No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 170: Max Homa

Episode Date: October 3, 2018

Max Homa is headed back to the PGA Tour this week, and he stopped by the Killhouse while in town for the Web.com Tour Championship. He talks about what he’s learned from his time on... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 170: Max Homa appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yeah. That is better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most. All right, guys, welcome back to the podcast. We're going to get to Max Homa here in a second with the new, can't believe I'm saying it already, the new PGA tour season starting up this week with a safe way out in California. Max will be rejoining the PGA tour for the

third time. And we got a chance to sit down with him in the Killhouse a couple of weeks ago when he's in town for the WebTour Championship. I think he missed a cut on purpose, I'm pretty sure, I think we get to that in the interview. But how long has this all week and he's got pretty awesome story and perspective

on the ups and downs that have come with professional golf for him is success on the WebTour and failures on the PGA tour and how he's handled it all and back Back out in the PGA tour here for the third time at age 27, but Like myself Max is also a Travis Matthew guy and fall is here It's a great time to look to Travis Matthew to layer up with jackets flannels pants and more Whether you return to the tour like Max or spending nights at Hollywood premieres like Mark Wahlberg. It's a new season for new arrivals.

So with awesome polo hats available now and also new gear dropping on October 15th, visit TravisMatthew.com for all your fashion needs. Let's get to the podcast. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No Laying Up podcast live from the Kill House. I believe the phrase used was playing ceremoniously this week in the web tour finals. Mr. John Maximus Homa, welcome.

Well, first of all, happy to be here in the Kill House, which is killer. Good. So super, super pumped to play this tournament. But yeah, I don't really think I was all there mentally, you know, this tour, you have basically one, one main goal. And it's gets onto the PJ tour. I mean, on the PJ tour, you can have a million goals.

So would have liked to have a week off, but I wanted to do the card ceremony, which will be this afternoon. So I wanted to come play. I obviously wanted to play considerably better than I did, but, you know, got off to a bad start and just kind of lost some motivation, but I ended up being probably the best Miss cut ever,

honestly, and I wrote a recorded history. Yeah, got to hang out with you guys, and there was a dollar beers that you guys sponsored yesterday. So I mean, that was considerably more fun than playing in about 60th place in the last one of the season. So explain why you are, I guess, so you've locked up your card for the year and kind of really all you had to play for was priority in the system.

So kind of take us through what you would have had to done for this week to have really meant anything from from this week's perspective and like what the what that means for the rest of your fall and the rest of your season money list or the finals money list, you get a fully exempt on the PJ tour, which everyone thinks is, you know, what I have anyways, if you get your card, you're fully exempted. You really aren't in the sense that the web category, basically all the players, you know, graduating to the PJ tour are in the lowest priority ranking of all, like, however you would call it, like semi-fuly exempt players. So, priority ranking, so basically, whether I finish fourth in this finals list or six is a decent deal, or a decently big deal.

So basically, I went into this week ninth, I'm gonna fall to, but anyway, we're talking probably 12th and 16th. So it hurts my priority ranking, but in general, that doesn't change a whole lot. Obviously, I would have loved to play well, but I think I had to win this week to have a chance to win the

money list or the finals money list, which would have been a great because you play the players and I think most of the invitations and everything, you have fully exempt status. So I was kind of in one of those spots where Fed, like I said, if I didn't play well, and finishing kind of middle of the road wasn't gonna do a ton for me. So that's basically why I purposely missed a cut. No, that's why, you know,

that's what I was playing for this week and that's where a lot of these guys, you know, today are playing for. It does matter. I didn't realize that so much to my first year, where like, man, it is a big difference to be like 30th, I'm not listening 50th.

Because you might not, whether you get in or not, sometimes it doesn't matter. Or isn't like the big deal, it's like you don't know if you're going to get in, you can't make travel plans, you know, too far in advance. And it's kind of a comforting feeling to be like, oh, yeah, I know my schedule for the next five events before the next shuffle.

I can get myself prepared and ready to go. So it's a whole lot of learning experience, but now just in golf, just play as well as you can every time and it kind of sorts itself out. Explain the shuffle. Man, the cupid shuffle. Yeah. Just any shuffle. Yeah. So the shuffle, you know, we do it on the web tour and they do it obviously on the PJ tour. Basically, how it works is the beginning of the season starts in two weeks at a in Napa for the Safeway. After the fall event.

So it's basically the Safeway on through the what would it be? The C Island tournament. Is it the McGladry? No, RSM. Well, RSM. Randy, he used to work from a gladiator. He had a bias. So after those events are all done,

he's always takes that pension value. He just made $5. So after those events in the web.com category, so like I said, the people graduating, we are basically ranked one to 50. Based off of the regular season money list and the finals money list after those events, it completely can shift. So basically, if I let's say make $50,000 in those five events, I'll play and somebody else makes $51,000, they will be now in front of me on the list. We start back at zero. So why that's important is it sets up the whole season because then we go into the normal start of the season

that everyone's used to in Hawaii and your priority ranking is completely, could be completely flipped on its head. If you miss all five cuts, you're probably gonna be 50th if you play great. You might be number one or number two and now you're gonna get into the next five. But then there's another reshuffle and another reshuffle.

Now they build on each other. So, you know, it's not like each five events, it's usually about five events. Each five events is completely like started at zero. So the first five actually means a time. It puts a lot of pressure on the fall in essence. Like, I missed all five cuts ceremoniously. I guess I could say now. All five cuts a couple of years ago.

And I mean, I was 50th all year. And it's stunk because I didn't play in as many events as other people, but I also, like I was saying before, I'm going to every tournament, like signed up for the Monday, might or might not be in the event. So it just becomes a bit of a hassle. So it is important to get off to a good start

and to just like, you know, kind of, you're aware of the shuffle. You know, you have to play well certain, you know, certain times of the season just to make sure that you can like, honestly, keep your job. So this will be the third time with having gotten your tour card, bounce up and down the last couple of times

that you did have it. What have you learned from those experiences and how has your mindset, how will your mindset change going into this coming season? Yeah, I learned the importance of like very, just being dialed into being yourself at all times every week. I think the last couple of times I was on tour,

I did a lot of looking around. I did a lot of experimenting with how somebody else might practice and how, oh my gosh, look how he hits a golf ball and look how he puts it and look how, you know, he gets out of the bunker and just being kind of in awe of how good everyone is. And that's fine. But I mean, to be completely honest, everyone on the web.com tour does, you know, similar things, you know, obviously it's a little bit deeper on the PJ tour and whatnot. But for whatever reason, when I'm on the PJ tour and whatnot, but

whatever reason when I'm on the web.com tour, I may be in the back of my head, think, man, they should be looking at how I do this. That's what I have to start to flip. I have to get out there with the best players in the world and trust that there's a reason I've been here three times. There's a reason I've had small success, but I've had some success out there. I need to be able to trust in what I'm doing and stop wondering how much better these guys are than me. Because truly they're probably not. I haven't proven that at all yet, but that,

that's, you know, maybe that's the mindset that if I have, it, you know, it'll go better. And either way, I mean, that's no way to do any job. You can't look at what your competitors are doing and think, oh, like sometimes you can't. Sometimes you'd be like, oh man, like, okay, that's an interesting way to do it. But you can't be like, oh, I'm doing it wrong.

