No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 516: Adam Scott

Episode Date: January 25, 2022

Adam Scott makes his debut on the pod ahead of this week's Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic to offer some great perspective on his career, the changes he's seen in the professional game, goals for the future, working with Steve Williams, and some great insights on both his close calls in majors and his win at Augusta in 2013.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yes! That is better than most. That is better than most. Better than most. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No Laying Up podcast, Sally here, an absolute thrill to bring you for the first time. Adam Scott on this podcast, want to give a special shout out to our friends at the Slingt Dubai Desert Classic for helping set this up. The Slingt Dubai Desert Classic, finally referred to as the major of the Middle East

because of its legacy in the world class feel that it tracks every year. It's the longest running European Tour event held outside of mainland Europe. It began in 1989. It's going to take place this week from January 27th through the 30th. This is the 33rd staging of the event now and elevated to a Rolex Series event prize fund of $8 million. Held at the Emirates Golf Club, the first fully grasped 18 whole course in the region. A role of honors features 11 different major champions, including the likes of Tiger Woods,

Roy McElroy, Sevy Bias, Terris, Ernie Alice, many, many more. Many memorable moments to look back on. The winner gets their hands on an instantly recognizable trophy, which is a huge replica of the traditional Arabian coffee pot, as the dollar trophy. Players in the field for this year include defending champion Paul Casey, World number two, Colin Moore, a Cala, Roy McElroy, Sergio Garcia, and also playing our major champion, Shane Lowry, Patrick Harrington, Hendrick Stenson, many European Ryder Cup heroes are teeing it up, including Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Polter.

This year also marks the first year on their journey to becoming GEO certified. They've signed the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework to pledge to promote sustainability. They're going to be using solar panels to power whole sections of the tournament as well as a shift to biofuel. So follow this link, DDC, social channels for exclusive content and highlights while the live action will be beamed to a worldwide audience on broadcast sports networks, including golf channel and sky sports in the UK. Without any further delay. Here is our interview with Adam Scott. So off the top of your head You got to answer as fast as possible. Do you know how many years for you? This is now out on tour

Is it 20 I don't know I don't know I think 22 maybe 22 I feel like it's been that long No, it doesn't really That's a lot of years. That's half more than half my life. It's a lot of goals, but no, it doesn't. I really think the two of kind of keeps you young at heart, somewhere. I probably aged plenty, but I don't feel like it. Well, it's funny, because I got a lot to ask you, but one of those things is we don't really know when you're going to pop up. Golf fans, you know, you're a global traveler, you play everywhere, and you know, we're recording this ahead of Abu Dhabi, you're going to play Abu Dhabi this coming week, and then you're also teeing it up in this link to my desert classic.

I saw the, you haven't played there since 2002, is that sound right? What made you get Andrew schedule around? Lots of things. You know, been quite a few changes the last couple of years for everybody, of course, but also my family is relocated and we're living back in Europe. And this middle east swing is obviously very convenient. It's very close by. And it made sense for me, but also when you've been out here 20-something years, occasionally you need to switch things up. You need to switch the schedule up. You've got to keep it fresh. And it feels a bit like that again for me coming back to the Middle East after so long. And I've had some success in this region, too.

I won in Qatar twice earlier in my career. So I'm looking forward to coming back and playing in the Middle East, especially Dubai. It's been 20 years. It's like that, which is incredible. So we could maybe a whole separate non golf podcast that we do sometime down the road. I got a lot of golf questions to ask you, but you know, you, you, you, you famously have a very private life and we could, we could talk to them about that. But what do you, what do you do in Dubai?

It's a, you know, I'm curious what you do off the course in a city like Dubai. Well, it's been so long since I've been there. I think it's going to be unrecognizable. Obviously, I've seen it on the telecast of the tournament in recent years, and I'll just talk about little bits. I know like Dubai Marina wasn't there when I played there last time, and now there's 100 something skyscrapers around the Marina. So it's going to be quite an experience going back there. I know it's pretty hectic. There's plenty of things. My family's going to be with me and they're going to want to check a few things out for sure. So I think I've got to take a trip and see this Burj Khalifa, the tallest building. I mean, I think that's

if there's one tourist kind of thing that I get up to that week, I've probably got to go down and see that with my own eyes. Well, so tell me about you say you're living full-time or you're living now in Europe, I don't know what full-time constitutes for you because you've... I don't know where you live, but I follow golf extradition because there are others Bahamas, Australia, but I just didn't reading about what the last two years have been like for you. I feel like that's kind of an under reported story in the world of golf in terms of the quarantining you've had to do.

I wondered if you could kind of tell us about that and maybe why you ended up living in Europe now. Yeah, I think, look, until about May last year, it was very, very difficult not being based in the United States. The quarantining situation, I think, I think from when the pandemic started in March, we'll call it 2020 until May of last year, I think the total was 16 weeks of quarantine that I did, isolation. It was obviously not very productive for anything, almost everything, you know, gold, my family, everything. And that was wearing, but the last eight or nine months

of the year were fairly manageable things. We came a little bit easier, which is great. And hopefully, now this is all going to continue in that way. But we made the decision to kind of put our kids in school in Switzerland where I've always had a place and been based. But they've hit that age where we've kind of got to put those decisions in play too. And my wife being European obviously wants to be closer to her family too. So, you know, I've hit that point a little bit where you have to really balance everything. You know, I still feel like I have a set up around me that's gonna help me play top level golf

and I'm looking forward to doing that. So how does that work then, you know, just logistically, if you're playing tournaments in the United States, how do you, when do you decide you're going back to Europe or do you go to the Bahamas? How did you, maybe that's a different answer now than it has been in the past or when you would be going back to Australia? Is it a different schedule kind of that you run every year?

