Tag: live-pga-tour

Categories
Team Ireland

PGA Tour: Graeme McDowell Talks 13th Start at Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 04: Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland plays a shot during the pro-am round prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 04, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

PGA Professional and champion Graeme McDowell speaks with the media ahead of making his 13th career start at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

PGA Tour: Graeme McDowell talks with the media prior to 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Graeme McDowell to the interview room here at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. You’re making your 13th start here this week. Just some thoughts on being back here at Bay Hill.

GRAEME MCDOWELL: Yeah, one of my favorite weeks of the year. Home event. Get to stay at home with my family. Some great history here, a couple of second place finishes. Obviously, my relationship with Mastercard. Just a lot of reasons to be here. Course looks great. Prepared for another, hopefully another great tournament. Like I say, just game’s in good shape, excited to be here, looking forward to he hopefully competing.

THE MODERATOR: Four top-25s this year. Where would you say your game’s at.

GRAEME MCDOWELL: I think it’s trending in the right direction. The 4th in Sony was important. The win in Saudi was very important. I’ve kind of had a couple weeks now to reset and get ready and I’m kind of, I’ve got a busy few months coming up, so I’m ready to play golf. I’m focused and I’m motivated. And it’s so much great golf to play here, so it’s a good time of the year to be feeling good and looking forward to playing and competing and I’m excited about what the next six months could hold.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for some questions, please.

Q. Are you thinking about Ryder Cup already?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Am I thinking about Ryder Cup?

Q. Already.
GRAEME MCDOWELL: I think we’re always thinking about Ryder Cup to a certain extent. I think there’s no doubt it would be a massive goal to play on the team this year. I missed the last two. I certainly put myself back on the radar for this year, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. There’s a lot of great young players. It’s a lot of fun to see guys like myself and Lee Westwood and even Adam Scott, obviously, he’s not a Ryder Cup player, but guys winning in their 40s. It’s a nice flavor to start off 2020 and, you know, the Ryder Cup will get in the way if I play the way I know I can play and do the things I know I can do. So it’s, we’ll see what happens. A lot of golf to play. Four major championships ahead of us and lots and lots of great golf to play. So, listen, I would love to be in Whistling Straits, it goes without saying.

Q. The key this week, is it off the tee, just keeping it out of the rough, would you say?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Yeah, I think so. Looking at the forecast tomorrow, I think we’re going to have to get through a really tricky tough day tomorrow with 20 mile an hour gusts in the morning and 30 miles an hours in the afternoon. The rough is thick. Driving the ball is going to be a massive premium this week. I think in and around the greens it’s not as tough as I’ve seen it. There’s quite a nice bit of grass to chip off around the greens, and the bunkers are very nice. So I think big premium on driving the ball well, giving yourself a chance to attack the greens, and controlling the ball well in the wind tomorrow. I think tomorrow’s going to be a key day. I think tomorrow’s a day where you could play yourself way out of this thing right away. So thankfully played a lot of good wind golf this year, this season. Felt like Hawaii, a couple weeks in the wind, blew in Saudi, pretty happy the way my wind game looks, so very, very important to get off to a good start tomorrow.

Q. Do you use data at all in either course management or in like allocating your practice time? And if so, how have they affected what you do in those areas?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Yeah. Did you say data?

Q. Yeah, like ShotLink?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Yeah, like stats. Yeah, I mean, I think we have, I’ve always used some form of statistical analysis into my game. I think instinctively between myself and my caddie we always have a fairly good idea where we’re at, but it’s nice to look at some numbers to back up, because you can get a little, you can get a little blinded out there thinking I’m not putting well, when in actual fact you’re hitting a lot of irons, a lot of great iron shots and you’re giving yourself a lot of 15-, 20-feet looks that you’re not going to make a lot of, and therefore you think you’re putting badly. So that’s just an example of how you can get a little blinded by what you think’s going wrong. But, no, sort of areas that I’ve been looking at, proximity to the hole, just around the greens, for example. I have a tendency to be a very good scrambler, but I don’t chip the ball close enough to the hole very often. And that has a wearing affect on the putter when you have 5 and 6 and 7 feet all day. So trying to be a little tighter around the greens, giving myself easier up-and-down opportunities has been something I’ve been working on, just as an example of using some of the data and some of the numbers to try and find areas in my game where I can just tighten up a little bit.

2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard

Q. What about for a course management?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: For course management? Not really. I mean, again, instinctively I think myself and my caddie are pretty good at taking a course apart and understanding where to miss and where not to miss. I think some of these little overhead maps where you see the little dot kind of maps where areas where guys are getting it up-and-down and areas where guys are not getting it up-and-down, I think those are very useful, especially on a golf course which I don’t maybe know very well. So, say, at a tournament where I haven’t played the course much, I may have a look at the computer on a Thursday morning and just try and see where guys are missing it and areas, what are they doing off tees, playing aggressively, and stuff. Those are very, very interesting, but I feel like it’s something I’ve always naturally done anyway. I feel like I’m pretty good at understanding where I should be missing the ball and trying not to overcomplicate it. It’s a hard enough game. You don’t really need too much stuff in the head at times.

Q. Speaking about hitting the ball toward the hole and whatnot, can you talk about how hard it is to actually hit the ball inside 10 feet on a regular basis. I mean, that’s really difficult.
GRAEME MCDOWELL: That really depends how far away from the hole you are to start with, obviously. Yeah, listen, I mean, proximity is important. They say 7 feet is that kind of threshold number where putting stats really start to skew and start to kind of fall off a cliff. So really from inside of a hundred yards those proximity numbers become highly important because those are your — that’s your conversion, your conversion area, where you’re getting the ball up-and-down on a regular basis. So from longer range, obviously, just managing it well and trying to be as tight as you possibly can. But from inside of a hundred yards it’s, that 10 feet number, that 7 feet number becomes very important.

Q. In this stretch of schedule where you’ve got two World Golf Championship events, THE PLAYERS, this, other strong Florida swing events, what makes this tournament stand out and how hard is it for players? I know you’re a main stay, but how hard is it for players to decide what to play and what not to play?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: For sure, I think you look at this stretch and you could argue that it’s maybe a little too strong. When you look at the stretch maybe between Augusta and PGA and PGA to U.S. Open, not trying to disrespect any of those events in that window, but there’s a lot of golf right now. You’ve got an unbelievably good Florida swing sandwiched between two WGC events. I live in Florida, so I love the Florida swing. I didn’t play the Honda last week for the first time in 10 years. I regretted not playing the Honda. I went to Mexico instead. Saudi got me into Mexico. I went down there. I didn’t play well. I was, like, totally wished I would have skipped that event. Like, skipping WGC events it’s just historically something you didn’t really ever think about, but I think the value of the WGC has been reduced because the strength of everything else around it has got so much stronger. So the long and short of it is, outside of the major championships, there’s so many great tournaments and scheduling becomes very difficult. So like I say, hindsight’s 20/20. I wish I hadn’t gone to Mexico. I wish I would have taken a week to reset and gone to the Honda. I think I would have loved it down there, just the way it played, seeing so many Europeans on the board. It’s so hard to pick and choose. I’m going to skip Tampa. It’s not an event I typically skip, because I want to be ready for the Match Play and I’ll play Valero as well. So there’s a lot of golf. And unfortunately big events are suffering. It looks like Tampa’s got a great field. Honda, maybe not so much last week. Obviously, next week’s a huge week. Really looking at that, trying to take that as a major championship approach going into the PLAYERS. So very, very hard to pick and choose right now because this is such a strong part of the year.