Because at times, maybe they should, they should be looking at how you're practicing. Like maybe I know something they don't. And I've always just been so engulfed in golf knowledge and like learning from people that I sometimes forget that like I have a lot of knowledge at the same time. So I'm going to work on that. I'm going to I want to give myself like a lot of like like Like I want to support my own thoughts and my own game and my own strategies. Not wonder game in my own strategies, not wonder, is this right or wrong? I want to have some faith in it because I actually think I know quite a bit about golf

and about my game and about the game of golf. And I want to start putting that to use a little bit. And that's kind of my main goal this year. I think the physical parts, I can't do a whole lot about. I've worked as hard as I can. I want to, and my golf game feels great. But the mindset, I think, is the biggest part for about. I've worked as hard as I can. And my golf game feels great, but the mindset I think is the biggest part for me that I've never really tapped into when I was out there.

I felt too vulnerable, I guess. Questioning probably like a little bit in the back of my mind whether or not you belong. You can't have that out of the game. You can't. And the funny thing is, when I'm standing on a range, I say this all the time, whenever I'm really, really nervous, like the night before turn of the morning, uh, before around, I feel so nervous. And the

moment I get to the golf course, I like put that, you know, wedge in my hand, I, you know, holding my club, and I'm like, it goes away. So I'm like, yeah, this is, like, this is what I do. So when I'm standing on a range, just no matter who I'm hitting next to, I don't feel, I feel good, like I feel great. But there's something in there when I get on that first tee where it starts to be like, okay, let's not embarrass, like let's go play some good golf. Like let's see, let's see if we can play some good golf instead of like, dude, screw this, like let's go ball out, like let's go win this thing. Like let's go be the one that shoots 61 today. Like why not? Like you're playing great. So that's, that's the dumbest part about questioning

yourself, especially when you already made it to the highest level. It's one thing, if you're bouncing around many tours or whatever, and you're like, okay, like I obviously need to get a little bit better somewhere. Like I should question what I'm doing and maybe change it. If you make it to the PJ tour,

you're probably doing quite a bit great. And not well, like great. So I'm looking forward to trusting myself this year and seeing where it gets me Because I think I honestly think it's gonna be a great year. I think I I'm a slow learner in that sense and I think that I'm finally Starting to understand it quite a bit more. What were some of the things that that you were questioning or that you're like specific things and in guys practice routines I mean with what was that like it's like the smallest stuff like I'll watch For instance KJ Choi is one of the best bunker players you'll ever see.

First name that came to mind too. And when you're talking about guys you're learning from out there. Yeah. It might be the hammer drill. Yeah. Have you seen the hammer drill? Yeah.

And he teaches a lot of people and he's sick. Like he's so sick. So like I'll watch him hit a bunker shot. And it's so dumb because he is the best bunker player. And I'll be like, I'll watch him hit a bunker shot, and it's so dumb, because he is the best bunker player, and I'll be like, oh, I can never do that. First of all, yes, you probably could, if you like, spend a little more time, but instead I'm like in the bunker,

I'm like, man, like KJ would totally get this up and down right now. You know what, I'm like, what are you doing, dude? Like, you've got so much pressure on it, and then, you know, watching some people hit it far, or whatever, ball shaking's always been more of my thing, but I played with Charles Howee the third, my rookie year, I think maybe the third or fourth event,

and I was floored like at how good he hit a golf ball. And then, and I start changing all this stuff about my golf swing, I'm like, man, I'm not built for this. And then I like played a whole year, and then maybe another year, and I'm like, nobody hits it this good. Like that dude is the greatest ball strike I I've ever seen and probably will ever see.

Like he's just the best at this. So instead of having any faith at all in like the whole, the whole game of golf, like chipping, putting through the bag, which I think I have very few, like, you know, glaring weaknesses. I'm looking at every single person's like little thing they're great at. And I'm like, gosh, like how do I get there? And you're just kind great at and I'm like, gosh, how do I get there? And you're just kind of like, dude, like, okay, let's like take this step by step, keep practicing it.

You're probably not as like deficient there as you think you are. Let's, you know, hold the brakes and just keep trying to get the ball in the hole very quickly instead of being so, you know, because then you get in a bunker and you're like, like I said, you're just like, gosh, like, I bet you these guys do this all the time. It's really easy. And it really, you're just like, gosh, like I bet you these guys do this all the time. It's really easy and it really, you know, they don't do it every time.

But you know, the TV, you know, audience watches the leaders and the leaders in golf tournaments make every 20 footer, it seems like and hold out bunker shots and get up and down from everywhere. And then you look at the guy who's in 25th, which is a great golfer and maybe he's playing pretty good, things just aren't going as way and it doesn't look nearly as easy as that. So I got kind of caught up in all that. And you know, my whole golf junkie type, like, outlook on stuff

where I just want to keep learning and keep getting better was kind of, they kind of put me back a little bit in the sense that I was trying so hard to learn how to be like the best at literally every part of golf, which is a little bit unrealistic. I mean, speaking of learning, what would you, what would you say you learned, you know, this week from your first game of Wolfhammer? I learned that I'm not smart enough to play Wolfhammer. There's just way too much going on. I learned that we were talking about it, I think, when we were playing that you can't actually

play the game of golf, you need to play the game of Wolfhammer because I learned that hitting the fairway and then the green and two-putting might be worth a dot, but it might have been actually better to hit in the bunker and then blast out to the front edge and then chip it in for a rattler. You know, it might be better to go alone. I'm sorry. It's too complex. Yeah, okay. It's a lot of strategy.

It's like, it's like golf mix with chess. Yeah, yeah. And that's a fair take. And back to Fertigian and Uno and all the games. All the, all the games. So, I learned a lot from that. Like, I think it took a little bit out of me for this week to be honest.

Like, I think I was a little bit worn out. I should have probably taken all of Wednesday off, but I tried to tough it out for the sponsors of the Pro Am group that just was dying to play with me. So I just had to do it. But yeah, it's a wonderful, terrible game, but I gave it a shot. That's a pretty good take.

Did you pick up any pointers from close range, putting from anyone or anything that from us on Tuesday? Well, big rain, you put on a clinic. I have never seen anybody miss a three footer by a whole cup before, but he did it. And he did it. He did it gracefully. It was quite it was quite a spectacle to watch because it was just immediate like, yeah, okay, this is all right. You know, I would have probably broke down crying. And he just walked to the next tee with his head held high, looking forward to the next opportunity to miss a three footer. And I thought that was really beautiful.

It's a lot like watching someone who doesn't know the words to the national anthem. It's just like, no, that you can do to help. It's just like, gosh, I think you're gonna get there, man. Just stay in there, keep swinging. It'll come, dude. Listen, that's a brave face I put on I don't want to

Inside it just I die a little bit to be honest. I did all of us That it's it's weird when you're playing again somebody and you are rooting so hard for them to make a putt But I really really didn't like watching him miss them plus Plus, it was putting, I just didn't realize how much right hand was like in a putting stroke or could be. So, it's like a ping pong shot a little bit. It's like flipping over a ping pong. I thought about it last night. It's like he was trying to use the bounce

with this putter. You thought about it last night. Dude, it's hard to get out of your head. I just want to say it was cool playing with you. Big thrill for me. It must have been a big thrill, man. I mean, man of the people over here, I was just trying to give you a lasting memory and a story to tell.

And honestly, what was so truly fulfilling is you gave me a few stories to tell. That's really cool. A little mutual admiration. A mutual admiration society. A couple of sportsmen just admire each other. So Max, you were on this podcast long before I was associated. I was simply a listener at that time. Fanboy.

