championship once a year and some regional tournament. I found this was a disadvantage compared to other players because I think it is necessary to play important tournaments as an amateur to enrich your experience and to work with the best national coaches and trainers. It is something that grows into one’s game. I guess that being able to accomplish my goals without having lived any of that makes me feel more proud of my team and myself.

Golf Post: After all, as you said, you still managed to turn professional and be first ranked in the Challenge Tour right now. You began to play this Tour in 2016, is there an event that is more special for you?

Tarrio: In 2018, I played my first season with full card in the Challenge after I won the Alps Tour. I would say that was the most special moment for me because of the big gap that exists from one to the other. I like to learn from the other guys, and I liked the Alps Tour because most of the players had a lack of sources, so we used to share travel expenses as well as accommodation. That brought me a lot of good moments and it was very special for me to close that stage with a win.

Golf Post: Noelia, you have been his caddy and partner in crime at the golf course ever since Santi started this journey. We have heard that no other caddy reads the greens as good as you do. What was the most special moment for you?

Noelia García: Our first victory together at the Spanish Challenge. Although I also have experience in the PGA Tour, where we started with a triple boggey on the first hole, we made a 7 because we took the wrong meassure, but now we remember it as a funny memory.

Tarrio: She is a really good caddy, I am afraid I will have to fight the best players in the world that try to tempt her with better contracts and want to steal her from me, because she is a very nice caddy.

Golf Post: You are playing insane golf this season, collecting two wins and five Top 5. Once again, you are currently Top 100 in the OGWR. What has been the key to the success?

Tarrio: I think it is the mental game. I make birdies and I look up around me and think “Ok I can do this, I can play this game just like these top golfers here, I can do this.”

Golf Post: What are you most thankful for that guides you to this success?

Tarrio: My team. I have a lot of people around me that supported me through the bad moments and push me through them always. I think that is key and I am very happy with the team I brought together.

Golf Post. Now that your team and you have secured a spot in the main European Tour for the upcoming season, what are your goals? How do you see your future playing out in the European Tour?

Tarrio: My main goal is to maintain and consolidate the spot in the Main Tour during the first year, and then I will try for my first victory of course. I want to go step by step, which has always been the process we followed up until today. Of course my ultimate goal is to play the Masters of Augusta, and to play a Ryder Cup with the European Team. But for now, we need to work hard on every step on the path.

Golf Post: In April 22-25th, you played the Limpopo Championship, in South Africa. Then, you were T72 in the Challenge Tour ranking. Only two months later, in June you were proclaimed winner of the Spanish Challenge and leader of the Challenge Tour. How do you and your team manage the pressure to keep it that way?

Tarrio: We try to go shot by shot and week by week. I felt the pressure when I missed nine cuts in a row, or when I needed a good tournament to get the full card privileges. It was very hard to be able to bear the expenses playing the Alps Tour because of the lack of sponsors, and the low money prizes. So having to play the Alps for one more year also put pressure on me because that would have cut down the chances to continue maybe. Golf is not rocket science, and the effort may not always pay off. But now, we found more sponsors, and also the money prizes are higher. We are seeing the effort show in the scores, and when the game is good, there is no pressure.

Golf Post: About a month ago, the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020 were celebrated. Jon Rahm tested positive and you were up next to play according to the current ranking. However, the Spanish Federation and NOC decided to fly out Jorge Campillo instead. What happened? Do you think it was an unfair decision?

Tarrio: When the inscription lists were closed, I was ranked just one spot behind Adri Arnaus in the World Ranking, so I knew that I had a small chance to go if anything happened that didn’t allow Jon Rahm or Adri Arnaus to go. I was surprised that I did not get the call to aware me that I was first in the substitute list. The week before the Olympic Games, I was playing in Italy when my team and I found out about the positive COVID-19 case of Jon Rahm.

I got in contact with my physiologist and manager, Joaquin to get in contact with the Spanish Federation to see what the next steps were because we believed that we should be the ones to go to Tokyo, but the time to sort things out was limited due to Covid restrictions and requirements previous to the Games. Joaquin called me and explained to me that the Spanish Federation had to send out a provisional list in March that collected all the names of the possible players that could represent the country in case something like this happened to the two players that were chosen in the first place.