Q. Considering that, is 13 out of 25 choosing to play here, is that a pretty good number when you consider all the other moving parts?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: 13 out of 25 what? Sorry.

Q. 13 out of the top 25 in the World Rankings.
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Are here this week at Bay Hill?

Q. Yes.
GRAEME MCDOWELL: I mean, that’s great. I mean, obviously, being a Mastercard guy and being one of the tournament ambassadors in the beginning after Mr. Palmer passed away, the big thing was how do we keep this event as a premier event, how do we carry the legacy forward. Obviously, the golf course can be a little sort of divisive. Some guys love it, some guys don’t love it. It’s a strong field this week, but because of all of the other events around it, it’s maybe not as strong as it could be. But, listen, I love this event. I’m happy for Mastercard and Bay Hill that they have got the kind of event they have this week and hopefully it continues to be a strong event.

Q. Whether you’re aware of this or not, you were No. 255 in the world when you left Bay Hill last year. What happened?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: (Laughing.) Yeah, I mean, Bay Hill was a very pivotal week for me here last year because The Open Championship conversation began here last year. There was some open spots up for grabs here, and I got off to a pretty good start and I blew out on Sunday and I was very disappointed. So, yeah, I do remember the emotions I was going through this time last year, for sure. It was difficult. The game wasn’t really, felt like where it needed to be. I suppose I’d go and win in Dominican Republic in three weeks’ time, two weeks’ time. But I was sort of trending in the right direction, but emotionally I just was, you know, I was, somebody beat me up. I just couldn’t seem to, I couldn’t seem to kind of get out of that, get out that have 25th and 30th funk that was in. I was in run of 25ths and 30ths and 40ths. I was feeling like I was playing well, but then I would look at the check at the end of the week and go, you know, 30ths just don’t cut it. I would go and win in Dominican. I wouldn’t you really have a good summer, but it kind of led me to kind of having a little soul search, getting a new coach, started hitting the reset button a little bit, and I’ve been really happy with the progress I’ve made. It’s not really been over a 12-month period. It’s really been since last August, I suppose, so it’s been a five-, six-month period, which brings me to here, obviously, in a very different place, 200 places in the World Ranking better than I was last year and feeling like I can go out and really, really compete. And if I’m there on a Sunday afternoon, I might actually know what to do this year. So just have a lot more belief, a lot more confidence in what I’m doing, which is, obviously, those intangibles that you can’t really learn on the range. You just have to be out there. You got to test yourself.

Q. And winning Saudi, how much did that change your outlook on the entire year?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: It changed my schedule a lot, for sure. It takes the pressure off trying to get into events like The Open Championship. I should be, barring a monumental collapse between now and July, I mean, I should be in pretty good shape for The Open Championship. It should get me in the PGA. Obviously nice to add events like the Match Play and FedEx St. Jude as well. And let’s be honest, if I have aspirations of making the team at Whistling Straights, I’m not going to be able to do it if I’m not in though those events. So it really maps my schedule out. It gives me an opportunity to pick and choose where I want to play, get myself ready for the events I want to be ready for and peak for. Schedule’s everything. When you’ve got that top-50 schedule, which I’m right on the borderline of having that again, and it just really makes the year so much more planable and really allows you to be able to peak better and rest up where you need to and just know that you’re going to be playing against the best players in the world more often.

Q. And lastly, is your schedule for the next month set in stone or would you make or be willing to make any alteration if you needed it related to Augusta?
GRAEME MCDOWELL: Yeah, I mean, Augusta’s the only moving piece of the puzzle the next couple months. I have to be top-50 in the world the Monday after Match Play. You probably know that more than I do. It’s not going to be the be-all and end-all for me. I love Augusta. It is my favorite course in the world. It doesn’t love me very much, though. But if I’m not there, it’s not going to, it’s not going to dampen any spirits or anything that’s happened in the next three or four months. It will get in the way if I play the kind of golf I know I can play the next few weeks. And I would love to be there. I want to see my kids in boiler suits. That’s kind of the visual. I haven’t had a chance to do the par-3 with my kids yet because I haven’t played the last few years. So I want to have the kids up at Augusta this year. That would be fun. But like I say, it’s not going to change my life here in the short-term.

THE MODERATOR: All right, Graeme. Thanks for the time. Best of luck this week.

GRAEME MCDOWELL: Thank you. Thanks, guys.

Orlando, Florida

March 4, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team Ireland

PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy Talks to Media About 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Preparations

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 04: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot during the pro-am round prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 04, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Current World number 1 Rory McIlroy speaks to the media ahead of his start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational about what it means to be number 1, the Olympic games, and Master’s Preparations.

PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy talks Arnold Palmer Invitational

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2020. Just some thoughts on being back here as the No. 1 player in the world.

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, sort of feel like this was the start if sort of like a two-year journey to get back to this point. I came here two years ago off the back of a missed cut in Tampa and sort of a little lost with my game, especially a little lost with my putting and spent an afternoon with Brad Faxon at the Bear’s Club and then came up here and, obviously, something stuck with me from that afternoon and was able to win and that was my first win in 500-whatever days. So I feel like this place is a lot of special memories to me. It was definitely the catalyst to sort of do what I’ve done over the past two years and ascend back to the top of the World Rankings.

So good to be back. Course is in phenomenal shape. It’s as good as I’ve seen it. It’s nice to get back on Bermuda greens after the few weeks that I’ve started off on the poa annua. So, yeah, everything’s good and game feels in good shape and looking forward to getting going.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. We’ll take some questions.

Q. How much do you use ShotLink data for your course management, how they change what you do or affect anything about going about it?
RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I use them a lot. All of the, it’s one thing I keep harping on about to the TOUR is actually how ShotLink data on every round that we play, like North Course at Torrey Pines doesn’t have it, the other three courses at Pebble when we play there doesn’t have it. I think a lot of the guys are starting to use ShotLink data to, it’s course management, but it’s also how you practice. So I got a stats report last week after the three weeks that I’ve had at Torrey Pines, at Riviera, and Mexico, and that’s what I base my practice off going into the next few weeks. My bunker play wasn’t up to the same standards it needed to be. I needed to get better from 6 to 12 feet. It’s stuff that you sort of know anyway, but it’s nice when you have that objective data in front of you. So I use it for a lot of different things. It is very important.

2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard

Q. With specific reference to the Olympics, are you relaxed about it, how do you get enough information, something you’re going to keep an eye on —
RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it’s something that we’re trying to stay on top of. I mean, it’s something that if the organizers and the Olympic Committee believe it’s safe enough that athletes can go and compete in the games, then you have to take their word for it and you have to, they’re obviously liaising with the people that are the best at doing this, whether it’s the CDC in this country, whether it’s the World Health Organization, whatever it is. If they’re speaking to those people and those people are the best in their field, then you have to trust that their judgment is the right one.

Q. Based on the conditions out there right now, what kind of tournament do you expect to see this weekend?
RORY MCILROY: I mean, conditions right now, the golf course is playing very nicely. The rough’s pretty thick. If you start missing it in the rough, you can make life a bit difficult for yourself. I think they’re expecting a lot of wind tomorrow afternoon, so the scoring might be tough, a little tougher tomorrow than we have seen in the past. But it looks like the conditions are going to be good over the weekend.

So it’s an exciting golf course. There’s four par-5s. I think people can get it going around here and shoot some low scores. So I don’t see any, I think Francesco shot 64 to win last year. I shot 64 the year before to win. So I would say you would see something similar. There’s going to be a lot of people in with a chance and someone’s going to go pretty low over the weekend.