Fanboy. I swayed you. Yeah, for sure. So for anyone who didn't listen to the the Highly produced podcast three or three years ago. Hypothetically. I sure everyone listened to yeah, I'm sure everyone did But just in case they don't remember give us a little rundown of your background and where you grew up and Kind of you know, how do you got into the game and and all that stuff? First I just want to wanna say that podcast was recorded

from my iPad on speakerphone to my iPhone. It was like double speaker, really good audio quality. Yeah, we made it work. Yeah, we made it work. I remember that I like locked myself in my, oh, I mean, I don't mean to brag, but in my second bedroom.

Yeah. And I locked myself in there and found like the best service spot I could find and like didn't want to move because I was like, so nervous I was going to screw up like my first podcast, but it went well, but you know, to everybody who was, they must have been deaf and now like come back like, you know, got a great hearing egg

because I don't know why you wouldn't have listened to it the first time, but yeah, I'm now 27. I'm from Southern California. Play, I got into golf, kind of, because of my dad, we grew up next to a golf course called Griffith Park, had a, you know, public golf course, double layer range. Actually, first time I ever saw Tiger Woods,

I don't think I've actually said that before. I forgot. He played the LA City there and a little like young Tiger Woods harder to forget that name, but it came over the speaker and they announced him. So that was obviously just kind of a side story. That means nothing. Is this the par 61? No. So then when we moved, I grew up on a par 61. No, I think I played my first part five when I was 11 or 12. We had a sweet part three course there called Chica, but it was public golf super cheap. They had a deal $1 for if you were under like 12 or 13

and you could play all day on the part three course. Got just super lucky. Yeah, it's so cool. I remember the best day we had. You know, my dad would drop me off on his way to work or my mom and then they'd pick me up after. So essentially, it's, you know, I'm like there all day. And we played nine times one day. We just honestly, it's just like, it's just, you know, you're a kid, you're like, go, we'd play, maybe play a gang go in, have a soda,

play, go on back, play. And it back play and it was like it was so fun But it's lucky golf is not exactly like a kid sport You kind of to get a little bit fortunate in the sense that it's slower and it's not nearly as fun as a basketball Game or playing football or whatever. So I got lucky where we grew up on a just a very cool junior program where they made it very interesting and You know way more fun than it usually intends to be. And then got to play golf at UC Berkeley. And, you know, kinda started,

obviously it was taking it seriously, but then when you get to college, it really is like a full time job, like full time, full time. And we had a great team, one of the best teams I think in college golf history. Got to play in some great golfers and, um, well, let me stop you there. Cause you're being a little bit modest. You were telling us last night, some more detail. But for folks that from when you played that first part, five to when you were on one of the

best golf clubs in the history, there's certainly going on there. No, it just clicked over to the part five. I was like to get straight there. There's certainly a lot going on there. No, it just clicked over to the bar five. I was like, this is awesome. Oh, God, these are way easier to burn yet. Tell people why that team might not be remembered for being the greatest team ever. Yeah. And kind of what you guys were able to accomplish.

Yeah, my senior year, it was kind of one of those cool. Obviously UC Berkeley is not like a powerhouse name in any sport really. But we had a cool situation where we had myself, Brandon Hage, Michael Weaver, Michael Kim and Joel Stalter. And we had all kind of been maybe this like UC Berkeley was our second or third choice. And we had a couple of people red shirt, Michael Kim came in, Joel Stulture came in, and my senior year everybody was on, like, all five of us were ready to go, ready to play. And we went out there and I don't know.

We all blacked out for like a solid eight months and we won 11 of 13 stroke play events. The two we lost were by one stroke each. And we got to Nationals in the whole reason that the season just like did not, you know, and appropriately was because it's match play now. And we won the stroke play portion in three days by 13 and then got to match play. We actually beat John Ram's Arizona state team in the first round and then played Thomas Peter's team at Illinois who they have a great team. They had him in Brian Campbell and I think Thomas D.T. and their team was sick, but we played them

and came down to me and Thomas on the 20th hole for the, you know, to get into the finals to play. Justin Thomas is Alabama team and we lost and it's stunk man. There's no excuses. That's the format, but it was kind of lame. We had lost to, that was our like 13, we had lost to all season and they had lost to four that week. So wasn't, yeah, wasn't the greatest thing ever. That was kind of disappointing especially for me because they all got another year to play.

But that year was the most fun you could imagine, especially for golf, which is obviously not a team sport. It was, it was, I mean, we felt like Tiger Woods must feel every day of his life, but like, everywhere we went, we're like, man, yeah, you know, if we play all right, we'll probably win. And it was like so delusional, but so much fun at the same time. And, you know, I guess we, I guess actually now I don't feel so bad about losing because I know Justin Thomas needed another trophy in his trophy case.

So we kind of gave him one. So what a thrill for him. No big deal. Yeah. I mean, honestly, he was probably really nervous about playing me the next day. So I'm so glad that that didn't have to happen for him. Well, let me pause that to tell that's exactly the same as my high school golf. Let me break that down.

Turn it by turn it. You're getting your being modest since you won. You did win the NCAA, the individual title that week as well. Yeah, I did. And the Pac-12. So what was this that you told us? Yeah, just, I think Tiger was one that texted me, but he said, it's just, it's just, just me, him and Phil have done it. We won the Pac-12s and the Nationals. That was wild. I hadn't actually never won outright a college golf tournament. I tied one and then got to. That was wild. I hadn't actually never won outright a college golf term. I had tied one and then got to pack 12s.

It was in my hometown and played well. And then went to nationals and I mean, that was like, you know, obviously at the time the biggest thing I had done. And that was a lot of fun. But you know, no lie, like I was much more into the team thing at that point. Glad I won the individual because it, you know, it was a big deal, helped my resume and whatnot.

But I mean, it helped your confidence too to shoot fire off a tweet at the big cat. Yeah, I tweeted big cat. I got into the US Open actually like two days later. And I found that stat. And I tweeted on my awesome for a proxeron because you know know me and him and Phil no big deal or like the only people that ever did this. So I thought maybe it would connect us a little bit.

I just amazed you had to tell him that like he had he knew. Well he knew. I just wanted to remind actually more or less like I was like a humble brag to the rest of the the the the Twitter sphere that I had done it. I'm not that they all probably knew too because they all watched. But you know it's just going through the motions had to ask. So, you know, he, it was actually a funny story though. So, I asked, obviously he didn't get back to me, but it decent amount of people.

A decent amount of people, like he's busy. No, I nearly used practicing a lot, you know, it's not big, I mean, there's no chance he was looking at his phone between them and the news event. His phone has been all weird. It's like in between service providers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like he didn't want to run up his minutes, I totally get it. His phone has been all weird. It's like in between service providers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like he didn't want to run up his minutes.

I totally get it. So it was funny though. So like it got a decent amount of, you know, traction some other people, mostly my friends, honestly, but they were like, yeah, you should totally do it, Tiger. And I don't think he got back to them either. So, but one day I'm driving and I get a phone call. I'm like, hi, you know, this is Max.

You know, I don't have any more time for interviews guys. Like, I understand I'm a hot commie. This has been a wild ride. And he's like, no, no, no, no. I'm actually with Tiger Woods's agency. And like, I almost kind of asked. And I just like, swarved as fast. I could the right emergency flashers on.