The Spanish Federation believed that five names were enough. However, Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera rejected their spots to Tokyo. Therefore, there were only three left in the list: Jon Rahm, Adri Arnau and Jorge Campillo.

This meant that any other Spanish golfer that was out of that list could never have the chance to participate in the Tokyo Games whatsoever, although other players went ahead in the OWGR since March until the last update of the World Ranking previous to the Games, like it happened to me, the same way it could have happened to any other.

In this case, by the time the World Rankings were updated, Jorge Campillo was two spots behind me and one spot behind Otaegui. I think it was a huge negligence. The worst part is that the Federation acted shady and I am hurt that the Federation did not release a public statement informing on the situation to all golfers and fans explaining what is happening and how they are proceeding.

I recognize that I received apologies from the President of the Spanish Federation, who was not aware of the situation and did not know that I was next in the list. Therefore, the party responsible was the president. Actually, the Spanish Olympic Committee put me down on their list, but not the Federation, which was just a shame for me.

Golf Post: The weekend after the Olympic Games you proved a point at the Hero Open with a crazy total of 21-under par, with rounds of 69-66-67-63. You brought you own bronze metal home that weekend, and finished first out of all the Spanish golfers. I am sure that was a tough mental challenge, but you managed to get over successfully. How did you face such a challenge and how did you feel afterwards?

Tarrio: I think the week before was the hardest one playing in the European Tour event and awaiting to see what was going on with the Olympic Games. Then it turned out that I was not flying to Tokyo and quickly had to prepare to play in Scotland. I was physically and mentally tired, but it was very special for my team and I. The results were great, we finished third and I even got asked to sign some autographs, which I am not very used to do so.

Golf Post: Speaking of the Olympic Games, Paris 2024 is coming up soon, only three years away from now, and time flies. Is that one of the goals that you included in the long-term of your golf career?

Tarrio: It was not one of the goals that I was planning on chasing so far for now. I believe that if I ever accomplish such a goal, it will mean a reward to the team for all the hard work that we are putting in, and definitely a huge gift for us. It will be the revenge for Tokyo 2020(1), and we know that it will not be easy, but we will try our best always to get as far as possible.

Golf Post: So far you goal is to get to the European Tour next season and to maintain the card. Maybe bring a couple of victories home for the next couple of years, and who knows if we may see you in Paris as well. What is the part of your game that you are focusing the most on to improve your performance, is there anything specific that you consider a weakness?

Tarrio: I think I need to improve in all parts of golf because I have more golf inside me, I can improve in the physical, mental and technical parts. It is nice for me not to see the top of my golf game at the moment. I would say the physical part is probably the worst part of my game because of the non-stop traveling and training. However, I always try to improve in all parts because I think there is always blanks to fill.

Golf Post: Thank you so much for having us, for this interview. It was really great talking to you. We wish you the best of luck for the upcoming tournaments and for you to accomplish all the goals for the European Tour next season.

Tarrio: My pleasure. I hope to see you more times in the future for more interviews. Thank you so much.

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Ladies European Tour Ladies Tours LPGA Tour

Halmstad Golf Club confirmed as 2022 Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik and Annika venue

Skyview of Halmstad Golf Club, located in Tylösand

Date: Friday September 17, 2021

The innovative event, co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, features a field of 78 men and 78 women playing for one prize fund and one trophy. Earlier this year, Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell triumphed in the inaugural edition hosted at Vallda Golf and Country Club near Gothenburg.

The famous North Course at Halmstad, located in Tylösand, previously provided the backdrop for the 2007 Solheim Cup, where tournament host Annika Sörenstam contributed 2.5 points for Team Europe.

Designed by Rafael Sundblom, the father of Swedish golf course architecture, it was given the seal of approval from the Swedish Golf Federation in May of 1938 and was officially opened for play in September of the same year.

First time for Halmstad Golf Club to host an European Tour event, but not a bit unprepared.
It is the first time that Halmstad will host the European Tour, but over the years it has staged events on the European Challenge Tour and Ladies European Tour, most recently welcoming amateur golfers for the ANNIKA Invitational Europe in 2017.

“I’m excited for the next edition of the Scandinavian Mixed and to be playing at Halmstad Golf Club, a course that hosted the Solheim Cup and the ANNIKA Invitational Europe a few years ago. I know it will be a great week for everyone involved,” said Sörenstam.