Q. Just watching everybody out there, like, asking for autographs and pictures and things, I’m curious how much of a challenge it is to you how you sort of divide your time and energy to figure out how to deal with it all, when to say no, when to say yes.
RORY MCILROY: Yeah, Wednesdays are pretty hard to concentrate at times because you’re trying to find that balance between treating it like a practice round as well and trying to get something out of the day instead of just being a host for your amateurs and sort of trying to get them around. So I always try to play a game with Harry, my caddie. He sets me a score to shoot that day and says, right, If you shoot 4-under or better I’ll buy you dinner and if you don’t get to that, you have to buy me dinner. And that’s, we do that every Wednesday and it just, it keeps me concentrating on every shot and over every putt and it’s something that I need to do because as you see out there it’s very easy to get distracted and talk to people and basically hit the ball everywhere. So it just keeps me sort of on the straight and narrow.

Q. How did you do today?
RORY MCILROY: I lost by one shot. The target was 4-under. I shot 3-under even with birdieing the last.

Q. When you talk about the two-year journey kind of started here, do you think you’ve grown more from a game perspective or from a mental perspective over those two years?
RORY MCILROY: Mental more than the game. I mean, I think I’m more, I have done things in the game previous to two years ago that were maybe higher than what I’ve done the past couple of years. But from a mental perspective the consistency and showing up every week even when I don’t have my best stuff I’m able to still get in the mix and have a shot at winning tournaments. So mentally over these last few years I’ve definitely gotten better and, yeah, more stability in my life, there’s a lot of different things that go into it, but, yeah, just a lot more comfortable with where everything is.

Q. When you talk about gearing up for the Masters, when does that start and what does it mean?
RORY MCILROY: Honestly, I don’t know when it starts. For some people it starts the Monday they arrive at Augusta. For some people it started in January. I think it’s different for everyone. For me what I realized is I can’t make things too big in my head. So if I started to gear up for Augusta in January, by the time Augusta got around in April my head would be absolutely fried. So I try to push it out as late as possible. I’ve got four tournaments to play between now and then and my biggest concern and my top priority are those four tournaments.

Q. What I’m talking about gearing up, does that mean working on certain shots you are going to need or does that mean getting your game in peak form?
RORY MCILROY: I don’t think anything trumps execution in this game, so it’s just getting your game in good form. Playing enough competitive rounds, getting the — yeah, just shooting good scores, seeing shots. I’m not particularly — like it’s not as if I’m out on the golf course on the, you know, whatever hole here thinking, okay, this is the 5th hole at Augusta, this is the tee shot I need. I mean, some guys might do that, I’m not sure, but for me if I’m playing good golf that’s the most important thing.

Q. You’ve been forthright in talking about the Premier League and also saying —
RORY MCILROY: Football or golf? (Laughing.)

Q. If nothing else maybe it leads to some changes structural and otherwise on the PGA TOUR. What would you have in mind?
RORY MCILROY: I mean, I don’t want to come across as all sort of elitist, but I think there is a some smaller fields, maybe a few more events with no cuts, maybe not necessarily — if you look at the international properties that the PGA TOUR have started to go towards, like Korea, Japan, 70-player fields, no cuts. That’s the sort of stuff where you’re giving the — and honestly, there’s so many — I mean I get playing opportunities — there’s so many tournaments and there might be an over saturation in golf in a way. You look at the NFL and they play 18 games a year, 20 games a year max and people want it all the time. I know football’s different than golf and all that, but I think being a golf fan these days can get quite exhausting following so many different tournaments, different tours, all that stuff. So maybe making it a little, sort of streamline it a bit might be a good way — a good place to start a conversation.

Orlando, Florida

March 4, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team UK

PGA Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Recaps Final Hole Collapse at 2020 Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 01: Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts to his birdie on the 17th green during the final round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa Champion course on March 01, 2020 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

PGA Tour and European Tour professional Tommy Fleetwood speaks to the media after finding the water on the 72nd hole at the 2020 Honda Classic and eventually losing the tournament.

PGA Tour: Tommy Fleetwood still searching for first career PGA Tour victory after coming up short at the Honda Classic

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Then playing the last I still had a chance. It’s fine margins in this game.

Q. When you have a sense that it’s that kind of a day that you just described, what’s the main thing you focus in on to hang around and have that chance on 18.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It’s important not to misjudge the finish line. You never know what’s going to happen. Didn’t have much going, but I was always there or thereabouts. I was in the lead for most of the day. So you just stay in and then you never know what’s going to happen in the end. Just keep going, just keep playing. I had a lovely look at birdie on 12 that didn’t go in and then made a mess of 13, but stuck in there — and that’s just a case of being patient. That’s all you can do. I didn’t do that much wrong really. It comes down to fine margins, like I said. It’s disappointing, but it was close.

2020 Honda Classic Full Leaderboard

Q. You said a win is important but it’s not the end of the world, you’ll see your family tomorrow, but how do you process coming so close?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, the shot on 18, it wasn’t a good feeling for the next 10 minutes when I was messing around trying to hit my wedge shot. It’s just disappointing. I feel fine right now. I think it’s important to make sure that you’re positive about it. You have enough people that will critique what you’ve done so. I’m going to do the same. I’m going to go back and look at what I could’ve done better. There are certain shots that I hit. At the end of the day, I felt like I was really good mentally, hung in there until the end and gave myself a chance at the last. But when the margins are small, that’s OK. I just said that I don’t feel like I’m getting worse at golf. I’ve just got to keep pushing. Absolutely I want to be a regular winner, but there’s no point in moaning and groaning about it now. It didn’t happen. There’s a lot of amazing players on the TOUR trying to win, and it’s not given, so I’ve just got to keep going and if I keep getting this close, it’ll happen.

Q. First of all, talk about that shot on 18; what was going through your mind? Did you ever think about a different shot, laying up?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, it was a tough one really. I had to hit a 4-iron which was clocking away, it was always going to be left, or I take the 5-wood on, which was like a really big cut, and that’s what you do, isn’t it, you play the shot. That’s all you can do. I hit a bad shot. Could have been a great shot, but actually as bad as it was, it could have landed three yards left and been on the edge of the green and I’d have had a chance. It is what it is. I was really enjoying the moment coming down there with a chance to win. I still had a chance to actually eagle it or birdie it and get in a playoff, and it just didn’t happen. But one bad shot, and that’s it.

Q. What was the conversation with Ian as you guys were getting ready?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, you look at the number, it was an awkward number yesterday. It was a slightly different wind, and I cut a 5-wood that pitched like 238. I had 239 to the pin today, but the wind was off the right. I felt like it was playing shorter, wasn’t hurting today. But there was only one shot really. Honestly, maybe at the time, you think, I had the world left and could have got up-and-down, but playing for that, I could have easily bailed left, not got up-and-down and then said, why did I bail out left. So you pick your shot and you hit it, and that’s it.

I think we picked the right shot 100 percent, I just didn’t pull it off.

Q. How good did you feel after the birdie-birdie start? Looked like everything was trending.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, yeah, I was going well. My swing wasn’t there today, like all day it wasn’t like a comfortable day in terms of shots that I stood over and I felt really good over, these look great. Examples are like 16 is like an ideal shot for me normally, and things weren’t quite there, but I hung in there. I still hit enough good golf shots and I still had enough chances. Just that was it really.