Like I had to park on this out of the road because I was like, my heart was racing. I don't see thought he thought he was going to ask me like, you know, to be his best friend and move out to Florida. But I thought that a consolation prize would be this practice round. But unfortunately, he's like, Hey, you know, Tiger, there's no way this is true. Tiger really wants to play with me.

But like, he hasn't played this golf course before. He wants to take it very seriously, which was kind of a slap in the face because I also was going to try to play with you this week, but like he hasn't played this golf course before. He wants to take it very seriously, which was kind of a slap in the face because I also was going to try to play well, but I get it, you know, I get it. You don't want to get intimidated by my golf game at the time. So we, you know, mutually agree that we just wouldn't make it happen, but he's like, he would really, really love to meet you. And I'll, again, not true. There's no chance. But super nice. His agent seems awesome.

Or it wasn't quite Steinberg. So I got the B level agent, I think. Honestly, might have just been a prank call. Welcome to your inter-chimbing. Welcome to our sports management. First call back. Come on. Take care of this young eager man here. I'm trying to get to Tiger. Yeah, it was a man. first managed bit first call back home. Take care of this young eager man here. Yeah, I'm trying to get to Tiger.

Yeah, it was a man. A big part of your job is gonna be fending off. Fending off. The back home is a great question. Yeah, this will be your first of many. What a thrill for you to be able to call Maxoma. Yeah, so it was a it was fun. I actually did get to meet him at the US Open. He was awesome.

Like he totally acted like he wanted to meet me too. Which was great. What was the circumstance? Well, I like forced my caddy to put my bag next to Joe LeCava, put Tigers bag on the range, warming up for Thursday's round. And I was like, I was like, actually really freaking nervous. And I was like, go, all right, I'm gonna talk to him. But he's like awkward, because I also, like, also I was trying to, like I said, play in a golf tournament. And like, he's warming up,

which is a horrendous time to meet somebody, because that's like kind of your last time to be alone and gather your thoughts. And, you know, he's going for this 15th major. And I'm essentially just like, again, ceremoniously there, because I can't win any money so I finally sucked up went over and was like hey man like me and you have something in common

But now I was like hey I'm Max You know, I'm also playing this golf tournament. So you are more more obligated to like respond to this statement But he should man. he was super cool. He's like, oh man, you know, like, like play well this week. Awesome. You're out here. And I was like, oh man, like, and it was a rush. Like, it was really exciting to like finally meet him. And find out that he was like a really cool dude.

Like, I think he's misunderstood. I that week, I know really well. Pretty close now. Yeah, he even like asked me, you know, he's like, how that conversation go like, was like cool, and also, yeah, you're cool. There's so many people that just hound him, I like can't imagine. Like I, at one point, I was like, of course, I'll sign, I had never signed an autograph.

I was like, I'll sign all the autographs, like anybody wants. And like even one day, I was playing with speed. Actually, I get to change. Yeah, this is a thing we'll never, never change me. Gosh, I got all the money in the world. Tigers just like lazy. And I was playing with spieth in the practice round

and he was just getting like famous. I think he had won the John Deere, but I don't think he had won the Masters or anything yet. So, but he was still obviously Uber famous and we're walking in, we're signing autographs, you know, left and right and people are going bonkers over. I'm at final. Like I was just like getting kind of tired of it.

And I started actually, like my rule was like I would walk and people be like, can I get this? Can I get an autograph? Okay. I got a autograph. And I said, if you can tell me my name, I will give you whatever you want. I'll never forget Todd Hamilton. I'll never.

I'll continue. Okay. I'll never forget Todd Hamilton. I'll never, I'll never forget that. I think I was coming up like our 17th hole. I said that to the kid. I literally, like there was probably a kid around my age. And I said honestly, I said, if you can tell me my name right now, I'll give you whatever you want on my back.

And like not a club, like on my back, you have my head covers. You can have any amount of golf balls you want, any like legit, like Jordan shrugged me. I was like, yeah, I didn't do it. So that was humbling, I guess. But that was fun. But yeah, the fact that Tiger goes to that like literally every single day of his life, it kind of shocks me that he is even like halfway normal.

We saw, we once saw Todd Hamilton like quiz a kid. Like, all right, what's nine times five, divided by three, and the kid like got it wrong, and said, okay, sorry, and walked away. Wow. Ninth whole memorial, it was incredible. It's like one of my favorite memories. Wow.

I mean, that's kind of scary. I mean, I was trying to get a strong move. Respect for Todd. I guess you win one major and it's just like, you can do whatever you want. Yeah, it must be rough to be as famous as him and me obviously. So did you, like you said your dad played a little bit, but I mean, your parents were not like junior golf parents.

I'm gathering, you know, so not at all. So what was their story and then how did you guys go from kind of, you know, how did you like, I'm always fascinated about how people navigate that kind of world, because it's really fucking weird. So I play a full elite junior golf schedule. Yeah, I imagine especially in Southern California. Yeah, we're just studs.

Yeah, we had the sickest of sick golfers. I obviously have awesome parents. We don't have a ton of money, but we did look at it like a bit of an investment. I mean, that's how my dad talked to me. He didn't talk to me in a negative way. He just, like, I understood when I was 12-13 that money doesn't grow on trees and it's expensive to do this. I remember even I saw one time in the hotel room with my mom.

We checked out on the TV the hotel room with my mom, you know, we checked out on TV or whatever. And I saw the price of the week for the hotels, like holy hell, like you need to practice harder. Like this isn't supposed to be fun. But you know, my mom would take me to a lot of the tournaments. My sister got blessed, or like she, I don't know what she did that whole summer. Like she must have just been living on her own.

My dad worked and you know, my mom and I kind of traveled around We didn't really venture out of the state very often just because it was too expensive and all that But you know I got into got into like the local You know junior tours. I think it was called a Toyota tour cup And then I got into a JGA But I do remember the first real, real golf term I played on a real golf course. I think I was 11 or 12 and I played with this kid named Philip Chin who I'm actually still friends with.

And some other kid that they were both a year older, a couple of years older I think. And they kicked my ass. Like it was embarrassing. I think they both shot 70 and I shot 85. And I remember it was one of my first times playing like a big boy golf course. You had to, I was new to part five at the time. And I didn't play well, but it wasn't shocking.

I remember I asked and I was like, how often do you guys practice at the time I was playing flag football and basketball and all these other things? We have balls every day. And I remember I went into the car and I was playing flag football and basketball and all these other things, like we have balls every day. And I remember I went into the car and I was like pretty upset. And my mom's like, you know, how to go. And I said, hey, like, I don't know if this is reasonable,

but like I need you to take me to the golf course every single day. And like I remember that, from that time on, I looked at it as a complete job. Like, it's gonna be fun, of course. Like anything in life can be, but I'm like, this isn't funny to me. It's not funny to play bad. It's not cool funny to me. It's not funny to play bad.

It's not cool not to practice. It's not cool to go to the golf course and dick around. This is your job now. And it kind of built, I've always been a very self-motivated person. And I think to your question about how do people do it, I think a lot of it comes from that. You just find it in your own heart and mind to be like, okay, I'm gonna stick myself to this job and I'm going to treat it as such at a young age. And I'm gonna have a single minor focus on, I'm gonna play on the PJ tour.

And it was incredibly delusional at the time, like incredibly when I look back on it. I was nowhere near as good as these kids, but I really think that it's probably rare to get, you know, 11 or 12 year old to work like that. And, you know, fortunately for me, I did. And I think that a lot of the people that are on the PGA tour and web.com tour have done that, you know, in their life.