I'm just always curious, is the Sunday nights when guys leave where they end up? Yeah, I mean, I don't bounce back on fourth much. Really since moving more permanently into Switzerland, I haven't been able to do it the way I wanted to, it wasn't the plan to do it in the middle of COVID, obviously there's been restrictions to what we can do, but normally I spend December and January, let's call it in Australia, and I play the events down there that everyone sees on TV Mostly the Australian open and Australian PGA, which is actually on as we're talking right now back at home but very difficult to still get home and Be able to be able to play in that. I don't I don't think any of the US to a base guys went home to play this year

so hopefully next year we get back to do that. And then obviously spend most of the spring in the United States. I love the West Coast, but then especially Rivia era, but then also going into Florida and we all have Augusta on our mind at the end of that kind of run in the spring. So a lot of time spent there and then more time spent back in Europe, traveling back and forth through into the summer, let's say,

when the opens back in Europe as well. So it's not that many trips, although with COVID, it's been a couple more because my family hasn't been traveling. So sometimes it was getting so long you kind of forgot I had family on the other side of the world. And I was just away in my golf bubble in the States. Well, it was kind of funny to me. We interviewed Ernie L's in Germany about four years ago now.

And he, you know, we came into the interview and he just straight up says like, look, I'm jet lagged. And it was kind of funny to me. I guess not funny. Maybe not be the right word, but he, in all of his years of traveling and playing competitive golf, I never figured out how to address jet lag. Have you figured out, do you have any tips or tricks to, do you still get affected by jet lags, many times you've been around the world? I mean, really, I think flying east is the hardest. So when, you know, that just is hard work. So that's going home from the states to Europe. It's a few days of, you know, really trying

to get yourself back on schedule. That is not ideal for short flying west. There's no problem. You know, I did a lot of traveling, I guess, the first 10 years in my career, and a little less the last 10, certainly a much bigger focus on I guess the first 10 years in my career and a little less the last 10, certainly much bigger focus on playing just the US tour. So, you know, I've definitely tried some stuff,

I've done the fasting, you know, where you don't eat for like 16 hours and reset your food, food, clock or whatever. I find that much more effective than trying to sleep on the right time days before you leave or anything so But I think it's worse is I'm getting older than Just like it's getting so far for sure. That's what he said Yeah, yeah, I think it is all we're getting softer as we get older, but You know like I said before I'm trying to balance it all out and there aren't that many trips back and forth to Europe. It's maybe for the year, I think it's manageable. Yeah, it's one thing, you know, people roll it into a vacation on jet lag.

But when your your body is required to be in top peak performance, you know, four peak performance, your body clock needs to be right. I just always find it interesting how people how people manage that. But I guess that, you know say, we as golf fans, we don't know a ton about, we don't see a huge glimpse into your life very often, you're not a social media guy yet. I just wanna know how you would describe

your specific approach towards being a global sportsman yet also actually maintaining a real private life. You know, has that something you've had to learn or is that something you were conscious of from day one or you might even accurately describing it well? Yeah, I, at times it's conscious that I turn down opportunities to do things or be a little more in the spotlight over the years, but out of respect for my wife and my family too, that's not something they're really seeking either and I don't think it's necessarily I'm something I'm Naturally seeking I think I accept that if I play good there's some attention coming my way and that's absolutely fine And I'm very happy to deal with that, but it's not something I actively seek.

That's for sure. I'd love to be getting some more of it through a good play. There's a lot coming here and win a few big tournaments. But yeah, I think, I've tried to stay fairly grounded and tried to keep everything in perspective. And some of that I think has helped my career. Some have fought my career as well. I think one of the big things is and so cliche, but I just try and be myself and I try and make good decisions for all aspects of my

life, including my golf. And that's being honest with myself. And I sit here and people could certainly think, well, I'm getting older and I've moved to Europe, but I actually think it's going to help me play better the next few years, not worse. I'm in a place where I want to be, where I feel really good, where my home environment is incredibly good. And I think that's going to be a benefit

for my golf the next few years in my career. So I think do I have it right that you know I forgot this fact too but in my research saw you were six in the world when the pandemic it is that does that sound right. Yeah, that was I was playing really really well. I was you know I just won Riviera which was a big event, a great field and tournament I love. I was playing really nicely, even at the players, I played really nicely that first day and you know the Masters was just a few weeks later and obviously thinking about that and being ranked right up there. I was really really looking forward to it and you And I really lost all that momentum. And it's been a battle to be honest to get it back since. But I kind of chipped away the back half of last season

and felt like I played a little better even though not all my results were great. So I'm looking forward to this year. Well, that's funny. I was listening to, I'm gonna forget the name of it now, the watch podcast that you were on a few years ago. Starts with an H. Yeah. Yeah.

I would think you. That's right. Yeah. And you said something on there about when you're playing good, you never think you're going to hit a bad shot again and when you're playing poorly, you definitely. That's right. I feel like in that last answer, you kind of went through both of those cycles of, you know, you were, you know, playing great, you know, leading up to it and then haven't

played maybe as good, you know, but you had some, you know, some flashes going going back to the window last year, you know, you're in a playoff for doesn't feel like your confidence level seems very high coming into this coming years that was that well accurately stated. a place, I don't think I ever played particularly poorly. I mean, but average on tour doesn't get you very far in much. You know, you need to be playing really well. We all know how deep it is out there now and guys are on, look at the scoring. It's insane. I think there's a five on the cut, five on the cut at YLI this week. You know, I've played there for a long time and that can be a tricky little golf course and that's really deep for two days there. You don't have to do a lot wrong to shoot four or three under there and you go on home. So you've got to really be on and you know I think observing this scoring has changed my attitude going into this year a little bit that I need to kind of get a little more aggressive on the course right out of the gate and just

go on, you know, get swinging at it. And if I miss a couple more cuts here and there, then that may be the case. But there are so many guys really swinging for the fences and attacking golf courses and shooting low scores. You've got to somehow must drop 20 birdies a week to have a chance. So you better be aggressive because it's hard to make enough parts from 35 feet if you're not playing aggressive. It's easy to fall back on that. You know, golf has gotten so much more competitive over the last 20 years. And I think I'm wondering, I don't know how to ask this, but I'm wondering if you could describe the timeline of that, right?