“Bringing women and men together in a combined professional tournament was a huge success and we learned a lot from the event this year. Henrik and I want to bring our game to the younger generation in Sweden and we can’t wait to have fans back next year to enjoy the special atmosphere.”

Henrik Stenson, an 11-time European Tour winner, added: “It’s great that we are able to take the Scandinavian Mixed to Halmstad next summer. I have played some junior events at the course but never at this level, and I think it will be an excellent host venue for the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, both in terms of golf course and the whole setup within the region.

“It was a lot of fun to host the tournament with Annika earlier this year but the only thing missing for us was the crowds not being able to attend. We are both looking forward to welcoming back the Swedish fans next year for an even bigger and better event.

“We are in it for the long run and our hope is that through the Scandinavian Mixed, Annika and I can help inspire the next generation of golfers in Sweden and around the world. Our game is inclusive in so many ways and this tournament continues to highlight that fact on a global stage.”

Jonas Bergman, Mayor of Halmstad, said: “When the opportunity arose for Halmstad to host the 2022 edition of the Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik and Annika, we could only see benefits of being involved with this new concept.

“The ongoing pandemic has made a stamp on our society and the way we live, but to our great joy, golf has still been practised and has grown even stronger in Sweden and on an international level.

The mixed format of this event brings different groups together in our society, with various ages and a focus on inclusion and equality, all of which we are proud to be associated with moving forward.”

European Tour Communications

Categories
European Tour Top Tours

Billy Horschel celebrates his victory at the BMW PGA Championship with his lucky golf bag and the West Ham United football team

Billy Horschel of the United States of America signals the West Ham United Irons sign after winning the BMW PGA Championship

The BMW PGA Championship is a tournament that started in 1972, and it has been taking place in Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England, since 1984. Previous to that year, other courses such as the Royal St George’s Golf Course also served as the venue to the European Tour event. The first time the BMW PGA Championship was celebrated, the winner, Tony Jacklin earned the respective quantity to the total prize fund of 25.000 €. This year, the American golfer, Billy Horschel has pocketed a total of 1.125.951,98 € and made history, becoming the second American golfer to win this tournament, after Arnold Palmer raised the trophy in 1975.

Billy Horschel finshed T1 after four hard rounds of 70-65-69-65 to sign a total of 19-under par, only one shot ahead from the second position. Horschel secured the title at the third Rolex Series event of the year, and his second major BMW title after the BMW Championship in Denver, USA with an excellent final round of 7-under par (65), including an impresive birdie on hole 18th.

“I think started off, making par at No. 1 was huge. Fooch and I played a flyer like we have all week and hit it over the green and made a big putt for par. I played really great all around. Making the birdie at 15 was huge. Getting me I think tied for the lead at the moment at 18-under with three holes to play, three birdie holes, and I knew if I could birdie two of the three I probably would win the event. But one birdie was good enough.” – Billy Horschel.

The relatipnship must be a two ways street: Billy Horschel and The West Ham United football team.
The American golfer feels very comfrotable playing the English course of Wentworth, Horschel is closer to the British crowd than the audience may think. This is one of his favorite courses, and he would play it more often if that was possible, as he explained in some of the interviews made throughout the European Tour event.

“Man, I’m speechless, which is very, very rare. As I’ve said two years ago and as I said this week the crowds are absolutely unbelievable here and they supported me when I came over in 2019 and they supported me this year. Played really good today, really well. Obviously missed a few putts. To win this event means a lot.” – Billy Horschel.

The West Ham United soccer club had designed a golf bag for him to carry his clubs at The Open this year. It was supposed to be his lucky charm. Although he finsihed T53 with a total of 1-over par at The Open, his luck finally came this weekend, and he could have not shown a better appreciation to the West Ham United club than raising a trophy on british lands. Billy has not had bag sponsor for a year and a half then and he has always been a fan of the Hammers so why not making a Hammer’s golf bag? He combined both of his passions together and now he will celebrate his victory with the West Ham United team.

The golf bag of Billy Horschel designed for the English soccer club of West Ham United
Categories
Team UK Top Tours

Lee Westwood does his homework to pulish the accuracy of his irons yardage.