And, but obviously blessed with awesome family. And, you know, it's hard to do that. You hear a lot of stories about people that like can't even afford to play AGGs. It's so expensive and we made ends meet. And fortunately, it was very fun for me to like make my first check and like give some money back to my parents just as a big thank you.

And like I know that it wasn't the easiest of roads. So it was cool. Okay, so talk through it. I have to ask about what your dad does. Because I feel like you could have absolutely gone down that path as well. You're very happy. Oh, I appreciate to ask about what your dad does because I feel like you could have absolutely gone down that path as well. You're very, very, very good. Oh, I appreciate you saying I'm good looking enough to be an actor.

But yeah, my dad, my dad is an acting coach. He, he always jokes that he's like, I picked the one job like more selective than acting. He's like, man, he said, I never, ever wanted you to be an actor. And you of course had to pick golf. So, yeah, he, uh, he said I never, ever wanted you to be an actor and you of course had to pick golf. So, uh, yeah, he, uh, he's an acting coach. Um, he actually worked on general hospital for 20 some odd years. The soap opera. Um, and then also, uh, I guess his biggest thing he was on the show screen queens. I think it was on VH1. It was a reality, uh, acting show that was just sorry, dad. It was terrible.

It was so bad. And it was, it's hard enough to watch like your dad on TV like it was very embarrassing but I made it through it because you know I'm just a tough guy I guess so but no he he he you know had a pretty cool job I mean that's an interesting job we got to meet some pretty cool people but yeah I never got into that that's a that seems like a really awful thing to try and do. Like you see these people like with these glamorous lifestyles, but like I don't know how you can go in and get judged so subjectively, like every single day you go into an audition.

So, you know, I veered the other direction. And yeah, he decent golfer. I think my dad got to maybe a five to seven handicapped he's all right but yeah once I started asking questions about golf he just like pushed me towards a teaching pro and said don't ask me and I think that was probably the best thing anyone ever did for me looking back on it because there's no point in him giving me information he doesn't know about and some parents try to do that and it's okay but it's wrong like it's just most of the information's wrong it's it's made up from you know maybe

like an article you read and then blended it with like seven more articles. So he did an awesome job and very thankful for that for sure. Well, did you ever try acting? I tried it once and I thought I did all right. We had to go, me and my sister had to go to my dad's workshop once, which if people don't know is like 30 to 50 people and, you know, he made us like go see how he worked which if he looked back on his very narcissistic.

But he made us go. And I told him I did not want to talk in front of anybody. Like I was like, I will deal with this and like sit in the back of this class and watch other people and like, and I'll even applaud you if you do like a great job. Like I will try and consume as much information from your teaching style, but I don't want to get up. And of course he made me and my sister do like a great job. Like I will try and consume as much information from your teaching style, but I don't want to get up.

And of course, he made me and my sister do like a scene. And you know, I did the first one and then my sister went, my sister did a pretty good job. And I thought I did all right. I mean, you're reading a script. Like it doesn't seem very hard. And my sister after was like, you were awful. Like that was so, she's like, you were showing,

trying to show emotion, you were just yelling. You just got louder. There like no emotion came out. And I was like, like all right perfect. I didn't want to do this This seems like a awful hazing right now by my own dad It paid off though for the scratch videos several years later. Yeah. Yeah, wow. Yeah, actually It was probably your probably your most recent credited role. Yeah, everyone talks about Exactly everyone talks about. Tiger would support group. Yeah, exactly. Everyone talks about how Kobe got this like Oscar first thing,

but I got one way before. That's true. Yeah. Way before. Yeah, I think we forgot to enter for the awards that year, but weird, I still got a trophy. I think my mom bought it for me. We'll tell the story on that one so people have any.

Yeah, well, we, so I got into the, I got my card two years ago, well, we, so I got into the, I got my card. Two years ago, two, three years ago, and I was playing this safe way, open, which is the first event of the season. And I actually, going back to the priority ranking, I was pretty low on the totem pole. And I was actually like first alternate. So I signed up for the Monday, drove up to the Monday, got a call in the morning, like, Hey, you're still first alternate, you know, go play. But if, you know, for people that don't know, if you do get in, like an official takes you off the golf course at the Monday and obviously doesn't make you grind that out.

So I'm walking off the ninth green. I see actually an official up on the top of the hill at a, we were playing Bayonette and I'm like, oh, sweet, like I'm in and for, you know, pretty cool. He comes over. He's like, hey, you got in. I'm like, oh, sweet, like I'm in. And for, you know, pretty cool. He comes over. He's like, Hey, you got in. I'm like, a lady, my girlfriend was caddy and for me. Her joke is that she's a one and a, and has never missed a Monday call fire. So like, I should hire her full time. So somehow those things are linked. And he's like, yeah, so you're in head on up there. Tiger actually was the one that was true, and I said, ha ha, like good joke. And he goes, no dude, like, tiger withdrew.

And I'm like, and he's like, gave me this look like you're gonna have to deal with some questions, like, for a little bit. And I'm like, pretty pumped, but I'm like a little bit, you know, concerned, we were all obviously looking forward to him coming back. And I get up to the course and I'm playing a pro-action, and I like legitimately did probably 12 interviews.

And I'm the last guy in the tournament. I mean so little to this event, it's actually scary. Besides me being from California and giving free tickets to my parents, that's about the only value I brought at all. To maybe they bought a water and contributed $4 when I forgot to give them one from the player cooler. So I get up there and they're like,

I'm doing all these interviews. Like the beginning, I'm trying to be as cordial as I can. I'm so sorry, Tigers on in this event, but it's so bittersweet, but obviously if I'm glad it's me that could fill a spot and all that stuff. And then finally after the six or seven, I was like, dude, I really, really want to play in this event. I really need to do this.

You didn't kick him out. No, I didn't, it wasn't my fault he would do. Like I was at a Monday qualifier, like get my own spot. And so it was just like silly, but it did show like how important he was. And that's actually end up working out, I met DJ. And we did actually a awesome scratch TV video.

Yeah, I had flown out just because Tiger was gonna be there. So we're gonna do all these Tiger related videos. And then you know, you land on the tarmac and like all the text messages start coming in. And it's like, oh, yeah, Tiger with true. Boy, I forgot to ask you really easy to get from Jacksonville the half of. But did the text says to say Tiger with Drew by Max's in or was it just Tiger with Tiger was replaced by other They're all taking

Golf or slash actor we had you're talking a girlfriend cadding for you Which reminded me we've been talking kind of all week with you and Zach Blair and Curtis and some other guys That are here for the web tour event this week just about like really good caddy stories. Yeah, you guys have all played on so many weird tours and so many weird events and curious what your your best caddy experience. Yeah, you're you're funniest caddy experience. Definitely not the best.

Usually they usually don't go hand in hand. My favorite caddy story and we have a lot because we go to South America and, you know, obviously we don't have enough money to just be flying down, you know, the who's who of caddies on the web dog contour. So we, I go to the Bahamas this year. I didn't think I was going to get into the first event of the season because I was playing on a past champions category, which is like pretty low on the totem pole. But I, you obviously end up getting in and kind of weak before kind of last minute I searched searching for caddies because I hear that Bahamas will not have local caddies. They gave us a full warning, like not on the web.com tour that this all like kind of went awry. So I land in my first flight. I think I landed in

Florida and I was about to, you know, hop on over to the Bahamas. Michael Scott's favorite, the sandals resort. And I landed, I get a text from the sky and he's like, hey man, I'm sorry, I can't make it. And I'm like, no dude, like this is not an option. Like you have to come down here. He's like, it's just too expensive. And I said, I get it. Like it's expensive for me too. Like let's go have a good week.