I feel like that conversation has really ramped up in the last five years into your point the way this season has started. It's just insane. I mean, the score at Capillew, it was soft, of course, and there was no wind and things like that. But I feel like it is really even, if I may say, it seems like there is a wave of people coming and have entered the tour that were kids and impressionable when Tiger was doing his thing and came out and like,

we haven't really totally seen the effect of all that maybe until the last four, five, six years. I don't know, how would you describe that? Yeah, there's no doubt there's the Tiger effect. He's affected everything in the game for the last 25 years, however long he's been around. And you know, I think the competitiveness, I think, and I'm going to single someone out rightly or wrongly, but I think it started when Jordan Speeth came out. That's when I really noticed it. And here's a guy who had a stellar junior in amateur career and college and came out and he was maybe 22 or 23 when

he came out. But he played like a 10-year veteran on the tour. His head was so mature and no doubt inspired by Tiger and everything that Tiger had done, the perfect age to just follow in his footsteps, let's say, but also the information that's been collected now over the last 20 years and been able to be processed and then given to young players to help them with managing their game and understanding how to score better. And that process used to take for five, ten years of experience on tour to learn how to be a smart golfer. You know, let's call it that. And now I feel like kids come out of college with that already. And when Jordan's beef comes out and breaks through quickly, Justin Thomas looks across and goes, hang on a second.

I was just beating him six months ago in college. He believes he can do it too, and that effect happens. And they've all got this great information now coming out with the actual data, not myths of when it's breezy, swing, easy, like, we used to have in golf, you know, little things like this. There's actual data and the stats to back it up, but you know, hit it down there on this hole, keep it in the right side. It doesn't even matter if it's in the rough, get a wedge up to the green, you do better than laying

up with the three eye, not the two, you know, this kind of stuff. So they are much smarter golfers now coming out, and that's why it's got so competitive. I mean, everyone's better quicker. What are your thoughts on that style of play, or either, you know, I don't know if it is, I don't know where you can point in any timeline as to how golf evolved into what you're talking about, hit it down there, you can wedge it out of the rough versus taking three iron. Whether that's, you know, it's always been the case or equipment has led that to becoming the case where that it becomes the best strategy because, you know, when you're not hitting it as far,

when you're hitting seven irons out of the rough versus five irons it from the fairway, maybe that's a different question than seven iron out of the fairway and wedge out of the rough. What are your thoughts on the way the game has evolved in that way? And has it gotten dumbed down a little bit to that point of like hit it far out there,

go keep it within the corridors, find it and wedge it on? It's a fine line for sure. And I don't know where that line is. Like is it seven iron first wedges or seven ends? There's five lines in the rough and fairway. I don't know where the line is exactly. It's always been a little bit that way, but I think more guys are able to shift the ball

down there now. I think guys are generally better athletes, let's say that, generally able to swing at a higher speed and the equipment encourages that, and it also helps that too. So there's so many factors in this and that's how it's evolved in the professional game. And you know maybe no one's pushed it, well no one has pushed it further than Bryson of course and he's done incredible and he's proven it, how the US open as well

that he then he can play good like that and win a US open convincingly as well I got a hat. The only difference I see and it's not a criticism at all of anyone, it's just an observation is that the consistency is not the same as the previous generation or the generation before that in my opinion and that doesn't make it better or worse at all, it's just my observation. I think we all play a little more gun hoe and when we're on it's incredible stuff. You know watching DJ when he's at full flight is just insane, so is Rory. But I just don't think they play at that consistency like obviously Tiger did, but even feel and ernie and

uh, roteef and vj and then before that norm and and faldo and and that generation makes they seem to have it at the major every time um, in fairness guys, guys stream 12 or 18 months together but I think these guys strong decade, well a decade together where they were like that now. And John Rams playing really consistently well. So you might have found, you know, the perfect spot. A quick break here to check in with our friends at Callaway. I told you guys that we had some cardboard boxes that we're starting to show up at the

Killhouse. That means our new equipment is here. The utility wood has finally come in for me. I've been talking about getting it for a long time. I know DJ got his and loved it. It's looking like a golf club that I'm going to be able to land and hold greens with from about 2.35 to 240, which is exactly what I'm looking for. Haven't tried it on the course yet. Also showing up are our drivers. I need to get with my guy TC. They have so many offerings when it comes to the driver that you got to make sure you're getting the right one. The Rogue ST Max D, which is a more forgiving model for players who slice all the way up to a compact, low spin head for better players in the Rogue ST triple diamond LS. I think that's what I need, but you really need to talk to a fit or Callaway Golf offers

free custom fittings over the phone with their distance fitting program. I think you just kind of every year you're going to need to do a little bit of tweaking, a little bit of understanding. You need to have a background understanding of what the different clubs are going to give you. You can go to calwaygolf.com slash custom fitting to get that information. I can't wait to get my stuff dialed with this new Rogue ST. Again, calwaygolf.com slash custom fitting to figure out which Rogue ST model is great

for you. Let's get back to Adam Scott. Ty, I'm back in what we're talking about though with getting more and more competitive every year. It might just be harder and harder to string a decade together, right? where if you're Absolutely. If you're off by a half of a standard deviation that no longer means maybe you're a top 10

player in the world and that's Yeah, it seems like it's getting harder and harder and harder to separate yourself out. And that's what makes what John Ram is doing right now. Extremely impressive. Even if the wins haven't necessarily been racked up, it's to be up there at that consistency. That seems to be like what so many guys fall back on talking about their games, that they're looking for like what John is doing.