Lee Westwood of England plays their second shot on the 2nd hole during Day Two of the 2021 Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

The FedexCup Playoffs have been very intense, full of emotions and great golf. The englishman Lee Westwood classified for the first event, known as the Northern Trust. This tournament was played at the Liberty National Golf Course, in New Jersey, where he shot a total of 9-under par for a T27. Westwood fell into the Top 70 players that moved forward into the BMW Championship, the second event of the PlayOffs. It was held at the Caves Valley Golf Club, in Owings Mills, MD.

Performance at the BMW Championship
Westwood showed some consistency off the fairway with a 79.2% of accuracy in greens in regulation. However, his final statistics showed a total of 50% of sand saves. This means that, he would have only saved one out of two pars after missing the green, and that translated into few more bogeys on his scorecard than expected.
Although the englishman completed the BMW Championship with an average of 1.6 putts, he signed a final score of 11-under par, for a T34, falling out of the Top 30 that would sneak into the TOUR Championship, the last event of the FedexCup Playoffs.

Lee Westwood keeps up the good work and shares it with his fans.
Westwood wants to make sure that he gets to know his yardage to improve his performance in the upcoming tournaments. He shares his work on and off the course through his social media, and here there is a video of him putting the effort in the driving range. Westwood is taking notes on his irons yardage with the help of the trackman.

Categories
PGA Tour Top Tours

VIKTOR HOVLAND: “I had a good year last year, but I’ve had an even better one this year.”

VIKTOR HOVLAND smiling at the 2020 TOUR Championship at the East Lake Golf Club, in Atlanta, GA.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

East Lake Golf Club
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: This is Viktor’s second appearance back-to-back making it to East Lake, finishing 20th last year in the final FedExCup standings. I think just starting off it’s obviously a big deal to get back here two years in a row. I guess how would you kind of grade your season overall and explain what it means to be back at East Lake.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it means that you’ve played pretty consistently throughout the year and it’s a cool achievement to be able to be back here. And I had a good year last year, but I’ve had an even better one this year, so it’s nice to see that the, things are going the right way and we’re only starting seven shots behind and not 10, so that’s a good start. Hopefully we can do a little bit better than finishing 20th this year.

THE MODERATOR: Starting seven back, having played this golf course last year, what do you think is a key to being able to go low around here.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: You got to really put the ball in the fairway here. The fairways are pretty narrow and the rough is pretty thick because the ball just sits down in the, all the way down, and you can’t really attack the pins. It’s all about trying to make pars from the rough and when you hit the fairways you can really be aggressive. The greens are really pure. They’re firm and fast, so you’re really going to have to hit the ball well to get close. But once you’re on the green you can really make some putts if your speed’s right and you can read the greens well because they’re perfect.

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
PGA Tour Team Ireland Top Tours

Rory McIlroy: “There’s no room in golf for people to abuse someone on the golf course when all they’re trying to do is follow their dreams.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off the sixth hole during a practice round prior to the 2021 TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

East Lake Golf Club
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: This is your 8th start here. You’re a two-time champion. Just what are you looking forward to about coming back here for the ninth time or the eighth time.

RORY MCILROY: I mean, I’m just happy to be here, to be honest. I was 28th going into the week last week at Caves Valley. I knew I needed at least a decent week to make it here and it turned out to be a bit better than that. I played, probably played some of the best golf I’ve played all year, not good enough to keep up with Patrick and Bryson, but certainly good enough to move up a few spots and get here this week.

So, yeah, happy to be here. It’s, I think it’s always a feather in your cap to make the TOUR Championship even though someone in my position is expected to and I obviously expect myself to as well. You look around this week and there’s only 30 players here and you can single out every single player that’s done something really well this year. So to be included in that group is nice and at least I have a chance.

I, it was funny, I saw Sungjae this morning at breakfast, and when I finished on Sunday, it looked like I was projected to start the tournament this week at 4-under and then Sungjae birdied 17, and then I was projected to start the week at 3-under, and then he birdied the last, and then I went down to 2-under. So even before the week started he cost me two shots.