Like I was paying him more money than I normally do. And it's just like he wouldn't come. So I go down to the tournament, I'm like freaking out because they really didn't have like a single local caddy. Like no one, I mean, it's a resort. No one's there to like do anything but like hang out. So I, this woman Vanessa that was working for the tour that week, I think was from there

and she kind of got on the horn and started trying to find people. It was actually hilarious. I had to, I tweeted out to people and she kind of got on the horn and started trying to find people. It was actually hilarious. I had to, I tweeted out to people and I was like, they're gonna fly somebody out to like, caddy for me. And I got all these sorts of responses in it, honestly. It was probably a mistake that I did that

because I just realized how like naive and stupid everybody is. But people were like asking me like, hey, you know, the first question was always found like, hey, will you pay for my air for? I'm like a hundred percent. Like it's gonna be incredibly expensive. But like at this point, I needed an opportunity to play golf.

I'd pay any amount of money to like, play in that tournament, because I needed to get myself onto the tour like full time again. And I was like, sure, and they're like, you know, what about room and board? I said, like, we can make a deal with room and board. It's pretty expensive. I said, I actually think I might have an extra spot,

because we rented like a little condo that week. And like, okay, and then like, what about, are you gonna pay for my food and beverage? I'm like, were you not gonna eat this week? How is that now on me? And like, so I just got so fired up with everybody. And then like, you'd finally get a commitment and be like, oh man, I can't make it or,

oh, I don't have a passport or, oh this and that. And you're just like, oh my gosh, this is like so infuriating. And I didn't get to play a practice round because you have to have a caddy. So I walked a golf course by myself. And then Vanessa comes along with just, you know, my hero Rudy.

He's like, I got a guy named Rudy. He works at the airport. No promises. Real, he was like, he was, might have been like, named after Rudy. I don't know who's older, but like this guy just like came in, I could feel like the energy and the music, like part of a champion.

And so he comes on the range and he's got a hat, this is Jesus on it. And I'm like, man, like this is gonna be a great week. So I first of all, I'll teach him, try to teach him to put the bag on his back. I didn't go well, took a way longer than expected. Second, we get to the first C. And he has a smile on his face,

he's the nicest guy in the world, but he goes, so how do you know which one of these goes the farthest? I'm like, oh no, like this is good. And this Bahamas event is notorious for like, unheard of wins and rain. And it's just, you know, that's usually when you really do need your caddy the most, because you need an umbrella holder. And like, you know, somebody like keep everything dry.

And now I have to like, do what's like telling him to like, stand right here, don't move. Okay, now you need to move here because like this guy's, you know, you're going to be in his through line. He also had this, I think I forgot to tell you guys, he also had this watch that the alarm beeped every hour. So I like almost in the back of my mind had to like recalculate what time it was. So I knew how like a bunch of time I had before I had to tell them like, run away. So we did that. So we play the first hole goes fine.

I'm telling him where to go. It's a lot of people don't get it. It's a lot of like extra energy to like constantly know what you're going to do and like deal with somebody else. So actually I just I just basically explained motherhood. I'm so sorry. I did it for like a few hours. That was really rude of me.

A man's explaining over here. So I get to the second hole and it starts absolutely pissing and it's blowing like 40. And I was like, Rudy, I said, please just stand over here. Like, don't worry about me. I put on my rain jacket. I gave him the umbrella. I said, you stay as dry as you can,

but please just keep my clubs as dry as you possibly can. And he's like, cool. So we just stood there. And I got some of this on the video. I walk out from out of the umbrella, and I'm just getting crushed, just getting absolutely slant. I'm trying to play.

I look like an idiot. Everyone else is caddies standing over them with the umbrella, like the cool PJ tour looking thing. And my caddies stand over, they're dry as a bone, as I'm just getting like destroyed by the rain. So then play that whole play the next hole and I'm walking to the green.

And of course, I had a towel that was, you know, used into keep the grip strie, not that you needed to like clean the golf box. It was soaked, but to keep the grip strie and I look at Rudy on about the third hole and he goes, hey, no towel. I'm like, what? He goes, I don't know where it is.

And I'm like, oh no, like I almost I wanted to cry. I was like, this is like my welcome back to golf. I've been playing, you know, the season before was easily the most embarrassing year of my life. And now like I come out to the golf course and it's really difficult. Water on every single shot. And I'm gonna like be the guy that I can't hold on

to a golf club. Like it's just, this gonna like be the guy that I can't hold on to a golf club like It's just this is like the worst thing that could have happened and like I go around the rest of the day And you know you're just trying so hard just keep anything dry You can and God bless me to a great job, but I got super super lucky the next day. There was a massive Rain delay and we only played like seven holes maybe so the next day We're gonna have to finish that round and then go into you know, the essentially like the the final two rounds and after that round, I I grabbed a caddy who had his player and missed the cut and I was like, Hey, man, like, can you just caddy form me like for us a week? And I had to say goodbye to sweet Rudy. But what was that conversation like with Rudy

when he had to let him go? I was pretty nervous because he like legitimately is the nicest person I've ever met. Really? This is the cut. This is the hardest conversation ever. Yeah. I was pretty nervous because he liked legitimately it's the nicest person I've ever met. This is the hardest conversation I've ever had. I was like, you know, this is gonna be really difficult. I know you've been having a blast with me, but, you know, I got this guy like, it's not you, it's me, like I'm not communicating well enough with you and you're doing everything right. But he was, I was like, dude, I'm gonna pay you a full boat.

I just want you to be happy. Yeah, like if you really need this like we can keep going but Yeah, so I gave him like the full boat which was like a quarter of what I normally based somebody so it wasn't like this big deal But he was finally I mean he literally never stopped smiling for the two days. We hung out Got a lot got got to know him pretty pretty well. I mean I guess keep it test still or do no not not not sure the whole phone plan system over there in the Bahamas, but it it wasn't a wasn't super Super compatible. I think yeah, that's what it was

You you touched on it there coming to come what you were coming off of there And I don't not to not to dwell too much on the what you call the most embarrassing period of your life Yeah, that's interesting what you said there But I want to kind of hear from me from you like what what you were going through during that time with your golf swing and how How that had an effect on you mentally and how you're able to get back to to where you are now today. Yeah, man It was rough a lot of people don't understand actually started in the web season the year before I had actually won And then just I don't really know what happened. It just went, it went fast. It was what goes, what goes.

My driver got, I've never been a premier driver of the golf ball, but I've been fine. I remember while obviously stays in play, I do this for a living. I'm no, yeah, no drunk. But it stays in play and all of a sudden I'm out there and it's like, I could tell you where every OB stake is in the world.

And it's just, it's frightening. If a golf course had white stakes, like I was like, oh, like nightmares. Is it hard to compete in professional golf when you're thinking like that? It would, honestly, I didn't think it would be. But yeah, it was surprisingly difficult. Like I was like, wow, this should still be easy. I mean, okay, one off the tee. Okay, two out of about. All right.