You want your peak weeks, of course, but everyone seems to be wanting to increase their consistency. Is that, can you speak to that at all? Yeah, it's interesting. I think it's something is an enviable thing to have being really consistent. If you're playing at John Ram's level, he's playing consistently well all the time.

Is he racking up enough wins? I think if he just keeps doing what he's doing, he's going to win a lot of tournaments and he's going to be really great. One of the all-time greats. But for me, I'm now at a point where I'd rather drop a bit of consistency and just rack up some wins, you know, when I'm on. Not talking about consistency, but I'd just look at Brooks and think, you know, he got it together for a couple years here in bag 4 majors and maybe two other events. but he played well on the right weeks in my opinion. And I think anybody out there would be pretty happy if I dangled four majors in front of

that nose over the next three years, let's say. Well, you had a comment. I don't remember exactly when this was said. I think it was, you know, in a press conference or something at some point, you had a comment. I don't remember exactly when this was said. I think it was, you know, an oppressed conference or something at some point. You said, I think you got to identify there's probably 10 or 12 serious competition events during the calendar year. And the rest is a bit of entertainment really. But the thing for all of us is trying to peak for those 10 or 12 serious events and use those entertainment events to get prepared and get ready. I don't,

I don't know what my question is in relation to that other than trying to what are those events in your mind and has that land changed over the years, right? Because it feels like we are every year we're adding on at least maybe coming off this last 15, 16 months or whatever with Olympics and all the majors that were jammed in WGCs players all this stuff. It's really hard to get really Amped up for individual big events when there seems to be so many big events I don't know if you have any perspective add on that comment you made. Yeah, I think I think I don't know what the question was asked I can't remember that but I kind of I think everyone's probably got the four, certainly four are the same important events.

And then you have, you know, for me, you know, I love the players, I love Riviera, I love the Australian Open. You know, it's got a sentimental place in my ranking at these 10 events that I think are really important, and they're the ones I peak. But But you know, you can't peak for 20 to 25 events a year, it's just not going to happen. And the way I look at it is you want to look at where you want to peak and which ones are really important for you to play in and then use the other events that you're required to play in to get to where you want to be, but when when tours, whether it's the PGA tour, or European tour, have 52 events, I mean, you can't treat them all as serious championship golf. You can't play them all for one, but they can't all be so important. You know, we have to have some separation, and so in my mind, I pick the ones I like, basically. On this podcast, we talk a lot about, you know, the seeming, shifting tides of

professional golf with challenging tours and the tours response to challenging tours. Where, how do you, where from where you're sitting, how familiar are you with changing tides? Would you describe it like that? Or how do you see things shaking out? That could be a bit of changing tides. I mean, everything changes eventually. I mean, if stuff stays the same, it's not going to go well. Certainly in this kind of fast evolving world we're living in now. I mean, technologies, you know, if you're not moving forward, you're in real trouble. or cement their place in professional golf. I think it's an interesting place being an international player looking at this and you know I sit from an Australian perspective and see Australian professional golf really struggling not

necessarily in talent, but what's on offer at home has really, really suffered over the last 20 years, I would say, it's been a slow decline. And we were fortunate to have Greg Norman and he inspired a generation and then Jason Bay and I both became world number one in one major's, but it wasn't enough to keep things going in Australia.

So, you know, I think change for the international side of things certainly would be a good thing. Of course, the US tour doesn't want too much change internationally or challenge because it could affect bear tour in the negative way potentially. I don't know if I feel like there's room outside of the United States certainly for for some big events to happen around the world and I certainly would support that.

That's what I think I wanted to ask as well is that Australia truly has some of the greatest golf courses in the world yet we very infrequently if ever see the top players in the world compete on those courses and we did get to see that in December of 2019 and it was honestly some of the best golf viewing for a golf junkie like that I've ever seen a firm and fast real Melbourne that was set up absolutely perfect. You know, there was I don't think there was a drop of water that was put on that golf course that week. And it was great, right?

And I just wonder how we get to a place if we ever do where, you know, I think there was a WGC down in Australia in the early 2000s that people didn't show up for and they panicked and never went back. Is that sound right? But how can we change? How can we get the top players in the world

to Australia to play? What would have to change to do that? Well, it's not so much the players. I think just how you describe Royal Melbourne, everyone really loved their experience playing the Presidents down there. And if any kind of golfer, it'd be hard to not like playing at Royal Melbourne. It's fantastic, it's a different style of golfer, but it's a fantastic style of golfer.

But you know, this is the commercial realities of professional golf and that's what it is. It's a business. It's a business, the players, it's a business for the PGA Tour and the market is not huge in Australia. So someone's not making a lot of money by just vent down there and these are the realities. But for the balance of the whole thing, we hear, grow the game, grow the game so much. But I think that's wonderful. But if someone doesn't make money then they don't throw the game in a certain play. I'm not just saying Australia, it could be other places too, but I feel like

and of course I'm biased, but I would love to see the top players come down to Australia a little more often. I think it'll do wonders for golf in our country moving forward. Also, I think everyone would enjoy it very much. So hopefully we can get down there a little more often than every kind of 12 or 20 years for the press conference couple, whatever it is. That's where I think, you know, at some point there needs to be some shifting towards the entertainment aspect of golf for golf fans. And maybe it's just me as the golf center. And maybe it doesn't, maybe watching golf in Australia isn't that appealing to the masses.