But like I say, I started off great, had chances, and I felt like I did a good job all day even when I made a couple bogeys. I was always hanging around. I never really got overly frustrated, never thought, oh, I’ve made bogey there or I’ve made bogey there, just moved on and kept doing a good job, and even without my game feeling as comfortable as it was I got to the end with a chance.

Q. There’s obviously a language barrier for a lot of guys in this game. Do you know Sungjae at all?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, we always say hello and talk. Well, I say talk, we never had like massively long conversations, but I always say hi. He’s always a guy that I would acknowledge. Not that we’ve had many conversations about technicalities of the game, but he seems like a nice guy.

Q. How long will this take you get over?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I’m disappointed now. Sungjae — somebody shot a better score than me. I tried my hardest, got close, getting closer, getting better, and — yeah, it’s disappointing and I’ll be thinking about it. Little things will come into your mind like what if or what if that, but it is what it is. We’ve got amazing events coming up, and my game is in good shape where I actually feel like I can hit it better, as well. I don’t feel like this week I’ve been absolutely — I’ve played some absolutely fantastic golf, but I still feel like my game could have felt better at times, and I think that’s something to look at and go away and work on. I feel like I can get sharper and keep playing better. It’s not to say I will, but I’m going to try.

Q. Along those lines, obviously very hard courses, very hard tournaments coming up this year. You have to feel like you’re in form for the bigger tests that are coming up?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I’ll absolutely look forward to them and keep working. And that’s the thing, with the way golf is now, just because I’ve made bogey on the last here, you don’t have time to go away and sit and sulk about it. Players are coming up next week, they want to win that tournament and if you’re playing well, make the most of it and hopefully I can do that next week.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

March 1, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Scottie Scheffler Reflects on Third Place Finish at The American Express

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 14th hole during the final round of The American Express tournament at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 19, 2020 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Scottie Scheffler recaps just falling short of a victory at the 2020 American Express as well as his hot start to the 2020 season including four top 10 finishes to this point.

PGA Tour: Scottie Scheffler speaks with media after third place finish at The American Express

Q. Great finish. What’s going through your mind? How would you describe today?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I’m a little disappointed. I didn’t have my best stuff today. Swing felt pretty loose again and got the best of me early and just put myself too far behind. I still had a chance there at the end and I hit a really good shot on 17 that I thought was going to go a lot closer and just didn’t.

Q. The shot at 16 was pretty close. That was pretty special to pull within one?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That was good. It was about time. I felt like I started to play some good golf, just couldn’t really get anything going, hit a few lips, had some good looks and I thought the chip on 15 was going to go in too, that one looked good. I was close all day. I wasn’t too far off, so it definitely gives me some confidence going into next week.

Full Leaderboard: The American Express 2020

Q. You have four top-10s at the start of this ’19-‘ 20 season. That’s pretty impressive.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Thank you. I appreciate it. Top-10s are great. I feel like I’ve been playing pretty consistent. Hoping to get a win soon, though. But you got to stay patient with that It’s not easy to win out here and there’s a reason that the winning percentage isn’t very high, but I’m off to a good start.

Q. You come up a little short today. You fought hard, you had a great attitude out there, and then all of a sudden at the end you actually gave yourself a chance to win. How happy are you with your golf this week?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I feel like I played solid most of the week. My swing felt a little loose, for the most part, but I played great up until today. When the swing feels loose like that it’s tough to play under the heat of competition. Timing has to be so good. Things speed up there towards the end and just wasn’t sharp enough today. And happy for Andrew, he played great and looking forward to next week.

Q. Swing didn’t look real loose on that 5-iron on 16 that went sky high in there close and ended up making an eagle. Talk us through that one.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it was pretty good. I had a good number there. It was about 220 pin and just had to carry it onto the front edge. And shot looked good, it was about time, I needed to pull something off if I wanted to have a chance and that was a fun shot.

Q. You had great success on the Korn Ferry last year, you’re off it to a great start you’re rookie year out here, this has to be encouraging for you.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Very encouraging. I’ll take a lot of confidence from this week, just because I feel like I wasn’t swinging my best, but to get around here in 23-under is awesome. I was just coming in this week hoping to shake off some rust and was lucky to play some good golf. So I feel good going into the next few weeks and the rest of the year.

Q. How would you assess how the final round played out today?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I struggled for the most part today, my swing felt pretty bad. But I was able to kind of right the ship and start hitting some good shots and still had a chance to win there towards the end. So overall I’m happy with how this week went, a little disappointed in today, but I’m encouraged going forward.

Q. As you’re watching Andrew make bogeys on 13, 14 and 15, at what point were you like, I’m still in this tournament?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Well I never really felt like I was that far out of it. On a course like this you can make a lot of birdies and there’s some tough holes coming in. So I was just really just waiting for a spark. And I really hit some good shots, nearly made a long putt on 14 I thought was going in, I thought I chipped in on 15, and then eagled 16, and the shot on 17 was actually I thought I stuffed it, I don’t know how it came up that far short but it happens.

Q. So what do you take away from this week? You’ve done so well on the Korn Ferry TOUR, you come out in the fall and you play well, third place finish this week. How much confidence is that building for you?
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Definitely a confidence boost. I was just coming in this week hoping to shake off some rust and was fortunate to play so well and give myself a chance to win. It’s a lot of fun being in contention, so I look forward to hopefully doing it again next week.

January 19, 2020

La Quinta, California

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Sam Burns Talks After Making First Start at The American Express

HONOLULU, HAWAII - JANUARY 07: Sam Burns of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during practice prior to the Sony Open in Hawaii at the Waialae Country Club on January 07, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Sam Burns speaks to the media following his first career start at The American Express and setting the course record with a final round 63. Burns finished the tournament -19 par and in a tie for sixth place.

PGA Tour: Sam Burns talks first start at The American Express and record setting final round 63

Q. Last time you saw this course was in the opening round. So how did it play today?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it’s starting to firm up a little bit out there. The golf course is definitely in really good shape and they do an incredible job each and every year to make this place one of the best greens on TOUR.

Q. You and I were talking off camera about some observations you made about Andrew Landry. What did you see?
SAM BURNS: I’ve played behind him and I just said’s really gritty player and he plays tough. He’s not a guy that you want to try to chase down because he’s not going to give you a whole lot of opportunity.

Full Leaderboard: The American Express 2020

Q. No doubt. Back to you. It’s been a crazy stretch. Come back from injury a few missed cuts, but you also got married last month. Tell us what this ride’s been like?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it was unfortunate for the injury, but I was able to have some good time at home, focus on some more important things like getting married, so it’s been nice. I’m excited to be playing again. I’m really looking forward to this year. So I’m really excited about the way I played today and can give me some momentum going into next week.

Q. Round of 63. Your low round of the season. It’s going to give you your high finish of the season. Just overall, how pleasing has this week been?
SAM BURNS: It’s been great. I really enjoy coming here every year. It’s hard to beat the weather here and the golf courses are all in really good shape. So, yeah, really good day, just solid all around, was able to roll some putts in there down the stretch.

Q. Give me a sense of how scorable the golf course is out there. This kind of tells its own story, but from your perspective how did it feel out there?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it is. There’s certain pins you have to be a little bit careful to, but you can be pretty aggressive and I was able to take advantage of that today.

Q. The back nine first. Let’s look into your second nine, the front nine on this closing stretch.
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it was a 4-iron in there, a little cut 4-iron and then the putt. About the first four feet were pretty straight and then it turned a little left at the end. I played it right edge, kind of just got it going down the hill and it went in.