So I'm hitting three off the tee. I'm giving you guys all two shots a hole. Yeah. So it became very difficult. So just kind of lost it. And then, you know, me and I changed coaches. So me and my new coach at the time, tough for him. And we had just started getting going and all of a sudden, like, you know, we're like breaking things down as small as we can. And so I played terrible to end that season. And then came back out onto the PJ tour now, and I'm like, holy cow, not that I was like, that nervous, but I was like, oh, this is a new opportunity. Maybe it's just like my mind was out of it,

and it just continued. I missed the first five cuts, so I'm not gonna end to anything. The golf courses are considerably harder and more demanding. And all of a sudden, and then I'm playing with people who are not saying that the web guys aren't great, but like, so you play with a few PJ guys,

you're like, holy cow, like you guys are the real deal. And I'm over here like, like, you know, okay, no, I didn't make eight there, I made seven, and I'm like, oh, sorry, like, it was really hard to keep track, I said, I totally get it. Like, next time I'll like have a clicker out for you. So I was like, quite embarrassing.

But I saw a little bit of success. I think what I did that was, and like I don't like to get serious about a lot of things, but what I was so proud of myself that year, and obviously going into this year, but that year, because I would leave Thursday, I'd shoot a bazillion and go to I would leave Thursday I'd shoot a bazillion and go to the range Friday I'd shoot a bazillion, Mystica go to the range.

And I had actually changed back to my coach I had in college and who I'm with right now, Les Johnson and we, you know, he was awesome. I call him every day and be like, hey, like this is what happened today. And we didn't have all bad days. I remember the John Deere and the Greenbrier actually led the field in total driving for the first two days,

not all four days, because I didn't get to play those two. But the first two days, and that even was a mental struggle, because I'm like, gosh, if like the one thing I think I'm terrible at, I'm the best at this week, and I still miss it, but it was just becoming way too much like, too much pressure on myself to do everything great. You know, obviously like completely just like giving up on practicing my wedges and my short game and putting because it's like if I can't get the ball and play what's the point?

Chipping for six isn't really like that big of a deal. So but I'd have weeks where it was just, you know, I would just be like, okay, I'm going to miss a cup but I'm going to grind as hard as I can in every single day. Every single day I'm gonna learn one new thing about it and just be so frickin' prepared for when it comes around. And I posted it on my Twitter after I got my card, but I found this quote that Kobe had in his locker, I think you got from Papa Vitch.

It was about this stone cutter, and it says, you know, like a stone cutter's chopping away at a at a big Boulder and he swings at it, you know One time two times three times a hundred times without like a dent being made in it and on the hundred and first time It completely breaks apart and it says a wise man knows it was not the hundred and first blow that it was the hundred that came before it and I was like This is me right now like this is how I'm going to like leave my mark on this game and this is how I'm getting back. And I got, I got, I was fortunate to have a career

in general, like that I've made a good amount of money where it wasn't like a massive financial. Like it wasn't all my brain, like that I was just like siphoning off money. But you know, it obviously wasn't great, but I was able to be like, okay, like if this takes four years, it takes four years, but we're starting right now and I'm not going to waste a day or an hour or a minute not trying to get better.

And it actually taught me to get my attitude to be so much more positive, because I realized that if you're playing that bad and you're also thinking negatively, like they don't go together. So I had to lie to myself and just be like, today's the day, dude, like today's the day we go shoot 65 and everything kind of breaks apart and like this starts to go the right direction and every time I thought I hit rock bottom, I found it a shovel and dug a little deeper and it was shocking. I would come off golf courses and just like in shambles, like mentally and just be like,

man, like maybe I'm not supposed to do this and then, you know, I'd be like, all right, wake up in the morning going to practice and I'm very, very proud of myself for doing that. It was hard and it makes this year feel like I haven't felt what I felt when I got my car back in Canterbury and Cleveland a couple weeks ago, because I have an unbelievable group of friends that supported me and never, you know, like, you know, you lose, you lose a lot of people when you do this. Like, I got a lot less text messages, you know, obviously when you're playing bad about hanging out, but my friends stuck by me and it was cool to get texts from certain people and then be like,

man, like, I know what you just did. And like, that was impressive. And I was like, for the first time, I was like, I agree. Like this one was cool because Embarrassed, it's one thing to be bad at your job or to struggle. It's really hard, like legitimately be embarrassed to be out there. I'm playing its Tiger Woods in Phil Mickelson in Rory, Macquarie. I'm shooting 80 and I'm losing, I thought I think one term I lost in two rounds, 14 shots to the field in total driving.

It's just like, what are you doing out here, dude? And I know you down on better than this, but you just think you get stuck in this rut and glad it obviously turned. I just wanted to leave a mark of resiliency, you know, and I thought that that would be, that would be who I am. Some people are great hitting a seven iron, some people are great at putting I'm going to be like the toughest guy, I know you talked about, obviously, all the work that you've done for yourself and your coach, one of the things we're talking about you, or talking with you about through this week is you've gotten somewhat close to

Phil Mickelson actually down in Southern California. And I was just wondering if you could share what you can about that relationship and you know, the role he's played and kind of giving you some advice and almost being a mentor to you. Yeah, super lucky. Obviously, one of the greatest golfers of all time and I live an hour from him, got linked up with him. Start playing some rounds at home with him. And it was cool. I mean, if I had never said a word to him, but we played together, I would have learned something from him. I mean, he's so good at golf and you see how he thinks and how he plots his way around a golf course. And the shots he can hit that like I, you know, at the time hadn't even like kind of

considered. But then he was nice enough when I asked him questions, like really give me like thoughtful answers. He'd let me practice with him one day, taught me all about how to prepare for tournaments. And he didn't even, the only, you know, payment he required from me was like start helping him dress better, which he hasn't listened to me at all yet. You know, he said, I think he owns like seven leather jackets, which is seven too many. So, no, but he's been great. And I mean, it's just freaking cool.

Like, if you beat Phil Mickelson or something one day, you go home and you're like, dang, I just beat Phil. It's like a huge confidence booster. And then when he beats you, the other part is like, oh, cool, I'd like lost to Phil. Like, no, I'm still probably awesome, I other part is like, oh, cool, I lost a feel, like nothing to do. Like, I'm still probably awesome at golf. Quite literally, what a thrill for me.

Yeah, what a thrill for me. So, but yeah, so it's been sweet. Him and Charlie Hoffman are down there and Brendan Steele. So, we've had some pretty cool games and learning experiences. And you also, I think the biggest lesson you can learn is he's still like a normal dude. Like, he's still like, gets jacked up to play golf.

He just like knows a lot more and is better at hitting that golf ball than basically everyone. So that's like really the only big separation. But you know, he's just a guy like us. And I think that also put into perspective, like we were talking about earlier about my mindset set next here to stop looking at these people like their gods of some sort, like it's just another round of golf. Filmicals since great, but I've beaten them and I know it might just be at home, but there's no reason that can't transfer over, but I feel very fortunate to have even just met them

let alone get to pick his brain a little bit. Does he follow along kind of like your career and keep up to date on what you're doing? And is he one of those people that's texting he follow along kind of like your career and keep up to date on what you're doing? And you know, is he one of those people that's texting you and that kind of stuff? He did. He didn't a couple weeks ago. He's probably busy, I get.

But he did actually, it was really cool, man. Like right after I had like kind of first practice with him, I was, this is when I was really struggling. And he texted me about, I think I was coming to the tour championship to try to get my car back. And he said, hey, he texted me about, I think I was coming to the tour championship to try to get my car back and he said, hey, he sent me this long message, like, hey, I know it hasn't been going well,

but you never know, this could be the week. And deep down, that's how I looked at every week. It's like, maybe this is the week. Like, maybe this is the week. And it's just, he's the ultimate optimist, which might go back to his whole clothing thing working out at some point, but he's the ultimate Optimist.