And that's how a lot of decisions are made with the entertainment aspect of professional golf. But at a certain point, everything, especially with all these conversations around the, the things that are being done to sweeten the pot for the different tours, it seems great for players. It's more money. It's this, it's this.

And I just have the opinion that more money doesn't make for the most entertaining golf for players. It's more money. It's, you know, it's this, it's this. And I just have the opinion that more money doesn't make for the most entertaining golf for fans. I think it's good to be rewarding the top players and, you know, getting them on the same course at the same time. But just curious if you had any perspective on the entertainment aspect of of that. And I know you're sitting in a different seat than I am, but I'm curious to pick anybody's brain on that. Yeah, no, I agree with you completely. Like I said before, I don't think having 50 events on whether it's the now DP world tour or the PGA tour is overall thrilling for people to just tune in every week and watch

whoever's playing in somewhat diluted fields with the same format, I think, but what also has to happen is there needs to be some recognition, there needs to be separation, there's serious golf tournaments, and then there's some entertainment stuff on that. I think back to a little bit years ago, like the skins game, or something, and I know they're not dead and buried

I know that there's a match these days and stuff but in what we are used to seeing and of FedEx cups and rewards and big things these kind of pale and comparison and somewhat meaningless and I'm not sure we've dialed in the great entertainment yet. So I would definitely like to see some things change in that respect. I think there's a place for both for sure. I think it'd be good. I think it'd be entertaining. I mean, for anyone listening who knows about cricket,

cricket's done exactly that. And it's continuing to evolve and it's been fantastic for the game. I mean, I've never played Phoenix, but it's kind of got that feeling to me that it is more about the entertainment and that's absolutely fine in my thing. You know, whether I wanna go and play or not is a different thing and I think I will go and play

sometime soon, but you know, I think we've gotta look at all that kind of stuff and help the game evolve and do a few different things to help grow the game. And that's where I feel, you know, I was critical years ago. I missed the boat with the Olympics on that for me. There was an opportunity to put some new formats in, not reinventing golf, but some teams, some mixed teams, some good stuff.

It could be really different to watch. And I felt like just having the medal for the men and the medal for the women was a little soft for where professional golf is at and not having a big enough impact. To people love team golf, man. I mean, people love the rider cup, the president's cup, the soul high cup, like all of it is, it's your favorite weeks of the year as players. And that's just that. And, and great, there's some scarcity elements to that. And you can't oversaturate that. And, but there's a reason why that stuff is at the tip of your tongue whenever you guys tell stories. I mean, it's, it's just a whole different, whole different vibe. So, yeah, it'd be interesting to explore for sure, I think.

Well, I want to go back to 2012, which I promise will follow up with 2013 very shortly after that. But I don't remember this quote, but I found this. You said, shortly after the 2012 Open at Lidem, you said, I'm very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week. I really shouldn't let this bring me down. I know I've let a really, really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I'll look back and take positives from it. How hard, you know, how, first of all, how are you able to come up with that perspective shortly after heartbreak like that so quickly? And did that perspective maintain in the days,

weeks that followed that tournament? To be fair, I think it did. I mean, thinking back to that, I was in this place, like, leading into that open for quite a while, where I was so into my process. You know, I'd changed a few things because I wasn't happy with my performance in majors for 10 years. I think I really played my worst goal for big events and I was sure I won some other events but was underperforming at the majors and all of a sudden I kind of you know the open was on my clubs that last few holes and I let it slip but I was so into the process that the result didn't bother me so much then other than now I know I can win one of these things.

I hear it is, it was all up to me and I blew it. Absolutely. And thinking about it now hurts more than them. Because I think I was so into what I was doing and I knew like if I keep doing this, I'll get a result for sure. But when you think about what reality of what actually happened it's pretty hard to think wow I I felt like I could have won the open and have a claret jug and I don't and I had a couple chances since and I also didn't win those. So, I mean, for me, it's probably the one event now

that I am, I have to win before the end of my career. But do you think you would, honestly, do you think you would have turned around and won the Masters two majors later, if not for that heartbreak? Do you think if you win that Clare, Joe, do you think you also go out and win the Masters? Impossible, impossible to know.

I would hope. I would like to, but it made sure I out and win the Masters. Impossible to know. I would hope. I would like to, but it made sure I was going to win the Masters. I mean, I just, I stayed in this process and this mindset of like, I will just keep doing what I have to do to get this done and get better and better and better. And I went to Keel, just a few weeks later and I was playing so great. And I think it was Friday. It was so incredibly windy in the afternoon and I was happy with my 75 but it kind of pushed

me so far behind Rory who was steaming and then I had to get in my head right, it's eight more months before I get a crack at this thing. But I really, it was very much a focus. And I remember my coach telling a story once that he could see in January when we were kind of getting things going for the new year, he was like, no Adam's going to win the Masters. He could see, like I hadn't waved from that kind of focus and stuff. And I thought that was interesting, but I think I was really just into what I was doing at that point. Because I asked that strictly from the butterfly effect, you know,

maybe you would have won four majors, it had that happen. But you know, you're you're pairing probably changes going into the Augusta and the high ground that probably changes, like something would have been different. And you may have won by eight for all we know. But I remember when Kyle Stanley lost the the farmers about 10 years ago now with the three shot lead on 18, he turned around and won Phoenix the next week and he said quickly like, if I had a one last week, I would not have won this week, but I learned from that, you know, it was more motivation, all that stuff. But I remember, Rory lost the 2011 Masters with a lead on the back,

or I don't know if he made it to the back nine with the lead, but he lost that turn round one at Congressional. In this time period, you won two majors after Lidem. I just remember that time period being this kind of redemption story. And I remember, I've just always curious to pick your brain on, if you think, if there was something you took away from that that led to the 2013, but your answer on how process based you were

I think is probably the answer to that. I think so. Yeah, there wasn't anything. I mean, I also remember like the hours after and doing media. I mean, it was a blur. I was a bit numb. I didn't know what to feel. I mean, part of me, my head was in this process,

but I know I've just blown it. I really didn't know even what my emotions were. I couldn't believe it happened somewhat, I was just numb was kind of the feeling. I think I used to describe that. So, you know, fortunately, I kind of stayed in that and look, I have to give credit to the team around me at the time. I think they kind of brushed it off quickly and we didn't dwell on it too much.