Q. And then, this isn’t a bad way to finish, is it?
SAM BURNS: No, had a great number here, 109 to the hole. I knew I could land it a little bit short of the pin trying to hit a 105-yard shot and it worked out, was able to convert the putt.

Q. Obviously it’s a little short of where the leaders are right now, but what does this do for confidence, belief now moving forward for the rest of the season?
SAM BURNS: Definitely gives me a lot of confidence. I knew this week I had been playing some good golf, just wasn’t able to score. So I knew if I just keep giving myself chances eventually I would be able to get the ball in the hole. So that’s what I was able to do today and hopefully some more of that in the next few weeks.

Q. Spectacular round of golf. Course record 63. Nine birdies, rolling the rock. How much fun was it today?
SAM BURNS: Oh, anytime you have a day like that it’s a blast. I was talking to my caddie this morning, we knew we had been playing good golf all week, just weren’t able to convert and score kind of like we wanted to. And then kind of got off to a good start and then made a good save on 10. Had it just short of the green on 11 and I could have tossed it and got it up-and-down but didn’t get it up-and-down. I think that kind of kick-started my round a little bit. I was able to make some birdies.

Q. Thoughts on your putting because I counted at least three 15-footers, a 17-footer, a 20-footer. Was there something today that just clicked?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, I’ve been consistent the way I’ve been working on my putting and I think — I’ve seen it in practice and it’s starting to show off and now it’s just converting it to the golf course and today the putts were going in.

Q. You started the day 210th in FedExCup points standings, you’re projecting in the 125 area. I know it’s still early in the year but it’s always huge any week you can make a jump like that.
SAM BURNS: Yeah, absolutely. I wasn’t able to play much in the fall and when I did I was still injured and so just kind of it was a weird start to the season. So I was able to go home and get healthy and work on some stuff in my game that I knew I needed to work on and it’s obviously nice to come out here and play like this today.

January 19, 2020

La Quinta, California

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Professionals

PGA Tour: Abraham Ancer Speaks With the Media Following Final Round at The 2020 American Express

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Abraham Ancer of Mexico reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the final round of The American Express tournament at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 19, 2020 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Abraham Ancer talks to the media following a final round charge with a round of 63. Ancer finished solo second behind winner Andrew Landry with a final score of -24 under par.

PGA Tour: Abraham Ancer Talks late round surge and runner up finish at The 2020 American Express

Q. So first off, what a great round. 63 in the final round. What was working so well for you out there?
ABRAHAM ANCER: I was hitting it. I hit the ball well off the tee, really good iron shots and I started making some good putts. All week, really, I hit the ball great off the tee and iron shots, and in the first three rounds I feel like I didn’t score as low as I should have for how good I hit the ball, but stayed patient and today the putts started to fall in.

Q. At what point did you look up at the leaderboard and realize you might have a real chance at this?
ABRAHAM ANCER: On 17, right before I hit my tee shot I realized I was tied. I thought I was going to be maybe two, three back, and then I looked up. At the beginning of the round, I just said I just need to make as many birdies as I can and try and see what happens. So I wasn’t paying much attention to the leaderboard. And then that’s when I noticed and I was like, all right, well, we got to make two other birdies. I made the putt there on 17, which was big, and then just couldn’t make it happen on 18. But I played good, man. I’m proud of how I played.

Full Leaderboard: The American Express 2020

Q. You’ve been knocking on the door for your first win out here on the PGA TOUR for a couple of tournaments. What do you take away from this week that’s going to help you down the line?
ABRAHAM ANCER: Well, it was good shooting a low round like that when I needed to, shoot a very low one to have a chance. And I knew that and I knew the shots I had to pull off and that just gives me a lot of confidence. Seeing the ball go in a lot, making a lot of birdie, obviously, moving forward definitely gives me confidence.

January 19, 2020

La Quinta, California

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Andrew Landry Recaps His 2020 American Express Victory

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Andrew Landry poses with the trophy on the 18th green during the final round of The American Express tournament at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 19, 2020 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Andrew Landry speaks with the media following his victory at The American Express, Landry’s second career victory on the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour: Andrew Landry recaps his final round performance at The American Express

Q. Your second PGA TOUR win. It didn’t come easy. It looked like smooth sailing until the 13th hole. You looked so in control but then three bogeys in a row. How did you overcome that?
ANDREW LANDRY: I just, I’ve been swinging it well all week and putting the ball well all week. The putt on, what is it, 15? I don’t know how that ball didn’t go in. And then I hit another great putt on 16 and so I was look, hey, look, I’m stroking the ball really well. I got a little bit closer to my shot on the par-4, 15, on the tee shot, and it kind of flattened the driver out for me and so I was able to get a little bit more extra out of it, and so I had a good swing thoughts coming down the stretch and just got the job done. Made, I mean, I think the biggest shot of the tournament was probably the one on 17.

Q. No argument there. How about the fact that two years ago you lost in a playoff to Jon Rahm. How satisfying is it to get a win on this very golf course?
ANDREW LANDRY: Yeah, for sure. This is a golf course that has suited me very well in the past. And just to look back on some of the things that happened a couple years ago and then now, just to be able to finally get it done. I didn’t want to have to go back into a playoff again and we’re running out of daylight so it’s good to finally get the job done again.

Q. Almost a year ago we were talking, when you were defending your title at Valero, you were saying it almost hurt you to win because then you started doing things differently, things started creeping into your head. What happened after that?
ANDREW LANDRY: I just, honestly, they have still been crept in my head. I’m not doing anything different. I’m just trying to just have fun out there. And the biggest thing is to just believe in myself. I haven’t had a lot of success lately, but it’s bittersweet now.

Full Leaderboard: The American Express 2020

Q. You got your son waiting here. Maybe made you a little bit sick last week. The whole family is the out here. How special is it to share this with them?
ANDREW LANDRY: It’s great. This has been the second time they have been out and just to have them this here to do this again, it’s awesome.

Q. There is a change that you made, by the way, because we were talking about the 3-iron and one of your wedges. How impactful was that?
ANDREW LANDRY: Big. Wedge on 18. That was a number that I was feeling really comfortable with. It was actually, I’ve been hitting that club a little bit further than I normally hit it, so we knew right on the last hole that it was going to be a perfect wedge. And so it was a good shot, hit my line perfectly, struck it nice and went up there close.

Q. What kind of confidence can a win like this give you?
ANDREW LANDRY: Big confidence. I’m still riding the confidence from Valero and Oakmont. So I’m just going to continue doing the same thing that I’ve been doing and just try to get better every single day. If you wake up and try to get better every day, you’re going to be look back at the end of the year, you should be getting better. So I haven’t had a year, but last year — last year was the first year at that I’ve looked back and I’ve been like, hey, look, I didn’t get better at all. So I worked really hard over this off-season. I just got sick right before Hawaii for a weak and it just didn’t work out it. I mean, it definitely showed in Hawaii. I think I shot a pair of couple hockey sticks or something, but it was bad. But just to come out here, get some good weather, get some good practice in and work really hard and it definitely paid off.

Q. That was an awesome fight. Really enjoyed watching it. Two-time PGA TOUR winner. How does that sound, Andrew?
ANDREW LANDRY: It sounds good. Ready to get back to Maui and the Masters, so it’s going to be pretty cool.