But, no, it’s — and it’s sort of, I think that’s the fun thing about this format. You’re always sort of looking at what the other guys are doing and seeing where you’re going to start. But, yeah, just happy to be here and glad to have a chance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You touched on it there. How do you approach starting the week eight behind? Do you just think, that’s just two shots a day, or do you just try and put it out of your mind until you get down to the business end of it?

RORY MCILROY: Not really. I mean, I think East Lake isn’t the easiest golf course in the world and it’s certainly a, it seems to be a course that separates the field somewhat. So the way I look at it, if I go out tomorrow and shoot 6-under, for example, which is the score I shot last year in the first round, get to 8-under par, and some of those top guys shoot even par or even 1- or 2-over, all of a sudden you’re right in it.

So it’s a golf course that you can, I feel like you can make up a lot of ground quickly. You can also lose a lot of ground quickly as well, depending on how it goes. But I certainly don’t feel like I’m out of it. I don’t feel like I’m too far behind. Eight shots around this golf course doesn’t seem like that much, so still pretty optimistic.

But, I mean, I think it just puts the impetus, especially for people that are in my position, the bottom half of the field, you just have to get off to a fast start.

Q. Jon has been kind of outspoken about the format for this week. He points out the fact that you come in having won, four, five times and a major and end up finishing 30th on the points list. And I know you’ve addressed this before, but there is a clarity for the fans, but that’s offset by Jon’s point, which I think a lot of people agree with. Do you have a thought on that one way or the other?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I mean I, look, the first year that it was played in this format I started five back, and I ended up winning the tournament by three. So, like, everyone gets here. The people that have played well have an advantage. It’s not an insurmountable advantage like it has been in previous years where guys have turned up to the TOUR Championship not having to do anything to win the FedExCup and that’s certainly, you don’t want that to happen either.

So I mean, there’s been a few iterations of it and I think this is definitely the best format so far. There’s clarity for the players. There’s clarity for the fans. It’s, again, it’s the playoffs, and I think everyone that’s in the top-30 deserves to be here and then because of that everyone in the top-30 deserves to feel like they have a chance to win it all.

So I can certainly see where Jon is coming from, especially with the year that he’s had. But, look, I’ve went into two, I went into two playoff runs being No. 1 in 2012 and 2014 and didn’t win either of them. So I’ve been on both sides of the coin here.

Look, it is what it is. I mean, the PGA TOUR wanted to create this playoffs format and by nature it is going to be volatile at the end of the year and I think most players have accepted that.

Q. I know you were hitting fades and hitting draws and trying to figure out which one made more sense. Where have you settled on that and why?

RORY MCILROY: I think it’s shot- and hole-dependent. I’m going to try to hit a fade on holes that dictate that that’s the way you should play the hole and I’m going to try to hit a draw on holes or hole locations where it dictates that you should hit a draw. I think I’m, most players in this field and most players on TOUR should be good enough to be able to work the ball both ways.

Certainly there is advantages of just having one shot shape. It takes the options or the choices out of your head somewhat and it simplifies the game, but I think I should be able to swing the club well enough and know what I’m doing that I’m able to hit both shots. I mean, I think for my swing pattern and when it gets off, I think the feeling of a fade is always a good one because it gets the club out more in front of me on the way down. So that’s always going to be a sort of thought or a drill of mine is, like, just keep trying to get the club out in front of me and rotate and hitting those fades because I know if I can hit the fade pretty consistently, then I know I’m swinging well and the club’s not getting stuck behind me, and I know how to hit a draw. I mean, I’ve done that my whole life.

So it’s just a matter of managing your patterns somewhat and basically just hitting the shot that’s required on the hole or, yeah.

Q. With two European Tour counting events remaining for the Ryder Cup, how do you see the Ryder Cup, European Ryder Cup team shaping up? Pads has got a pretty tough task in terms of phone calls before he makes the announcement of the wild cards at Wentworth on that Sunday night.

RORY MCILROY: It depends how Italy and Wentworth go, I guess, the next couple of weeks. Obviously, Bernd Wiesberger had a great chance to play himself into the team in Switzerland and didn’t quite get it done but certainly has a couple more opportunities coming up in Italy and Wentworth to get over the line.

And then I think if that were to happen, if say someone like a Bernd or a Victor Perez or one of those guys gets, plays their way into the team, then I think it makes it a little more difficult for Padraig because then say, for example, if Shane doesn’t get on automatically, then you’re looking at him for a pick or whoever else.