We didn't overanalyze how bad was this and how bad was that and filled my head. There was so much good and that's what I really felt sooner once I got back on the range. It was like, oh yeah, I'm still hitting it good. You then can do some damage with this. So that attitude certainly helped carry me through to Augusta. And I think all the mistakes I made, live them down the stretch. I didn't make any at the Masters. It was just really great golf and a good battle with them. Yeah, and so take us to,

I guess after winning the Masters, if we're going to we'll zoom pass the playoff and all that first. Did life change for you maybe as much as you thought it would become in a Masters champion? Yes and no. I mean, it is incredible how much recognition outside of golf the Masters tournament gets. Really, I haven't won other major tournaments, but the reach of the Masters is really quite incredible.

I think it is the green jacket, everything Augusta does though, you know, the aura about the place people know the green jacket and when they see it, it's quite, it's like this mythical object, no one ever sees. And that was surprising for sure. And still to this day, I mean, I feel like I've signed every 2013 Masters flag there is but they still get sent in on a weekly basis and it's never a sure to sign one of them but it's truly quite incredible how far the Masters reaches. Could you tell us the story of how the putt on the on the 10th green in the playoff win? I've heard I feel like I've heard some stories about you know your communication with Stevie on that and I want to transition that into the effect

that Cady can have on a player at your level. But can you tell us exactly how that went? Yeah, I mean, it was it was late and it was dark. I mean, under the trees down there, I don't know that I was thinking much about it at the time, but it was probably unrealistic to think we were going to play another whole, but you know, you get a sense for these moments and play another whole, but you know, you get a sense for these moments. And this was actually the first time in my life I had a part to win a major championship was this part. I think I was really conscious of that at this moment, like this is to win. I've never said that to myself before. I made a other than when I was like 13 and the putting green back at the club at home, you know, I hit the heaps of them. But this one was actually to win and we had a good look and it was it was pretty dark but we were having a good look.

And I went back around and we'd done our usual routine. Steve was doing his and I was down behind the part and he's standing over me and I said I think it's a cup and he said Adam this is two cups. I mean he's doubled the read but and I said are you sure like have you seen this part over the years? Is kind of I said something like he said Adam it is absolutely two cups it breaks a lot and I said I'll go with that. Sure enough I mean I hit it pretty firm too. I felt like I hit a pretty aggressive pilot would probably would have gone four feet by, but it caught the left half of the hole and went in now. I don't know if I started exactly two cups, but it's a hell of a line to trot out at that moment. But that was the beauty of Steve. That was one of many great

things he is as a caddy, but that's how he delivers stuff. There is no doubt in his delivery of advice. And of course, he can be wrong at times, but that's what you want to hear as a player and as a hell of a read. And like, is it, I mean, I, it's an obvious answer to the yes, if it's going to, you know, make the difference in that put, but over 72 holes at a place like a gust. Is there any estimation as to how many little, how many shots he can, he can help you save? And in what ways, right? Example, that's a very clear example of that. But, you know, is there anything else you can think of in terms of a gust or just having him on the bag in a major championship? And at any location, what, what is the benefit for somebody that is so in tune with golf,

like you, what can a caddy somebody that is so in tune with golf like you? What can a caddy who's not hitting the shots change? Well, he just has to really compliment your style of play obviously that's, you know, it's like a relationship out there really is. And if you're not hearing the right thing, it's not gonna go so well. So he has to understand, you know,

how you're playing on a particular day and then how aggressive he might want to talk you into some stuff or out of some stuff potentially. But little things, I mean, another example from Augusta and I'm just picking random ones, you know, I hold the pot on 18 in regulation, the 72nd hole, and big celebration, I felt like I'd won the Masters, I could have won the Masters with that. And I calmed down and we're walking to the back of the green, Leesha's patted out and he says to me, this isn't over yet. I was the first thing he said to me after all of that. And it didn't let me switch off and relax. Like the work may not be done and sure enough,

could bear a hit it to like two feet and out we go again. And you know, a little thing like that, it was a great comment. He could tell I was so excited and probably looking around thinking, I was thinking about slipping the jacket on. I was going to happen. And you know, his comment, you know, he's still switched on. And so those little kind of things go a long way. And you know, he had a great understanding for the game of golf and how it was played at majors watching Tiger win.

But those other little things, he had a good feel for his timing was good. And I think, I think great caddies have great timing. Yeah, I think he was the first caddy to ever win a PGA tour event, right? At Bridgestone after his victory. That was his greatest victory, if I remember rightly. He hold it out, 70 second. What was that after math like?