And you know, kind of like, it's kind of infectious. You're like, yeah, sure, this is the week. Like, yeah, you know, I don't, maybe I'm not going to have to hit 12 provisional's to know, like, maybe this really will be good. So he's been cool, man. I mean, he gets a bad rat for the whole fig jam thing or whatever, but he's not like that. He means it all so light-hearted. Well, just listening to you explain it, it's like a lot of the time he's just like,

man, isn't this an awesome thing that we can talk about? Look, I'll explain this to you. How cool is this? It's like a sense of wonder. Exactly. Don't you wonder how I'm spinning this so much? Yeah. Because I thought a lot about how I can spin it so much.

Yeah, exactly. I love that the green briar when he's during the program, he's giving Larry Fitzgerald a chipping lesson. And the other guy, he's like, hey, Chip, get over here. You're going to want to hear this, too. That's how he is. I like legitimately think he just wants everyone to be as good as him, and also realize maybe like in the back of his reign

Like be like yeah, I know more but I'm also so much better than you It's like I want you know how first well how how hard this is but how easy I make it look Have you ever seen him like what's the best you've ever seen him play or have you ever seen him super dialed in? Yeah, I get lucky I usually play him in the offseason where he you know is taking quite a bit of time off He's got a you know awesome family that he spends quite a bit of time with and you know in the offseason where he, you know, is taking quite a bit of time off. He's got a, you know, awesome family that he spends quite a bit of time with. And, you know, in the offseason for me, I try and use it as, I'll take a few weeks off. There were a couple weeks off in the beginning, but I try to use it as, since I don't have,

you know, a family or anything to actually like work a lot and be ready for the first event. So when I play with him there, he's a little rusty. He's obviously still unbelievable at golf, but, you know, his driver is not normally as like dialed in and his numbers aren't like as great. And I hadn't really like put the two and two together. I was like, you know, obviously, it feels a great golfer and everything. But you're not blowing away. And then I played with him right before the match play a couple years ago, which is right before Augusta. And I was freaking floored. Like it was shocking. Like how much? It doesn't matter to the score. I mean, you shot 900, but it didn't matter to the score.

It was like the the wedge, like the short iron thing you read and hear about was like kind of jaw dropping. I mean, he, and at the time, he'd already like explain to me how he like works through the whole process. But I mean, we, I think he birdied the first, he horseshoe lipped out a 30-yard bunker shot on the second free eagleagles, made birdie,

hold a nine iron from the fairway bunker on three, which to his credit, he came up and explained to me how he knew it was like gonna go in. I saw him like that. For he made, he had a wedge, like a couple feet, another kick in and then on, I think it was the fifth hole, he had another wedge and it's, I was out by the green

and it's like an elevated green, he hit another one, I was like, and it rolled out it's like a foot and he goes, oh, I went, oh, and he goes, oh, what did I make it again? Like dead serious. I'm like, no, but it's like another birdie. And it was kind of shocking. You know, his his bunk, there's, he does a lot of things really well, obviously, but like, I mean, his long game is great.

His driving actually isn't crazy impressive, but he gets it really far for, I know he's 40s, five maybe, 46. 48, really, yeah. So he can move it, but his bunker play and those short irons, it's scary. Like it is,

it's cool to get to see that in person because, and honestly, we joke about it, but he really does explain to me how he knows where it's going to do. If you want to be kind of like standoffish and be like, this is so annoying, sure, do that because I'm going to listen and I pick up on that. He's like, hey, I'm going to move it this far back in my stance and grip up this much and that's going to take X amount of yards off, but the spindle at, you know, and you're like, he'll explain to you how he hit it to a foot,

and it's not a joke. Like, he really did know how he hit it to a foot, and I enjoy that. At times, you roll your eyes when he's just like, kicking your ass on the golf course. Like, thanks, I get it. Do you want me to show you how I just dropped again? Like, on the right, because it was sick.

So he does that. But it's cool, man. He really loves golf, and he has invested so much of his time into the parts of the game that he's so great at, and it really shows. I mean, he puts a lot of time in those wedges, and it's cool that it works out too,

because it's actually pretty fun to watch on TV, but also in person when you see him get a little bit dialed, and he starts hitting things like kick in over and over and over again. What's the reaction like of other members when he comes out to your home club? It's kind of like you're like, well, I mean, they look at me the same way. It's like, wow, there's two of you. There's two of you out here. Holy cow, I don't have enough sharpies.

But no, when he comes out, it's kind of cool because like, I remember one time I my home golf course or one of my home golf courses I remember a couple Shocking they They like Revenge bedroom. Yeah, yeah exactly I they have like a big canary has a rule where like you have to have If you're playing with four people like three of them need to be there before you can make a tea time.

Like you can't call in tea times. It's a good system, whatever. But like one day I went there and I was kind of like, hey, like, I'm here early. It's like set up this tea time because Phil had to play early and like had to get out of there. And I was like, and he's like, okay, well, I can't put your name in it. I said, dude, like Phil McWoodson is coming. Like, I don't know what to tell you. I'm not going to call him and be like, you need to get here an hour earlier.

He's like, you know, like I get it, but like I went into the approach, I was like, hey, like guys, like Phil Mickelson's coming and they're like, okay, just like, we'll make time for that. And I was like, well, this is really cool. You never do this for me, but I get it. He's older than me, he's seniority.

So that's pretty cool, but he does have the one. He's pretty easy to make fun of because he's just a big dork, like a nice big dork and he doesn't really like get it at times, but he really did do like the most like awkward things ever. We're at big canary, we're coming up nine, nine and one, kind of like run side by side in this member hit a drive into our fairway. And the guys weren't like an Augusta hat or a shirt or something and he runs up next to Phil and he feels next to his ball and Phil's trying to make a joke. He goes,

oh really, you won there too. This hat and the guy didn't know who he was. And he's like, what? And Phil goes, you won the Masters too. And the guy's like, okay, and like left. And I was like, oh my gosh, like that couldn't have backfired anywhere. But like, Phil's like, oh, and like left. And I was like, oh my gosh, like that couldn't have backfired anywhere. Or like, but like, feels like, oh, you know, like he'll figure it out. Like no big deal, that was bad, but they love seeing him. And they're pretty cool, like,

leaving alone a little bit. And he is unreal good with like members. Like he gets it, which is cool, but yeah, that mean they freak out, but I mean, I guess I deal with the same stuff. Yeah, which is cool, but, uh, yeah, that mean they freak out, but I mean, I guess I do with the same stuff. Yeah, it's not big deal. So all right, let's wrap it at that. Uh, max congratulations on your return to the PGA tour. We look forward to watching, um, watching this, this coming fall in the rest of the season, but mostly congratulations on being able to spend the weekend with us and

having dollar beers and, uh, honestly, my honor honor like this this couldn't have worked have worked out any better like I am considering just quitting and joining no laying up at this point because it's just that you guys live a life that people just dream of. Listen listen we can't really pay you. We have your formation. Last try. Don't call us. We'll call you. Last try I spent an entire year not making money, so I'm very, very ready for it. All right, on that note, let's wrap it up. Let's go. We're going to go check out hopefully Curtis Luck wraps up. Kind of tour championship today.

And thanks again for coming on. Hey, thanks guys. It was fun. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. It's gonna be the right club. Be the right club today. That is better than most. How about in? That is better than most. Better than most.