Q. How much of a test — look, we were just talking about how it looked like were you in complete control. How much of a test was this part of the middle of the back nine?
ANDREW LANDRY: You know, it was a test, it was a big test because the tee shot there on 13, that’s a tough tee shot. 14 was kind of a hole where it was kind of an in between and I didn’t really want to hit driver, but I was just trying to take the bunker out of play completely and I wanted to have more of a full shot in there. And I pulled my next shot, my second shot into that hole and thank God it didn’t go in that bunker, because that was dead. And then just didn’t really hit the iron shots that I needed right there in that three-hole stretch, and then a bad chip, most likely it was nerves on 16, just a bad club selection, chipping-wise. And then just kind of calmed myself down and said, hey, look, these are two holes that we can go out and get, they suit my game very well, especially 18.

Q. Let’s go to 17 first. We got these in here. On this tee shot, mentally from yourself, thinking you got to step up, there’s pressure from that leaderboard as well right now.
ANDREW LANDRY: For sure. Yeah, I didn’t really pay any attention to the leaderboard until, honestly, hole 18. I looked a little bit — I actually looked up one time on 15 and then Scottie made that eagle there on 16, and I just said, hey, look, we need to make a birdie coming in.

Q. Rickie gave you a good look at the line, didn’t he?
ANDREW LANDRY: Yeah, he did. He asked me if I wanted him to go first and I said yeah, go ahead and I took a little bit of time. And it was a good visual that he just hit one close. And so, but —

Q. What’s this feel like?
ANDREW LANDRY: Great. It’s one of the greatest feelings. This is what we play golf for.

Q. Masters beckons now. Maui. What does this do for you going forward confidence-wise, belief in yourself? We were talking about it just now, validation in you that you can get it done?
ANDREW LANDRY: Yeah, for sure. It’s great because I kind of blew it a little bit there at Oakmont, and that U.S. Open really hurt me, but it also helped me to where I can go out and win a WEB.COM event — or a Korn Ferry event that following year after losing my card and just getting my brains beat in out here. And then winning out there and then, on the Korn Ferry TOUR, and then just having a great season out there and then leading it into a great fall season on the PGA TOUR. And I eventually picked up, you know, I lost in a playoff here that year, and then I picked up a win later on in the season. All those moments help. It’s one of those things that you just keep looking back, and the biggest thing for me is to control my pace, and the more that I can control my pace of walking and the more that I can just try to relax my shoulders, and just small things like that as a player you figure out. And those are some key things for myself that help me get the job done.

Q. Those three straight bogies kind of derailed you a little bit. What’s going through your mind when that’s happening?
ANDREW LANDRY: Just stop the bleeding somehow. I didn’t hit that many bad golf shots. It was a 3-putt — well, it was my first one of the week — just bad speed — and then maybe a poor decision on the next hole for chipping in. And then I hit a great chip on 15 and it just kind of got stabby and stuck in that collar there and didn’t want to get on. If that ball rolls another 2 inches it’s down there by the hole. So I just kept telling myself just keep grinding this out. You don’t want to go into a playoff. You don’t — you had a big cushion and just try to go out and make a birdie on 16, and I didn’t do that. I hit a great putt. And ball position got a little bit farther back on some putts and I moved it up just a tiny bit there on 16 and hit an unbelievable putt, and then I finished it off with the next two.

Q. Clutch tee shot at 17.
ANDREW LANDRY: That was probably the shot of the tournament for me. Just to be able to go over there and, to that right hole location, and just hold one up and hit a good distance and have a 7-, 8-footer to look at. And Rick said, man, I was trying to hit it just a little left of your ball so I could show you the line. Thankfully it went in and kind of made 18 a little bit easier.

Q. Golf’s a funny game. You missed seven of eight cuts to start the season and here you are in the winners circle and you putted out of your mind this week. Isn’t it crazy?
ANDREW LANDRY: It’s crazy. This is the wildest game that you can play. That’s why you just got to keep grinding it out. We all search for these weeks, and the majority of players out here are going to have them, four, five, six times a year and top-10 players are going to have them a little bit more often. So these are the weeks that we search for and we just continue to just play our ball and keep doing what we do, and hopefully they come sooner than later.

January 19, 2020

La Quinta, California

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Professionals

PGA Tour: Paul Casey Talks Pace of Play and The American Express

KAPALUA, HAWAII - JANUARY 02: Paul Casey of England plays a shot on the 15th hole during the first round of the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course on January 02, 2020 in Kapalua, Hawaii. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Paul Casey speaks with the media prior to the start of the American Express about hot topics including pace of play and the passing of Pete Dye.

Paul Casey Previews The American Express after strong open to the 2020 PGA Tour Season

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome Paul Casey to the media center. Paul, welcome back to the American Express. This will be your fourth start here in Palm Springs. How are you feeling to be back?

PAUL CASEY: I feel really good. Yeah, it’s, I love the desert. As you know, I live in the desert not this — well, it’s kind of just down the road, Phoenix. So when was the last time I was here? Was it 2016? Yeah, know. Somebody will know.

THE MODERATOR: 2017.

PAUL CASEY: 2017. Thank you. It’s really good to be back. Season’s already got going. I was in Maui a couple of weeks ago. So game feels good, course looks amazing, condition of it is absolutely perfect. I’ve just played the Stadium Course. And yeah, happy to be here. Got good friends at American Express, so the whole thing is, there’s lots of reasons for being here.

THE MODERATOR: You’ve had a strong start this season with two finishes in the top-20. Is something different working for your game?

Full Leaderboard The American Express 2020

PAUL CASEY: No, I feel like my season didn’t really stop because I played all the way through. I had a lot of international commitment. I played the Australian Open, about the first, first or second week in December. So really my off-season’s been very, very short and I feel like I’ve just kind of continued, continued my year, not really stopped, which is a bit strange, but I’m actually fine about it. It’s kind of, I feel like my game is probably, although my results in Maui wasn’t great, for what I was looking for, I feel like the game’s in a really good place. And normally this time of year I would still be trying to get going and learning where my game is at, but I feel like my game’s in a good position, so the lack of off-season, if anything, is probably going to put me in a good position.

THE MODERATOR: Nice. Questions for Paul.

Paul Casey on Pace of Play

Q. Having been on the PAC, have you been part of a decision-making process? Can you talk about the new policy that got revealed?
PAUL CASEY: How did I guess you were going to ask that? Sorry, what was the question?

Q. Thoughts on the new policy.
PAUL CASEY: With all honesty, I need to read it again before I answer, because, yes, I sat in that room and the last time I thoroughly discussed it, I believe was Medinah and we agreed on exactly what was going to be implemented and then it was passed off to the policy board and all the rest of it. I need to refresh myself before I say something where I’m not — because I’m not exactly sure of exactly what it says. I should probably know because it goes into effect.

Q. April.
PAUL CASEY: April. So I’ve got time. There you go. Whew. Thank you for answering my questions. I mean, I sort of know it, but I don’t want to regurgitate something and look foolish.

Q. I know you understand the basics of it, and I guess the idea is they’re going from focusing on the group to focusing more on individuals and maybe changing habits.
PAUL CASEY: Yes.

Q. I guess one of the priorities of the policy is to make sure people, that maybe habitually slow players understand they’re slow, and they’re giving opportunities to improve that. Do you think that can happen?
PAUL CASEY: I hope it can happen, because as we all agreed when we discussed this, we’re not looking for a — I guess there’s two or three things that we’re looking for, that we felt that we were looking for, this is from the players’ point of view. One was we’re not looking for a massive change in — we can’t get around these golf courses that quick. It’s just very difficult to walk some of these golf courses in the time we’re meant to, this time-par thing always frustrates the players a little bit. But we need to speed up. But it’s not a massive change. We’re just looking for sort of 10 minutes here or 15 minutes there, ideally is what we’re looking for. We’re looking for guys to take responsibility, because hitting a standard golf shot and taking two, two and a half minutes to play it is not acceptable. So taking ownership of that responsibility, however you want to phrase it, that’s all about education. And then the perception, then, drastically changes if you do those two things, which are fairly straightforward, fairly painless games, to be honest. And that’s basically all it is, from our point of view. There’s more to it, obviously, the policy. But that was our feeling. It’s just, it should be a fairly simple thing to fix, so hopefully this fixes it.

Q. How big a problem has it become and is it a bigger problem now than it might have been five, 10 years ago?
PAUL CASEY: What, pace of play? It’s been a problem since I’ve played golf. I’m 42 and it’s all we ever talked about. It seems like it becomes — I don’t know — it seems like it becomes more of a problem. It seems like, seems to be a little bit of a trend that players are becoming — they’re not becoming slower. When they come out on TOUR they seem to be a little bit slower than the previous generation, it seems. But that’s our fault, again, because you, a lot of the players who come out, you watch your peers, you watch your heroes and your stars on TV, the guys you want to emulate and you go, Well, he’s taking a long time to read the putt and that’s what I need to do. So we have to take responsibility for that, that maybe we affected, not say we, and I don’t consider myself a slow player, but we’ve all got to take responsibility, that we have affected the next generation that are coming through. But, no, it’s always been an issue, hasn’t it?

Q. To change gears away from slow play. I’m assuming you took up European Tour membership this year with the Ryder Cup?
PAUL CASEY: I think I did. I got a money clip. That came through the post, so I’ll take that as a yes.

Q. How hard is it to balance the two schedules, particularly this time of year when the lucrative events are going on in the Middle East?
PAUL CASEY: Define lucrative.

Q. A Rolex series event.
PAUL CASEY: Oh, yes, one of them is. It doesn’t seem to get any easier. I notice now that, again, I need to brush up on what I’ve read, but I believe there might be a case of, for guys who play both the Olympics and the Ryder Cup, that they only get to count those two events as only one towards the European Tour, however you want to put that, as they only get to count one basically instead of counting two. You might want to check that one. So I look at things like that and I, go that makes it even tougher. You’re penalizing the best players again. And if that is a rule that I read correctly, then I’m not a fan of that because I would like to be in both of those. Yeah, it doesn’t get any easier, because those are my two, two of my biggest goals this year, playing Olympics and playing Ryder Cup. And but I’ve got, but — you know FedExCup’s right at the top of the list, as well, and Majors and everything else. How do you balance it? How do you weigh it all out? I don’t know. I’ve been doing it 20 years and I still haven’t figured it out. Having bigger events, the Rolex series has been phenomenal, and I’ll give Pelley massive credit there. He’s put a lot of money into players’ pockets on the European Tour, and it does make it difficult to miss events like that. Because I also think, if I’m not wrong, that any event opposite a Rolex series event, my World Ranking points don’t counts towards qualifications for a Ryder Cup. Again — you can’t write out facial expressions, can you (laughing)?

Q. With Pete Dye passing away last week, what were your experiences on his golf courses and what did you think of his impact on architecture?
PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I was saddened by that because, for me, Pete Dye has been the best modern architect. Yeah, the greatest. A lot of names are thrown into the ring, thrown into the hat, but Pete Dye was just an absolute genius. And the way I back that up, because nobody, one of the great things in our sport that I always, when I play a great golf hole, indecision is always one of those things which — I love indecision. If an architect or a golf hole can create indecision, and usually it’s the simplest holes, 12 at Augusta, for example, creates massive indecision, such a simple golf hole. And Pete Dye was able to do it time and time again. Predominantly visually, that’s how he would do it. He would give most of us kittens, as we would stand on the tee and look down there and not see a fairway or incredibly intimidating, and then we would get down there and you suddenly see he was very generous and accommodating, and those tricks he would play and those mind games, and the indecision that he would create to the player, all players of all standards in their ability to do that, an absolute genius. The Arizona State golf course, which sadly is now just been dug up, but Karsten was a Pete Dye golf course and that was really my first exposure to it. Not having ever played one of his courses obviously growing up in the U.K. And instantly I thought — yeah, he was diabolical, there were some golf holes on that thing we wanted to blow up, but I loved it. So, yeah, sad, because, yeah, in my question, just brilliant stuff, just genius golf course design. It’s because there’s always flavors of the month or flavors of the decade, but he was the one. Brilliant stuff.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Good luck this week.

PAUL CASEY: Thanks.

La Quinta, California

January, 14, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Zach Johnson Talks Sony Open in Hawaii, Presidents Cup and Pete Dye

HONOLULU, HAWAII - JANUARY 09: Zach Johnson of the United States reacts to his birdie on the first green during the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii at the Waialae Country Club on January 09, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PGA Tour Professional Zach Johnson speaks to the media following round one of the Sony Open in Hawaii about his presidents cup experience and memories with the late Pete Dye

PGA Tour: Zach Johnson following Sony Open in Hawaii Round one

Q. Zach, nice playing out there in really tough conditions. Remember anything like that?
ZACH JOHNSON: Not here. I mean, we’ve all probably experienced wind like this at some point, but it’s rare. I’ve not experienced it here. I mean, in Maui that one year, but we didn’t play. It was actually more intense than this.

I think we started the first round on Monday if I’m not mistaken, so obviously it can low on the here in the Pacific.

Q. What was the key to your round out there today?
ZACH JOHNSON: I mean, I got off to a great start. I mean, I hit some shots really close. Missed one — two putts that were close, but I got off to a great start.

I birdied first three out of four holes. I had a really bone head mistake on 15. Made double there. Other than that, it was just really, really solid. I mean, I gave myself opportunities, and when I was in kind of is difficult predicament, whether it was a 2-putt or an up and down, I was managing to make some of these 3- to 6-footers.

Full Leaderboard Sony Open in Hawaii 2020

Q. Obviously the Presidents Cup occupied a lot of your time kind of in the down time.
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah.

Q. What did you do to prepare to come here? I know you’re a winner here, but why do you keep coming back?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, the first part of that question, I mean, yeah, I didn’t get a whole lot of practice the first part of December, but that’s okay. I was working. I was wearing another hat, if you will.

But, I mean, at the same time, there was motivation and inspiration involved there watching those guys, especially on the weekend rally the way they did. And even closing out some of those matches on Thursday and Friday was impressive, too. So, yeah, like I said, there was some inspiring golf. And, yeah, I worked after that. I worked pretty hard. I was anxious to get back and start practicing again.

It’s not hard to be here. It’s hard to get here, but not hard to be here. I mean, I love it. This is one-of-a-kind. We get great fan support here. Obviously Sony does a tremendous job. I thoroughly, thoroughly like the golf course. I think it’s a classic. When there is no wind it’s very gettable, but there is never no wind.

If it’s firm and fast with wind, it’s very, very difficult. When it’s blowing 25, 35 with gusts over 40, doesn’t matter what the golf course, it’s just hard.

So it’s one of those cliches, they don’t make them like they used to.

Q. You mentioned the inspiration being there, part of the Presidents Cup team as one of the captain’s assistants. How does that motivate you?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, it’s one of those things. As a competitor, I mean, if you’re a part of those teams it’s an honor, right? When you’re a part of those teams and not playing, it can’t be anything but.

I mean, some of those are my dearest friends as well. Granted, they’re my peers and we’re trying to beat each other’s brains in week in and week out, but I respect them and certainly admire them.

Again, it’s motivating. Knowing what some of those guys have done and are going to continue to do makes you want to work, makes you want to practice.

And when you’re led by Tiger Woods, who has obviously been my peer forever, I mean, we’re essentially the same age, if you don’t find inspiration and motivation then you’re probably looking through the wrong lens.

Q. Congrats on your part in that whole process.
ZACH JOHNSON: I’m good at making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, that’s about it. (Laughter.) Yeah.

Zach Johnson on the late Pete Dye

Q. I don’t know if that’s it. Kind of an off-the-subject question, but Pete Dye just passed away. Didn’t know if you knew him at all.
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I was fortunate enough to play with him at Hilton Head, one of his gems, in the Pro-Am. It was me and Mr. Dye, Mr. Finchem, and I believe there was another executive of the tour, muckety-muck of some sort. I can’t remember who it was, but it doesn’t really matter.

I believe he shot 78 that day, 79 in the Pro-Am. That was within the last ten years, 12 years for sure. Just hearing the stories, you know, what he did with this hole. I mean, I remember one in particular that stands out, but it was awesome. It was just fantastic to see I guess you would say a golf artist on his canvas he made. Very special.

Condolences to his family obviously. He’s a legend.

Q. His influence, his courses are largely unmistakable, aren’t they?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, there’s fingerprints, and if Pete Dye doesn’t have one of the biggest certainly in the last 50 years, I don’t know who would rival that. He’s not much of a technology guy. I guess he’s pen and paper or whatever. Might be embellishing that a little bit, but he’s kind of an eyeball, pen and paper, move a little bit of land here, push that there, but he uses what’s given to him. I guess you would say he’s a naturalist in that regard, which is pretty special.

Q. So it’s not as if he just simply went out and took a bulldozer…
ZACH JOHNSON: Exactly. Yeah, I’ve two great stories. The superintendent that I grew up who is one of my dearest friends, he left and went from Cedar Rapids back to Des Moines where he came from, and was at Des Moines Golf, so he got to walk around 36 holes of golf with Pete Dye at Des Moines Golf. 36 holes in one day. Flew him in, flew him out, so he could go back home and have dinner with his wife. (Wind interference.)

Another story was 13 at Hilton Head, which is that awesome into the front green with the railroad ties. It’s the only railroad ties in the entire golf course they have not had to touch because she put(indiscernible – wind.) He thought that was crazy and he was looking at the expenditure.

It was the only hole she did because of time constraints. He’s like, Yeah, probably should’ve listened to her from Day One. The only railroad ties that have not been touched according to him.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
ZACH JOHNSON: Correct.

Q. When the pace of play thing comes out next week, players going to feel good about it? Do you feel good about it?
ZACH JOHNSON: I think there is a lot — I don’t want to say unknown — but there is a lot of education needed probably. I mean, I’ve read the e-mails. I love it. We’re proactive. That’s the first thing.

To be perfectly honest with you, the policy that’s in place has not changed and it will not change, but there is kind of like a tangent arm to that that’s going to help facilitate and I think try to make the game a little bit quicker. That’s about all I can give you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Honolulu, Hawaii

January 9, 2020

Categories
Professionals

PGA Tour: Matt Kuchar Talks Tough Conditions at Sony Open in Hawaii

HONOLULU, HAWAII - JANUARY 09: Matt Kuchar of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii at the Waialae Country Club on January 09, 2020 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

PGA Tour Professional Matt Kuchar speaks with the media on the tough conditions at this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii and additionally speaks on the legacy of the late golf course architect Pete Dye.

Kuchar on windy conditions at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Q. Matt, I know there was some wind last week, but you played here for a long time. Have you seen some wind around here like this?
MATT KUCHAR: It was hard work out there. This I don’t recall in a long time. Funny, I was looking at last year’s book, and the first hole the most I had to the front of the green was like 135 yards all week.

I had about 170 today. It was straight downwind. Amazing how different from last year. This year, it’s crazy windy but really soft, and so we’re seeing still few guys under par.

What a challenge. This wind is blowing as hard as I recall it blowing.

Q. What was the most difficult aspect of the game for you today with the conditions?
MATT KUCHAR: Handful of those holes was some crosswinds. Some of these fairways you’re playing in doglegs and you got wind blowing either hard left to right or hard right to left, and, boy, those get challenging. Thankfully softer fairways at least get the ball in and it’s pretty much standing over the putt.

Still, you see the ball turn sideways out here and those are tricky.

Q. Find some difficulty on the greens with some of the crosswind putts?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, anything you leave yourself — you don’t want to (indiscernible). With this much wind, wind has a big time affect on what happens with the roll of the ball, and just your steadiness over the ball.

You watch that putter go back and sometimes that wind starts shaking it. It’s a scary proposition.

Thankfully I didn’t leave myself too many four or five footers.

Full Leaderboard Sony Open in Hawaii 2020

Matt Kuchar on Pete Dye

Q. A loss today in the golf world.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, sorry to hear that. What a legend out here. I mean, he’s left quite a mark on our game and quit a great impression from what he’s done. I’ve been fortunate and had some success at Pete Dye courses, Hilton Head and PLAYERS Championship, couple of my favorite golf courses we play all year. So he’s left quite a mark.

And one of the cool things about golf course architecture is you really do leave a lasting mark. His courses are going to be around. Both Hilton Head and PLAYERS have stood the test of time and they’ll continue to stand the test of time.

It’s an awesome thing that he’s left for us.

Q. It’s probably pretty iconic, his design, right? Like you said, everything is unique and you can tell a Pete Dye.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, you sure can. You sure can. I’ve had some good fun. They tend to be challenging, hard courses, but I’ve had some nice results and some good feelings towards Pete Dye golf courses.

Q. And today, mate, you obviously started pretty well given the conditions.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, boy, hard work. I’m happy to be done, scorecard in. It’s challenging out there. There are so many holes with these crosswind tee shots that you’re hitting into doglegs, and trying to find the fairways is hard work.

And then standing over putts just it’s hard. You feel yourself get blown around. You know the ball is going to get blown around once you hit it. Everything about out here is challenging, minus the soft conditions. The soft conditions helped I think immensely with the scores.

I think if we had conditions like last year as far as firmness goes, it would hard to hit half the greens. But with the greens as soft as they are, the fairways as soft as they are, I think you’re seeing some guys with still some good scores due to the softness.

Q. With the conditions in particular, were there any holes that were just maybe different than what you were used to the way it was playing today?
MATT KUCHAR: Well, I got notes from last year, and I was just looking the 1st hole. 1st hole plays nearly straight downwind today. I mean, it’s blowing 25 miles an hour. I had kind of 165 to the front.

I don’t think last year — and then all the wind I’ve got, at most I had it blowing was five miles an hour. Most I had to the front of one was 135. So it’s a 30-yard difference, and the wind is helping 20 miles an hour more amount of help.

It was just that much firmer and faster the ball rolling a ton last year. So it was interesting. I figure there is no way I would have further — I would be further away on the 1st hole because it just was nearly straight downwind.

It was 30 yards back from where I was all week last year.

Q. Oh, wow. Coming down the stretch, it looked like you had three or four putts the last few holes that could’ve made it close to going in.
MATT KUCHAR: I think everybody has those. One of those things with golf. Made a couple on the front side. I had a couple nice putts go in on the front. Anything outside of five feet and even outside of three feet is tricky.

Had a couple looks at it, but we all do. We all do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Honolulu, Hawaii

January 9, 2020