It’s sort of, it’s still all a bit up in the air. But I think at this moment in time, if the qualifications stopped, I think it’s a pretty simple, I think it’s a pretty simple scenario, but a lot can change over the next couple of weeks.

Q. Are we going to see you at Wentworth or not?

RORY MCILROY: No.

Q. Do you feel that fan behavior has become less respectful and if so what do you attribute it to?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I do, a little bit. I think I sort of know what you’re getting at on the back of last week and some things that were said over the past few weeks, I guess. Yeah, a little bit. I think it’s different. As golfers, there’s a very thin rope that separates us from the fans, and then you hit a shot off line, and you have to go into the fans to hit it. So we get a little closer to them than some other sports.

Yeah, I think some of it crosses the line. I think there’s a certain, I think certain other sports culture has fed into our game and fed into the fan base that’s definitely affected it, and people will make the argument that, well, it happens in every other sport. But I would say that we’re not any other sport and I think golf should hold itself to a higher standard. I mean, the players are certainly held to a higher standard than other sports, so why wouldn’t our fan base be.

Q. Do you feel like you have to develop a thicker skin for the Ryder Cup?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, certainly, especially the ones that are played in the United States. But I think the best thing is to just not — someone once told me awhile back, if you don’t take anything personally, you’ll live a very happy life, and I think I try to do that all the time. You just try to let it slide off, not take things personally and if you can do that and if you can train yourself to think that way, it certainly makes it easier.

Q. Everybody seems to be on Bryson’s case at the moment. Do you feel any sympathy for him or do you think he brought it on himself?

RORY MCILROY: I certainly feel some sympathy for him because I certainly, I don’t think that you should be ostracized or criticized for being different, and I think we have all known from the start that Bryson is different and he is not going to conform to the way people want him to be. He is his own person. He thinks his own thoughts and everyone has a right to do that.

There are certainly things that he has done in the past that have brought some of this stuff on himself. I’m not saying that he’s completely blameless in this. But at the same time, I think he has been getting a pretty rough go of it of late and it’s actually pretty sad to see because he, deep down, I think, is a nice person and all he wants to do is try to be the best golfer he can be. And it just seems like every week something else happens and I would say it’s pretty tough to be Bryson DeChambeau right now.

And I don’t know if anyone else on TOUR has spoken up for him, but I definitely, I definitely he feel for him a little bit. And I agree, I don’t think he’s completely blameless in all this, but at the same time, I think he’s trying to become better and he’s trying to learn from his mistakes and I think everyone should give him a chance to try to do that.

Q. Outside observers can’t help but note Patrick Cantlay’s very calm demeanor on the golf course regardless of what the circumstances are. Is that something that the players take note of as well? And what other parts of his game might you point to to, that’s going to make him tough to catch this week?

RORY MCILROY: I mean, if he putts the way he putted last week for the rest of his career we have no chance. (Laughing).

Yeah, Patrick is, he’s a very, what you see on TV is what you get in person. I mean, he’s a pretty, he’s a very smart guy as well. I think that’s the thing. He’s very, he doesn’t say a whole lot, but you can tell that there’s a lot going on in his head and he’s an educated guy. And, yeah, I mean, the performance that he put in last week, I think everyone that, when he hit that shot into the water on 17 in regulation, we all thought, Well, this is Bryson’s to win. But the resolve that he showed to get up-and-down to make bogey there, to birdie the last to force a playoff, and then everything that happened in the playoff, it was really impressive to see.

I think that was a, he’s won some tournaments before and he’s played well, but I think that was, I don’t know if anyone’s ever seen that side of Patrick Cantlay to that extent like we did last week and it was very impressive.

Q. You alluded to the Hazeltine Ryder Cup a little bit earlier and my read on that week was that you expended a ton of energy winning matches early in the week and kind of carrying your team. Obviously, you had that huge energy explosion on the 8th hole against Patrick on Sunday, and then I thought maybe you kind of lost, like you had reached a breaking point almost at that point. I wanted to ask you if that was true, first of all, and then playing off of that, what would you tell, let’s say like a Ryder Cup rookie or how would you advise them about the specific challenges of playing a Ryder Cup in the U.S. in this modern era where fans can be jerks and it’s just like a crazy amount of energy that it takes from you?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, so you’re completely right. That observation is, you hit the nail on the head. I expended so much energy during that week, not just competing on the golf course, but also just everything else that was going on that, everything sort of reached a crescendo on that 8th green on Sunday, and I think both of us, I think both Patrick and I, we certainly didn’t keep that level of play up for the entire match, and I think we both sort of came down a little bit from that, but he was just able to — he made birdie at the last and ended up winning 1-up.