Because that was for the listeners that may not remember that was shortly after he separated with Tiger Woods, he's on your bag. You win the bridge, Tony. Television cameras go up and interview him on the 18th grade. And he gets quite an interview. Did that bother you at all? How that played out at all? Did you guys have a conversation after that? It didn't bother me, you know, in all of these things you weigh up the pros and the cons and without getting into Tiger and Steve so much, I think he was just almost letting off a little steam, you know, I think he was set in interviews, he just felt he was just disappointed with the whole ending to what their incredible relationship was and he was probably hurt at that point and you know, whether it's right or wrong,

or childish or not, he was, you know, just trying to have a shot at Tiger, you know, a bit of a cheap shot at Tiger, which was a funny thing to do. It, for me, it didn't really take any of the gloss off what I felt I did there, you know, even there again, and to go back, circle back on the final hole. I think I had a two-shot lead and I wanted to hit a seven-hine in the middle of the green and he

just looked at me. So it was a perfect number for a six, just hit it straight at the pin. I think I hit it to three feet one by three. Either it's that timing and that sense of delivery, but he set a few things over the years working with me that certainly created some trouble. And that's Steve, you know, he passionate about the game and passion about stuff and opinion, he's opinionated and yeah, I didn't muzzle in quite as much as Tiger did, maybe. Well, would he ever, I mean, he was obviously all the years of experience he had on Tiger's bag. Did any of the Tiger specific experience get translated over to you? Would he had on Tiger's bag, did any of the Tiger's specific experience get translated over to you? Would he say things to you like, listen, you're

not like Tiger did this to get better at this, this, and this, you need to be doing any of this. Was he that kind of involved in your game? Did you, I basically, did you, you know, his experience with Tiger directly, did that, did you draft off that at all? Well, I tried to, I mean, I'd be a full knock too. Like, what was he doing here? What was he doing there? He would never say, Tiger, did this, you should do this. He cut him for me for three weeks and then he said, okay,

I'm going to, I can come and work for you full time because I was kind of loaning him at that point. But he said, your short game's average, he's three-part too much and something else. He said, so you got to fix that. And that was it. It wasn't like you should try and do this. It was like, that's it.

That's what my assessment is after three weeks. And I kind of took that time. I went and worked on that and tried to get better, obviously. But definitely, I picked his brain a lot about how Tyga played at Majors. And, you know, there were a lot of things, but Steve was one of the final pieces of the puzzle for me to lift my game to play at the highest level, I would say. And we used a lot of similar strategy that he and Tyga used at major championships. Some for a period there, I was certainly one of the most

consistent performance at majors. With Steve on the bag. Well, drafting off that as well. Tell us about, yeah, a line that I heard you say somewhere about. You played with Tiger when you were an amateur and how that made you think of your your professional career after that. What was that, What was that initial experience like play with Tiger as a youngster? It was incredible. The Sunday before the US Open at Pebble Beach

in 2000, I was still in Amateur, but I decided to turn pro and I'd been given an invite on the European Tour the week after that Pebble Beach US Open. Tiger came to Las Vegas to see Butch just before going up to Pebble Beach and he said you can go and play with Tiger. And I was nervous obviously. I played OK the front line and I was one down and then he just kind of stepped up the gear and he it went on a green at 375 yards on the 10th and this is in the year 2000. So it was a big hit. I think you went something like 5 birdies in an eagle for the first six holes on the back nine and that was the end of our match and he shot 63 in fairly windy. It was a course record and I walked off and felt like well I don't have much of a chance if they all play like that on tour.

Unfortunately, he won the US Open by 15, so it was a good thing for me to see. Yeah, I mean, it's really remarkable. I love sitting and telling stories of what it was like playing with Tiger and watching Tiger play at that time because I got to play with him a lot in 2000, 2000, 2001 and 2002. And I don't know if you want to call that a height of his powers, but it was, if it wasn't, it was pretty unbelievable. And the control over every area of his game, I just, I'll be amazed if that we see someone else separate like he was able to ever again. And I don't, it's hard to like obviously what unfolded in the years after that was incredible as well. He had some unbelievable seasons, 06, 07, you know, but it, there was at least a time and

injuries contributed in all kinds of things, but the gap got narrowed at least eventually. I mean, he's still the goat like he, it's hard for, he's still underrated, I think, in my opinion. But that time period was the separation time period. Why was he able to do that then and not into like the 2010s and things like that? Is that like a, I want to, I don't want to put the answer in your head, but I want to say technology just started bringing people closer together. Whereas when the sweet spot was smaller and the misses were punished more heavily, he was the only guy that could hit the center of the

center of the face every time and swing as hard as he could and not encounter the same punishment as other guys. Am I on to something there? Absolutely. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think the driver is the biggest change in the evolution of the game, biggest fundamental change. We go back through history before 2010s. Let's just pick a year, but or 400 before 460 CCs, let's say, you know, the driver was, as you got a longer club in your hand, it became a harder club to hit throughout history of golf and driver was always the hardest. And you ask guys who played in persimmon days, the days they weren't swinging good, they hit three would off the tee because the driver couldn't get a ball flight. Because that was really hard to hit. Well, and I think, you know, now it's gone from being the hardest

club generally to hit to kind of the most forgiving club in the bag because of the advancements and the size of the drive ahead. So there was definitely a bit of that. But I really, it'd be unfair to say that the only thing that separated Tiger was technology. This guy, you know, butch said to me around that time in early 2000 when I started working with butch, Greg Norman was the hardest worker he ever worked with

and butch had worked with lots of guys over the years and he said Tiger Woods works harder. This guy was so focused on kicking everyone's ass and winning every tournament. You could see it and nothing was going to get in his way. He just took everything to such a ridiculous level. I mean all of it. I mean, which parts you want to talk about? I mean, the highlight reel is a joke. The parts, the chips, the I am played along, I am play and the driving. You know, you watch him swing that driver. It's an Andrews in 2000.

You know, it is just unreal. The speed and then hitting that center of that small face. There's phenomenal stuff. Really wish we had Stroke's gain in that time period. It came shortly after that. I want to see his Stroke's gain in that time period. It came shortly after that. I want to see his Stroke's gain approach in the year 2000. I mean, that had to be just astronomical. It's incredible.

So a couple more things here before we get you out of here. You've played in, I don't know how many presidents cups now is it eight or nine, I think it may be? Nine. Nine, maybe. What is your thought on the status of that event and should it evolve in any kind or are you you know you haven't been on a winning side yet? Are you dead set or are we

gonna get this figured out? Can we just win one and let's evolve then? I'd love to win one you know just starting to develop this thing that they should just kick me off the team because I might be the genius like since I've been on there, there has a bit of it. But as I said before, I'm really open to the evolution of these things. It's hard for me to say, obviously, the rider cup is a mammoth. It's one of those, it may be the biggest event

in the game of golf, you know. It's so huge. So everything else is gonna struggle, live up to that. And certainly, the president's cup has. There's been lots of tinkering over the years with formats and rules and things like that. And it doesn't help that it's, you know, the internationals haven't won one. really at the moment Ernie was fantastic Travis taken the job this year and he's a good buddy of mine and for me well, I want to get on the team to our focus is to really come up with a challenge for the United States team which is

Getting stronger and stronger too. So we've got our work cut out, but I really feel like as a team, we've made some strides. You know, we were lagging behind, I think behind the scenes, talent is there, but we didn't know how to put it together and Ernie really helped just do that the last time. So hopefully some of those things carry over and we're going to give them a run quite a hollow later this year. So I do not think it's a coincidence at all that the president's cup that was not a driving contest, which was Royal Melbourne, was the most exciting, the closest, one of the closest competitions we've had.

I think that the more we can trend that thing towards like, let's, let's, towards golf courses that don't make it, because like the PGA tour, the US PGA tour players are just, it's same with the Ryder Cup and same with the President's Cup. The more like a PGA tour golf course you play on, I have a feeling they're going to have a bigger advantage. Whereas like if you neutralize a little bit of that driving

distance, I think it just makes for a very entertaining product. That's more of what the lines are where I was going more so than like shift the format or anything like that. Okay. Yeah, I've had lots of stuff thrown around And yeah, I agree with you, but we're going to quail hollow this year. We're stuck with that, I think. I don't think I'm going to get that one changed this year. That's incredible. I think it goes to Royal Montreal next. And it's slightly smaller, of course.

We played there in 07, obviously things have changed since then. And I believe we can give them a good run this year. Interestingly, we were leading through the team section of the event last time. And that's usually our weak point. And we didn't perform in the singles, and that's been where we were stronger in the past. So look, it's just a tough team to beat.

I don't care. You can put the whole world versus the United States team and include Europe in that. And it's going to be a hard team to beat because there are a lot of guys playing really great. Hopefully when we get the chance to kind of have an influence on the course in Canada,

we might call you in for a little set-up help. I mean, I'm so rude for the US. I just want to see it be a good day. It would be nice. A couple of quick hits that will let you get out of here. So you're known as one of the more fashionable guys on tour. I think you take a lot of pride in your fashion, but I'm going to ask you a different question in that regard. What's your biggest fashion regret of your professional golf career? There are definitely pictures of me off the golf course that I really think that I'm not going to throw myself too far onto the bus. I don't know, you know, I wore a Burberry early in

my career and the full Burberry check shirt. I think I won a couple of events wearing it actually and I look at that and I think, wow, is that really in style or is that just way off the market at that point. I've won some pretty bright clothes at times as well but a lot of people have so I kind of figured I got away with it but I'm not so sure I'm be wearing like flurro. I think I wore like flurro yellow pants and a US open at Pinehurst or something and I just got ribbed by the crowd being surrounded around.

My caddy was Tony Navarro and he's like, Adam, why are you doing this to yourself? But, yeah, I mean, I'm a little older now. I can't pull that stuff off. I don't know if I couldn't before either The Burberry that that was in style. I will attest to that. That's I think but really When you know my generation that was what put you on the map is like all right I want to look like that guy on the golf course

But I was looking back at the the players highlights you had a orange shirt on the sleeves were past your elbows I think back then which I know thought was the style back then, but I looked back at that one. I was like, oh, he wasn't a fashion icon yet. I was probably about 20 pounds lighter as well. And everyone was wearing baggy clothes like tiger. That's kind of where I was. Luckily, you know, I've matured a little bit.

And I also have the Uniclows as sponsor, which is helpful. I think we're a good fit for each other. Last one, and I don't know if this is two different questions. If I was to ask you your favorite Australian golf course, or you have one round to play left in Australia, where do you pick it? I don't know if that's two different courses, but what's, what you got, if I pin you down, you're one favorite. If you were saying tomorrow, you're going to play golf in Australia, where are you picking?

Yeah, I'm going to upset someone with this answer down there. So, you know, I'm going to say Kingston 8th, golf club is my one round. It's tough, tough call, but I really love Kingston Heath. It's incredible. But actually, the 10 call there is this short path three. And when they play professional tournaments there, we don't play it. They take it out because it's such a bottleneck. But I'll throw it in, certainly the top five or 10 pathrees in the world, and it's about 115 yards.

That whole area, Amanda, if you're a golf junkie and you haven't made it to the San Belt of Australia, you are truly missing out on one of the great places in the game. But yeah, well, Adam, thanks so much for the time. We're looking forward to watching you this week at the Slingtubei Desert Classic. We really appreciate you spend some time with sharing some perspective on your career and I hope to do it again sometime down the line. Yeah thanks so much man I appreciate it. It's a nice club. Be the right club today. Yeah.

That's better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most. Better than most.