And but, yeah, it was certainly, I took a lot from that. I learned a lot from that and I hopefully won’t make the same mistake again this year because you can only, you only have so much energy, and you can only use it for an amount of time. And I think what I would tell a rookie going into a Ryder Cup, especially on the road, is, yeah, conserve your energy. You don’t, like we’re there from the Monday, the matches don’t start until the Friday, I mean, I would Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday do just enough to feel like you’re prepared, but don’t do too much. Don’t play 18-hole practice rounds every day. Don’t kill yourself in the gym. Don’t like, I mean, do what you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind and the right space physically to go out there and play.

And the thing, as well, is if you’re called upon to play all five sessions, that’s a long week. It’s tough and it’s physically draining, but also mentally as well, trying to focus on the job at hand and not get distracted by the crowd or anything else.

So it’s a pretty tough task, I think, for a rookie coming into that environment that’s going to be the toughest week of their golfing life and they have to be prepared for that and all I would say is conserve your energy and put it into the three days.

Q. You said if you don’t think anything personal, you’ll never be upset. How do you put that into practice when you’re in the thick of it and the things people are saying to you are intensely personal?

RORY MCILROY: I think you just have to, you have to think about, Okay, if I were to sit down and have a beer with this person, would they think the same thing, would they say the same thing? And of course they wouldn’t. You go, if someone says something to you and you go up and you confront them about it, they’re not going to say the same thing as either, right? It’s a — it’s just a weird dynamic between fan and competitor and they’re doing it to try to help their own team. They’re doing it because they’re from the United States and they’re trying to — and I think if you — I think I’ve tried to train myself to think about it and think on purpose rather than react, and I think the more you react to it, the more it gets at you, but the more you actually think about it and break it down and it just, it becomes less meaningful and you can just sort of let it roll off.

And I’ve tried to do a really good job of that over the last few years of not react and just try to think about it a little bit more and try to just try to put it in a better perspective, I guess.

Q. It sounds as if you’re on board with what Jay told us yesterday about the fan behavior stuff. But just curious your thoughts on just enforcing that, the difficulty of actually calling people out and maybe asking, booting them or ejecting them in such a situation. Is that realistic?

RORY MCILROY: I think as I said at the start, as golfers I feel like we’re held to a higher standard than other sports and other athletes and I think because of that the people that come to watch us play should be held to a higher standard as well. And enforcing that, I think it should be — there’s no room in golf for people to abuse someone on the golf course when all they’re trying to do is do their best and win a golf tournament and follow their dreams. So there’s no place for that in our game and that might sound a little stiff or snobby or whatever, but that’s golf and we have traditions and we have — you look at like a First Tee Program, for example, what are they taught through golf? They’re taught respect, sportsmanship, etiquette, how to treat others the right way, and that’s everything that we try to do through golf. They are the values of our game and that’s, people need to understand that and they need to try to adopt those same etiquettes and those same beliefs and values when they show up at our tournaments.

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
PGA Tour Top Tours

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

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

THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 19, 2021

Viktor Hovland

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Liberty National Golf Club
Quick Quotes

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

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

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

So it was good day overall.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, Jeff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, that was a cool moment.

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

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

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

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

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

Q. How big did the gallery get that day?

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

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

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

VIKTOR HOVLAND: No. (Laughter.)

Q. Tiger?

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

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
PGA Tour

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

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

THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 18, 2021

Dustin Johnson

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Liberty National Golf Club
Press Conference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q. Just curious, are you completely healthy?

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

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

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

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

Q. Didn’t shock you, in other words?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DUSTIN JOHNSON: What’s the question?

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

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

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

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I do.

Q. Oh, good.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q. Surprised? Disappointed? Anything?

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

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

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

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

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

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

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports