No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 56: Rory McIlroy

Episode Date: November 1, 2016

Four time major champion, reigning FedExCup Champion, and the number two ranked player in the world, Rory McIlroy joins the No Laying Up podcast to talk about his offseason, the Ryder Cup, expectations, major championships,... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 56: Rory McIlroy appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the tee from Northern Ireland, Rory McElroy The right club, right? Be the right club today Yes That is Better than most How about him?

Better than most Better than most Expect anything different Better than most! Ladies and gentlemen welcome back to the No-Lang Up podcast. I'm Chris Solomon joined by a special guest today. Four-time major champion Braining FedEx Cup champion, number two ranked player in the world, Rory McElroy. Rory what's going on in your world today? Mac or Roy, Roy what's going on in your world today? Not a whole lot's going on in my world today. I think this is actually the highlight of it. As you can imagine, I've got a week off and just hanging out and Dubai and doing a little bit of practice here and there, but yeah, just enjoying a bit of Dinesan.

I think I remember reading somewhere where maybe it was two years ago or last year you said you had calculated that you had something like 18 days off in a year. So is that accurate to say you have like 18 obligation free days out of 365 during a year? I think last year, it was, I think that was what we calculated. And I sort of looked at that, I said, geez, I need to have a bit more time to myself, and I need to go and do other things. And obviously we live in this world where your job, as it were, isn't called for, is your life. So you're always doing something that is connected to that, whether it's immediate obligation or sponsor obligation or practice or play or travel or whatever.

So I've sort of made it, you know, a real priority for me to get that bond time because I feel like it's really important for me and it helps me be better on the course and it helps me be more balanced. And I think it can only be a good thing. But yeah, there was definitely a couple of years there where there wasn't a lot of time and not a lot of free time where I could just go and do whatever I wanted. I can imagine playing a full-time schedule basically on two different tours and continents and would contribute to that. So for most people when they get time off they want to take a vacation, take a holiday, travel somewhere. You're on the road so much for your job at Perse. Do you crave

just like time at home or time just on the couch doing absolutely nothing or what do you like to do with your time off? Yeah, I do. Yeah, home is what, you know, everyone keeps sending me, you know, where you're going to go in the off season or what are you going to do? I just want to go home. And that's really being the culmination of the last few years. I mean, because I've played a global schedule and played the tours, for example,

all the guys that lived on in Jupiter, I saw them last week in China. They're like, oh, when are you going to be back in Jupiter? I said, I'm not going to be back there until the middle of February. Well, you know, they're all to be back in Jupiter, I said, I'm not going to be back there until the middle of February. Well, you know, they're all going home next week and I'm sort of, you know, I'm here in Dubai and then I go back home to Northern Ireland for Christmas New Year, but then I'm back to Dubai and South Africa and the Middle East. So, you know, there's a lot of travel, but, you know, I enjoy it. I enjoy that side of it. I enjoy being a global player. I don't think that's something that's going to change for the foreseeable future, but it really

makes the time that you have at home not much better and more cherished. And you know, even something like, you know, people are asking us, where are we going to go on honeymoon next year when we get married? and we're sure it'll be nice to just go home for a week. Okay. Do you, I mean, I guess it's a main part of your job and your role as a professional athlete, but with traveling so much, do you ever find it hard

to maintain like a decent diet and like a regular fitness schedule? Like, you have so many travel days. Do you, is that something like you schedule out specifically day by day or how do you balance that? Yeah, you have to, I think, the more that I've... I think the working outside of it is easier than the diet. When you're on the road so much and you know this because you travel a lot, you're on the road and you're basically

just eating stuff to... it's not really for nutrition, it's just that you feel hungry and it doesn't matter what it is, you'll eat it. And I think that's the hard thing is being really disciplined in that area, but I always find it easier to carve time to go to the gym for an hour a day or whatever it may be. A lot of that stuff, especially during the season, is maintenance so that my back doesn't feel bad or make sure that my ankle is still okay or whatever it may be. A lot of that stuff is maintenance and knowing that at least if I get in there for 45 minutes to an RDA, I'm going to feel better about myself to end it up the next day.

All right. Well, transitioning feel better about myself, you know, to end it up the next day. All right. Well, transitioning here a little bit, you played in the HSBC championship last week in China. The big news last week was that you put a new driver and fairway woods in the bag. How would you evaluate your first week with the new clubs in the bag that

I feel like a really significant change or was it kind of, once you got out there, it all kind of felt pretty normal? Yeah, it was, I mean, it was a big change. I think with everything that's going on in the golf world and the golf business right now, especially with my sponsor Nike Polo Knight of making golf equipment, it's giving me the freedom to try other things that are on the market that I haven't been able to try over the last few years. Not that I've really wanted to in any way, but it's nice to have a little look around. I mean, I really wasn't planning on putting anything new into my bag until next season, really. But I tried these new woods like Las Vegas before going to China.

They were going well in practice. The numbers are good on track, so I said why not? It's the end of the season, even though there is still a little bit to play for. I definitely rather test a few clubs at this time of the year than you going into the mid-years or going into an early important stretch. So, yeah, put the driver in two fairway woods in the bag and the driver in five would went really well. I think the three would probably cost me a couple of shots last week, but driver in five would regret. I'm going to do a little bit of work on the on the three would over the next few days leading to Dubai but yeah I mean I

definitely noticed a difference in curry distance I mean whenever you know I played with Baba and Adam Scott over the first two days and you know I'd say you know a few weeks ago I would have been pretty much level with those guys in terms of curry distance and you know I was was flying, I was flying it a good bit by them in China, so that was nice to see. Is that something, I always ask the tour players when I get a chance to talk to them? Is that something you take pride in being able to fly it past a guy? I know that I know that low scores are your priority, but does that, because I give you a

little extra boost and know that you can fly it by somebody? It shouldn't give you an extra boost because obviously that's not a long driving contest, but it does. If I'm honest, yes, it does. I don't think it, you know, as a professional golfer and, you know, as you said, the lowest score is what your priority. It shouldn't matter that you can fly it by someone, but it's still it's always nice. No matter if you're one of the top rank players in the world or an amateur player. It's always nice to hit it by your plan partners. I think it's just a nice thing to have in your repertoire, I guess.

But yeah, it's nice, especially for me, like I feel at 5.9 and 165 pounds. I mean, a lot of the biggest guys out there, but to be able to get it right there with the long skies You know, I'm pretty proud of that. Yeah, I was gonna say like if you look at Bubba 6.3 and DJ's frame like the leverage that they can get It's almost not fair that you could that you could keep up with them off the tee, but Changing driver and woods it kind of that seems like a rather easy to switch to make relatively speaking to other parts of your equipment. Has anything regarding your timeline of potentially changing anything changed based on you putting these clubs in the bag now, are you still sticking kind of with the same timeline? Yeah, honestly, I don't know if I have a timeline.

Really, I mean, it's more, I wanted to try and get the rest of the seasonoid of the way. So, finish off and do buy, and then I'm actually going to come back to do buy for a few days in December and test a few more things. So, the thing now is, I know that the Nike Golf Ball I'm playing, it works with my arms, my wedges, and the new one that I've put into the bike. So the golf ball for me will be the big thing because it's the only piece of equipment you use for every single shot. So I think that will be the big thing. So I'll test if you golf balls out and hopefully, you know, I can still play the Nike ball

for the foreseeable future, but there is going to come a day where I need to change just because, you know, they're not making them anymore. So I'd say wedges and irons are pretty much the last of the priority just because I feel the manufacturers make irons and wedges that are so similar nowadays. So I think the big thing for me is golf ball, and if I can find a golf ball that I'm comfortable with, then I think that would be a good place to start 2017. Okay. Alright, well that's enough on equipment.

I know people are dying to talk about the rider cup. I'm dying to talk about the rider cup. First, I want to know, what did you do after the rider cup to debrief? Because you screamed your head off for like 72 straight hours. Did you just go lay on a beach somewhere or how did you spend your time off for like 72 straight hours. Like, did you just like go lay on a beach somewhere or how did you spend your time directly after Ryder Cup? I spent my time directly after Ryder Cup wedding planning. I had three days of wedding meetings in Ireland.

That was my decompression time from the Ryder Cup. So hardly a, not necessarily a major stress relief, I guess you could say. Not really, but saying that it was fun. I mean, it's nice to be involved in the process, I guess, but I definitely, I definitely let Eric take the lead almost to that. Yeah, I mean, I don't think there's much you can to, I mean, I, you know, no matter, you know, what you do after a ride or cup especially a writer cup like that with, you know, emotions so high and everything that happened on that someday. Yeah, it's hard, it's hard to get away from it. You know, everyone's asking you about it, talking to you about it. There's highlights still on TV, you're thinking about it. It's, you know, it is hard to get away from it. But, you know, it was, you know, looking back on the week, it was a great experience. I'm, you know,

it sucks to have lost, but at the same time, it will make our team that much more motivated to get it back in front in a couple of years. Well, help me understand this because, and first of all, I love this about the Ryder Cup, but I just, it's an event you guys care about so much. You talk about so much. You can see the emotion in your play and in your reactions. And then afterwards, you have the ability to laugh about it, joke about it, you're kind

of joking with the US team about their celebration. You're leading a USA chant with the crowd on 18. Like if Patrick Reed beats you on the last hole at the Masters, you're not laughing it up with him afterwards. But why can the Ryder Cup can you make that transition so quickly and to say, you know, we had a great event that we care a lot about winning but at the end of the day, we're just out there having fun. How is that, how does that, this event gets so much out of you competitively

yet afterwards you can laugh and smile about it? Yeah, it's a good question. I think the answer for the competitiveness bit is easy because you're there, you're playing for something bigger than yourself. I think that's the big thing. You're playing for your teammates, you're playing for your continent, your country. The captain, the vice captain's in. There's a lot of people that you don't want to let down. So I think that's where the competitiveness

comes from, especially for me anyway. Am I struggled with that a little bit with my first two rider cups? I felt the pressure of having to perform for the team. And that made my play a little bit tentative, and I sort of went into my shell a little bit. And I didn't, you know, I didn't particularly play my best golf the first two rider cup that I played. But I've grown more comfortable with that rule over the years. And, yeah, you know, it's one of those things.

I, I, I, I, I, I, no, I'm one of the leaders of the European team and I want to stand up and lead by example. So that's where that competitiveness comes from. But at the end of the day, you know, I think it's, you know, for example, the European press conference afterwards when, you know, Danny, we had a couple of very funny comments and we're all, you know, we're in good spirits because we are a team, you know, we went there as a team and we lead as a team and we're never going to throw anyone under the bus, we're never going to blame anyone, you know, we all tried our best, we all played our hearts on it and at the end of the week it wasn't good enough and, you know, I think we're big

enough to acknowledge that. And you say to the US team, they were better that week. But the right or cup, you try your best, and it doesn't quite come off, and you lose, but you still have a great week. I mean, the memories that I'll have from all my right or cups, but especially that one, it's the first one that I've been a part of a great week. I mean, the memories that I'll have from all my writer cups, but especially that one, you know, it's the first one that I've been a part of a losing team, but, you know, the memories and the fun that you have along the way, you know, those are the memories that you're going to have for the rest of your career. Yeah.

The press conference afterwards did stick out to me, just like, for the stark contrast. I know it's different scenarios, the contrast, to 2014 US press conference to what you guys put forth. It was just, I kind of like, I looked at it and it just kind of made sense to me why you guys win a lot. I mean, there was no, it was just kind of like, you know what, they had the better team and we still had fun and we're still joking with each other. And it just did, I made the joke. I was like, I don't think they know they lost. Like, it didn't really seem like you guys even, like, it didn't seem like it emotionally affected you to have lost.

I mean, I'm sure it did, but the way you carried yourselves. Yeah, it did. It was weird because it was like, I think for us, it was, you know, yeah, of course we lost, but we looked at the US team and we were sort of thinking, like, especially the fans, like, I was thinking, you know, they're going to be so excited. They're team won this thing for the first time and you know, eight years or whatever it is.

But it just, it seemed like once they won the whole place, what sort of quiet, right? And it was, it was weird. I was like, you know, and that's why, that's why I was the one that was like, you know, celebrating. I was like, you say, like, go and chant the way you've been chanting for the last three days. Your team's just one. And then all of a sudden they go quiet.

I just, I didn't understand. For me, you know, we didn't understand that we were like, you know, you can't come and chant and shout the way you have for the last three days and not celebrate when you win. That's, I said the same exact thing. I had to, I'm wondering if they just spent too much energy screaming their heads off for the first three days. And it was, that's what made me a set. It felt like they were more there to taunt you guys,

to yell things at you guys than they were to root on the team to victory at the end of the day. It was, I think the 18th whole stadium, it doesn't really set up that great for the fans around the green maybe. That's the only real excuse I can make for. I think the 18th whole stadium, it doesn't really set up that great for the fans around the green maybe. That's the only real excuse I can make for. Like, if they had closed it at 16, I think things would have been a little bit different.

Yeah, I totally agree with that. Yeah, the 18th wasn't the best amphitheater to celebrate, but I just... I don't know, it was just... It was just quite muted at the know, it was just, it was just, it was quite muted at the end and I was expecting something different and I don't know, I mean it was, you know, I... yeah, it was, it was strange because, you know, as I said at the end of the day, you know, I'm fine with people coming and shouting stuff at me for three days and whatever, I tried to take it all my stride and it was good fun.

I know that they're just trying to help their team, but if you're gonna do that for three days, at least cheer them on when they win. But anyways, it is what it is. It was a great three days. And as I said, America, the US team were definitely the deserved winners. And hopefully we can get them

back in front. Do you how do you feel like the main reaction of the fans has been towards you since then? Like do you feel like you have more or less fans than you did at the start of that week? Maybe you haven't gotten the full experience yet just because you haven't played an event in the US since then. But how do you feel like the fans from like from the US

I'd walked away from that or how have you felt that so far? I think they reacted well to it. Everyone that I've spoken to, they keep saying the same thing. We've never seen you like that before. It was great to see. It was real passion and all that sort of stuff. I think it's been taken quite well. I don't know if that means I've got more less funds than I did. I mean, if anything, people might admire or respect my competitiveness a little bit more after that week.

I don't know. But it's been hugely positive, even though we didn't get the win and I wasn't a part of a winning team. Individually, I've had a lot of compliments, which is nice. Yeah. I'm asking that just because I know in my corner of the internet and my friends, even if it wasn't possible, even more fans or people love you even more, just because exactly what you said, that competitive spirit, that emotion, and just the playfulness of it too.

And like, I don't know, and I'm dying to ask, like, how in the midst of all that competition, Saturday afternoon round, you take the time and you have the wherewithal and self-awareness to come up to me in the middle of the round and troll me over the dust and Johnson brisk kept comparing that I wanted the three up on how does the normie a bit better, that's me. That's me, that's what I do. I am very aware of my surroundings, so like, obviously I noticed you following our grip. I knew that there were so many people that wanted this bricks and dust and paring and I remember, you know, saying to, I remember saying to Thomas Peters, my partner, I said just keep heading at hard and keep heading at straight because like I swear, the first five holes of that match, it was like a long

driving contest. Like we weren't caring where it was going, we were just trying to edit as hard as we could. And I said, if can keep hitting it hard and keep hitting it straight those boys will keep trying to hit it harder and harder and they'll start to go left on them. And that's sort of that's always been my that's always been my saying I feel like if I'm driving it really well and I'm playing with a long hitter and where you know there's always that little bit of vehicle where you start to hit it harder and harder. The harder, you know, the best players in the world hit it, the tendency is that it starts

to go left on them. And that's sort of what started to happen. And we just tried to go with that game plan and it worked. But, yeah, like I, you know, I wanted that much, you know, and as a fan of golf, it was cool to see Brooks and Dustin and a writer comparing. I think it's awesome. So, if I was in position, I wasn't playing in the thing, I would have wanted to go out and watch that match as well.

So, I know that I'm a part of a match that people are excited about and people want to watch, and that's a pretty cool thing for me as well. Would you say overall, well, I'd like you to kind of rank some of the things that happened during the week from the crowd and where they fall in the spectrum of like, all right, I'm fine with this. This is cool. And this is like taking it too far. For instance, a lot of people talk about cheering after poor European shots.

Where does that fall in the spectrum? What is your reaction to it? What is your teammates' reaction to that? And then, kind of some of the examples of some things that you thought just went too far. Where the fans were really crossing the line. Because I know it did happen, and I'm obviously on the American side, I definitely think the lines were crossed out there. But what are the main things that you guys think are the issue with the problem that should

be dealt with before the next Ryder Cup? Yeah, I think honestly I have no problem with the funds cheering after the European team, someone in the European team hit a bad shot because that happens in Europe. That's not something that just happens in the US. That's something, you know, like if a American misses a pot in Europe, of course the Carter going to cheer if Europe were going to win the whole. That's going to happen, so I don't think that anyone should have a problem with that. I think where the problem lies is, and even the taunting and stuff like, you know, even if you're walking up the fairway and someone

says, Michael, are you suck or whatever, it may be, that's totally fine. But then whenever it starts to get personal, whenever there's these little personal attacks that start to come from the crowd, that's where it gets a little bit too far, I think. Yeah. What is your lasting memory of the whole week to you? What is the main thing you take away from that? Not necessarily from a crowd, not necessarily from a crowd perspective, just your overall from the whole Ryder Cup.

I loved it. I mean, even though we were part of the losing team, I think the team camaraderie on our European team this year was the best it's ever been. So I think I had such an enjoyable week. I got to know a lot of the rookies much, much better and those rookies will be on our Ryder Cup team again. That's my overriding memories of the week. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. There was a great team spirit, a great team atmosphere,

and I got to know a lot of the guys much better, which I was really happy about. Hopefully that will stand the team in good stead going forward. I don't want to get you in too much trouble by asking this but I think it's a relevant question considering the European tour rules for qualifying for the Ryder Cup team and the fact that Paul Casey is playing some of the best golf on the planet and he was uneligible to be on the team. Do you think there will be any changes to the process in the future or do you think there should be two separate questions I think?

Do you have any input on what you think of? Because I understand the European tour running the Ryder Cup team and that they want the European tour members to play on that team, but looking at it competitively going forward, do you think there can or should be changes to it? Uh, I think there can be changes to it and I think there should be changes to it. Honestly, it should be the 12 best players from Europe versus the 12 best players from the United States. And, you know, for me, there shouldn't be anything to do with membership of tours. And even so much, just to simplify the process, and I know it wouldn't make it as exciting

whatever, but I've had an idea where you just take the best 12s in the world rankings from the US and the best 12 in the world rankings, and from Europe, and you go and you play. And I know that that isn't as exciting in terms of captain's picks and qualifying processes and everything else, but if we're trying to make it the fairest way for the best 12 to make each team, I think that's a way to go. I mean, it's so, you know, when you have, and I know people have different opinions on BUBBA, but when you have the seventh rank golfer in the world at the time, not getting a pick on the U.S. rider cup team, there's, I, I felt a little bit uneasy with that because, you know, you're, you're basically saying, okay, this guy is, you know, he's a good

enough player, but, you know, we don't want him on the team. It's just sort of, it's, it's a, it's a, it's a difficult one. But I think there's a few things that need to change, especially on the European side, because you're gonna have a guy like Paul Casey not on our team when he is playing some of the desk off in the world right now. You know, it definitely hurt us.

Yeah. I think, I think that's fair what you're saying. I think I'm just curious to get your thoughts. I would poke a hole in the official using the official world golf rankings just because I think they can be a bit sticky, meaning like your results from the past can really weigh and you I'm saying you don't have to be hot. Yeah. It's not as recent as you would want it to be maybe. Yeah. Yeah. And that And then you know, Bubba hadn't had a top 10 since March or something leading into that. And a lot of people were saying, you know, you have a seventh ranked player. I do totally understand that. I definitely think there are flaws in both sides on how, you know, how you qualify guys. But I, when you cut down to it,

it really should be as simple as what you said. 12 best players in Europe, 12 best players in the US team because this isn't just a Paul Casey issue, I think. I don't know what like John Rom's plans are for playing the European tour and whatnot, but it could definitely be more than in Russell Knox also had this issue. It could be something down the road that could materially affect who makes up this team. And when it comes down to it, I think Comradery is obviously important, but the talent of your players, not saying you guys didn't have enough talent on your team. And I know you don't want to put down any of the guys that were on your team, but Going forward it can definitely affect who those 12 guys are so it's I wouldn't be surprised if something changes

But you do at the same time like you guys do play more European tour events because you know this is a rule And I know that they don't it's probably not fair to hold you hostage in that way, but I know that at least I would imagine these some players are motivated to play more events in Europe because of this rule. Yeah, I mean, I think every tour has to look out for what's best for them. The PGA tour coming with this rule this year where if you haven't played an event in the last five years, you know, you have to stick one on your schedule. So that's what I'm going to do this year where if you haven't played an event in the last five years, you know, you have to stick one on your schedule. So that's what I'm going to do this year. I have to plan event that I've never played before.

And a lot of guys have to do that just because, you know, and I understand that from the PGA to his perspective and providing, you know, value for their sponsors and you don't want a title sponsor, you know, sponsoring a tournament and, you know, he doesn't get any of the best players in the world for the last, you know, five years. So, I get that, but at the same time, you know, our minimum event number on the PJ Tour is 15, whereas it's only, well, it's 13 in Europe or five outside of the majors and WGC. So, you know, 5 golf tournaments outside of those isn't, I don't think it's a huge push. But some people might feel differently, especially like, you know, Paul Casey is in a very different situation than he was in

a few years ago or he will be in a few years going forward. He's got a little boy that he wants to spend so much time with and see growing up, but whenever his kid starts to go to school and starts to have friends and whatever. Paul can maybe play a little bit more in Europe because he doesn't need to be home as often, he doesn't need to be there every single weekend or whatever it may be. So these things are fluid and they change and they, you know, it really just depends on where a person is in his life.

And, you know, I can, you know, I can see myself, you know, if I, you know, based myself in the state's full time from, you know, a year or two down the line, you know, I'm not saying I wouldn't, I'd never go and back and support the European tour, but it would start to become more difficult. For me to go and play those events or whatever, but at the same time, when you think about it, five events, especially if you have to play your home open anyway to be a member of the Tour, which I'm involved in, personally, I think it's not that big a stretch to play another four after that. I think people may not have the full respect for what, you know, when you have to cross oceans

that many times and you may not be the best example of this because you're younger and you are in a different kind of physical shape than a lot of players on tour. But you can wear on you, especially when you consider where the European tour plays a lot of events. It's not like a short jaunt across the ocean and go play in Scotland a lot of the time. I mean, it's South Africa, it's Thailand, it's all over the place. So it is, it is, it is tough and I think I'm not sure what the best answer is and I know that even in the past year, you know, there were problems with the, I think it was the French open

versus the Bridgestone. Was that the same time as you? Yeah, yeah. And I mean, if, you know, puts you guys, I'm sure you're kind of on pins and needles a little bit every year when the schedule comes out, looking at how the schedules are going to cross over, am I going to have to fly 18 hours between events and whatnot. So I don't know what the best answer is, but I know it's going to be different every single year and they can try to improve it as much as they can every single year. But finding that balance is going to be quite challenging. Yeah, for sure.

All right, I want to transition a bit off Ryder Cup, scheduling, and whatnot. I want to talk a bit more broad, a couple of questions. The first one I want to ask is, I want to know for you on a daily basis, the best way you'd answer, how famous are you? When you're walking around the streets of Dubai, or you're walking around in Florida, you go out to eat, how often are you recognized, bothered, and how famous do you feel when you walk the streets normally?

I mean, pretty famous. It's a difficult one for me to answer. I mean, yes, I mean, there's any time I go to eat, I get recognized. Any time I go somewhere, I take a picture with someone. Yeah, I mean, it's hot, no more, whether it's Dubai or Florida or at home or wherever it may be. Yeah, it's sometimes it's hard to get away from it. Dubai is fine because you get recognized by the X-pots here.

And there's obviously a lot of them, but I think one of the places that I don't get, I'm not recognized as much, but I don't get bothered as much. And bothered isn't the right word. I hit using the word bothered, but it's Florida, because people are so used to seeing so many guys down there, whether it's Tiger or Michael Jordan or a lot of the PGH or players or whoever else. I mean, they're just so used to seeing the guys are on that it's sort of become normal, which I guess is a nice thing.

Okay, yeah, that's pretty much what I expected. I just didn't know. Because I think most PGA tour guys can walk around and not be recognized for the most part, hats over their head. I think that's different for somebody like yourself who has won four major titles and has been at the forefront of the game. But if you look back at an old picture of you know 22 years old, all the different gear, they got the hair, you got your body was a little bit different shape.

Like when you look back at the old you, what do you, it's kind of like looking at old pictures. What would you tell that guy? What do you think of when you see that old version of yourself. Yeah, there's definitely a few, I cringe a little bit, not some of the older stuff, that's for sure. I think one of the big things is, I would have definitely listened to my parents more, especially my dad, when my dad's in, get a haircut, tidy yourself up, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And I was like, no, I want to do my own thing and I want to be this sort of independent and whatever. But yeah, I mean, I look back and, but it's, you know, I look back on all these things and okay, you can look at yourself in terms of appearance and cring a little bit and be all, I wish I had a cup of my hair or worn something different or whatever, but I look back and think about where I've come from to where I'm today and the journey that I've been on and everything that's went on in my life. It's been a huge learning process from this naive 18-year-old kid turning pro and getting a European tour card to, you know, it's going to be my 10th year on tour next year and 10 years later being where I am and learning

so much more about the world and about myself. And, you know, so I wouldn't change any of it because I feel like everything that's happened from that point until today has made me what I am and I feel like I've turned out okay and I've been successful in the golf course and you know started doing some really good things away from the golf course as well and you know all those experiences that I had at the start of my career and even before that have led to this point so you know my my fiance Erica has a really good saying. She says it's all part of the journey. Yep. And I sort of, that's a good muncher to have.

Yeah, I think it's hard to look back at the past and say you want to necessarily change something about your past. When if you're happy with the current version of yourself, that's part of the path that took you to where you currently are. So what, correct me if I'm wrong, I think I've read somewhere that both of your parents worked multiple jobs growing up. Is that accurate to say that as part of raising you? My dad worked multiple jobs my mom worked night shifts. They used to refer to themselves as passing shifts in the night they saw each other for a brief period during the day whenever you know dad came home to go somewhere else or mom was, yeah, it was,

you know, and when you're that young, you don't understand, you don't realize the sacrifices that they're making. Because all they want to do was provide for their only son and give him the best life possible. And you don't realize that they're doing that when you're when you're young and but you learn to you realize that and you start to speak to you as you get older and wiser and and you know as I just said you know you know more about the world you sort of you realize that that's not normal and I remember you're one of the things my mom and dad always say to me now is I used to say to them

when I was a kid couldn't we just be like a normal family mom and dad always say to me now is I used to say to them when I was a kid Couldn't we just be like a normal family? You know, I always say can we not just be like a normal family? Can we not just? do normal things or and You know it's again, it's all part of the journey and you know if it wasn't for them doing that I probably wouldn't be where I am today so Data's there of everything they get in and, you know, I try to look after them as much as I can. Um, because they, they've obviously, you know, put everything into,

into at least giving me an opportunity to try to become what, what I have become. And how much would you, would you say that their work ethic there? They're you know that what they went through to raise you and whatnot How how much does that contribute to how your work ethic turned out? I think most people would say you're one of the hardest working guys out there both my physical and golf standpoint did that did how much influence did their hard work have on you in that regard? Yeah, I mean, I think it did. I think I'm just wired that way. And I think, you know, my mom and dad are very different. My dad's very open and very sort of carefree.

But like, you know, everyone he meets, he has a lot in a joke with her. My mom is a bit more reserved. So I like to think that I've, I like to think that I've sort of taken the best from both of them. But yeah, I mean, my dad used to love heading golf balls. I mean, that was his, it was almost just like a hobby to him. So I've never, like, I've never felt like going and practicing on a driving range or chipping or putting or going in the gym. I never feel like that's hard work or work ethic because it's always being filmed for me. It's always just being what I've done. You know, so yes you put in the Rs and you make some sacrifices along

the way but I mean my my caddy JPL always says to me who's we'd be screwed if we had to work for a living. So it's a good way to look at it., it's a good way to look at it. That's a really good way to look at it. This is something I try to point out as often as I can and I think you would know my answer to this question. Do you think people out there forget, mostly in the media, do you think people forget how many majors, four majors is?

To have one? Yes. It's hard for me because it's everything nowadays and it's not just golf, it's sports media, it's the culture that we live in. It's so based on recency and one of you don't familiarly. And you know, there's been, since I started to win majors, there's probably been about 10 different eras in golf. And it does it bugs me because people don't give players the time to develop and become what they want them to be.

It's just, they need to have patience with it and generations and eras are built up over decades of playing against each other and not over two seasons. And that's the thing that I struggle with a little bit because,'s not just on me, but I think with Jordan winning two majors in 15, and it's totally unclear because they build you up so much. And then, Jordan hasn't had a bad season this year, but he didn't win a major, and he did what he did at Augusta, but everyone's asking, what's wrong with Jordan? And then whenever he wins again They'll say he's back. No, he's not you've never gone. He's not being anywhere

He's you know, I mean that's the thing that It gets me you know if I you know when I won the FedEx Cup or I I did whatever You know they say all Roy's back. I'm like I'm not back. I've been planning like this. I do you know It's you know sometimes it's just, it's hard to put your point across sometimes when you try to elaborate on how difficult it is to win on tour and how much competition there is right there. And I think the one thing for me, and I

don't want to put anyone down. But for example, I've won four majors, and there's guys that have great players in this generation that have won one for example the likes of DJ and Dishonet and whatever and and they are Possibly and probably going to win more but the one thing that I like to say is you know if if they win three more majors They get to me if I win three more majors, I get the Arnold Palmer. You know, so that's sort of how I look at it a little bit. And I don't like, I don't want to blow my own trouble, but I don't want to put them

down at all, but I guess that's just the way I see it. I think that that's totally fair and exactly to my point where I feel like once you've done something and winning four majors it's it's a forward-looking prognosis and it's supposed to mean all right this is what's next like he should win six more of these and it's like well wait a second here like Phil's entire career fantastic Hall of Fame career second best player of an entire generation, maybe one of the top 10, 12 players of all time, he's won five of them total.

You're one short of that at the age of 27 and Phil didn't win his first one till age 33. It's just like this formula that, I mean, just think of it from a common sense standpoint. Only one guy can win the Masters every year and then there's five, six, seven elite players that we have to answer the question. Why isn't so and so winning? It's like you've played in seven majors since you last one one and people still want to. Do you feel like I guess people are still on you like on you at the end of the season more if you haven't won a major than the seasons you have one one? Yeah, of course, but I think that's the whole, and I think that's a narrative that's

being created by the players as well. And that's not, I think the players are partly to bring in Liam Fardat because I've sent him press conferences before the only way it's going to be a great year if I win a major so that if I don't win one, the media have every right to say, well, it hasn't been a great year in a whole major. So I think the players are partly to typically in for that as well. The majors have become such, you know, the majors in the Ryder Cup are the five biggest golf tournaments that we, you know, the five biggest tournaments

in golf. And we've put them up on this pedestal so much that it's almost the rest of the stuff becomes a little bit irrelevant. And it shouldn't be because there's some great golf tournaments out there that are played on great golf courses that have the strongest fields in golf. But I think just because of where we've put the majors in comparison to everything else, they get the littleled a little bit. And I feel partly to blame for that because of how much importance I put on majors, but people have to realize that there's still some great golf tournaments right there and that they're very hard to win. Yeah, I mean, do you feel, I think you may have just answered that, but do you feel internally, even if it's like a big WGC event,

all the best players in the world, huge prize pool, do you feel, do you approach the weeks differently than you do like a PGA championship week? Yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it just feels, I mean, you've been at me, you feel the difference. Yeah. Like, there's something in the air, it just feels different. It's, I don't know if it's just because you know that there's only four of them a year or or whatever it is, but it's yeah you build them up so much and under the four you know they're the

four me and things on your calendar each and every year and you're trying to go there with your game and the best possible ship and you know almost almost over trying and trying a bit too hard for them at times and you know there's some sometimes I think that maybe I should just approach majors like I approach some of the other tournaments you know arriving and a Tuesday night play a few whole summer wednesday and play on Thursday sometimes I think that's nearly the the best way for me to approach these things because the more you build it up in your head and the more you start to think about it and the more different scenarios start to come into your head and all of a sudden you're getting anxious, you're getting nervous and that's obviously not a good thing.

Are you already at this point in your career weary of the annual build up to Augusta, the eight month layoff in major is going up to the one major that you haven't won to this point. Is that is that narrative process? Is that wearing on you at this point or are you kind of like brushed it off at this point? Um, I try to brush it off as much as I can, but it definitely it wears on you. You know, I, you know, this is going to be my, um, it's going to be my third year going into Augusta knowing that if I went I get the career round slam and I try my best to avoid all the hype and all the I mean I do zero media the week leading up to Augusta you know magazines you want me to you know be on the cover

and I'm just like no I don't want that I don't want the I don't want the Spotlight I sort of want to shy away from it a little bit because I know how much of a big week it is and and any sort of distraction to me I feel will you know it could cost me the chance of doing what I want to do so I try to delay low the week leading up to Augusta and just, you know, prepare as best I can and Try to fly under the radar even though that's that's not entirely possible at this point in my career But I try to think that I can anyway sprinkling a couple of miscuts right before April and I think more than lower the expectations, but When you think about Augusta like what's a shot out there that like really fits your eye?

Or like what is like one of your favorite shots to play of all of all the holes out there about Augusta, what's a shot out there that really fits your eye? What is one of your favorite shots to play of all the holes out there at Augusta? Favorite shot to play is probably the second shot into 13. I think a lot of guys will say that, but I think the balls above your feet you're hitting the mid-iron in. So it's going to draw into that sort of left or right sloping green. It just it looks so inviting. Like it just, it's definitely a hole where you think and you can make a giggle but definitely party.

But there's so many holes that I got to wear. You're looking forward to hitting your next shot. I think that's the thing. You're excited to hit your next shot just because you've seen it so many times on TV. And you know where the pin position is. You know exactly what the ball is going to do when it hits the green. I think it would be cool if we could go back to regular spots on the schedule like that a little bit more often.

I got in love with the Open Championship as players and Andres every year. And just because people get to know the place so well and that's one of the great things about Augusta is you don't have to have been there to do the golf course and and knew the back nine on Sunday and think that's what creates a lot of excitement about it. I totally agree that's what makes the masters. I think the most special of all the majors you know you're going back to the same course whereas you know our memories of the US open are you know these courses you play once every nine years or so it's it's hard to really the for a lot of these terms really have like a true identity you know it's hard to really, for a lot of these terms, it's really have a true identity. It's such a different test.

And the story of the weekends up being the golf course more than it is like the championship at times. I think that can be really distracting. Is there a whole shot at a gust that you just like, not, I don't want to say dread or fear or just one that really doesn't fit your eye? One that really doesn't fit your eye. Um, one that really doesn't fit my eye. Well, I, and I hope it doesn't, you don't answer it and then like you make like a seven

on it this year and when you're with a lead company. Yeah, I know. That's what you do. I know that that's cool. I'm gonna, I think I played the fourth and the 11 pulls in a combined night over this year at August of so, uh, yeah, I'd say, yeah, I'd say second, second, second, and the 11. I'd say every, you know, I think anyone would be lying if they felt totally comfortable over that second.

Do you think, oh, man, this could get you in trouble. Do you think that there are, if you could make any changes to Augusta? What kind of changes do you think that, and that's a course they're tinkering with all the time, and I know a lot of people when people even suggest changing Augusta, they cringe, and that, but over history it's been one of the most changed courses ever. Looking forward as technology continues to evolve, do you foresee any changes that they're going to make, and if you were in charge of some of that, what kind of changes would you think you would make to that golf course? Yeah, I mean, I know of one that they're contemplating on, I know they've bought a lot

of land, sort of behind the fifth tee box. So I think I wouldn't be surprised in the years to come and seeing that whole play a little bit differently, more of a straightaway t-shirt but a little bit longer uh... and then you know i think that you know length and thirteen would be a good thing

because it would you know i know a lot of longer guys don't like to hit driver off that t anyway so you know it's it you know it's not much of a part five don't like to hit driver off that t anyway so and you know it's it you know it's not much of a part five if you can't get driver off the t so lengthening thirteen and making it where you guys are having to go in there with a long iron again is is something that and would be cool to see

but apart from that i think they get it i think they they get it spot on every year in terms of setting it up. It's always a fair but tough test. A good winning score usually wins, whether it's in the region of 10 to 12 under par. So I think they do a good job with the golf course. Okay. Good answer. Good answer.

You're safe there, I think. I'll get my invite next year. What is, when you and I don't mean literally from the world rankings and I don't mean like, I know there's events you walk into where there's another player that's hotter, like Jason Daze, obviously the number one ranked player in the world, he won six events and whatever span of period that time is, let's say he's the hottest golfer in the world going into a particular event But when you walk onto the grounds of a tournament regardless of who's the hottest and whatnot Do you feel like you are the best player in the world or that week no matter what no matter how hot you are how hot anyone else is do you feel like you're the best player in the world? hot anyone else's do you feel like you're the best player in the world? It really depends I feel like I'd like to believe it yes I'd like to believe every time I walked on the property at a PGA tournament I felt like I was the

best player in the world but you know like confidence is such a fickle thing that they're yes there's certainly weeks where I feel like I'm unbeatable, but then there's weeks where you don't feel that way. And I think that, you know, those are the weeks that you have to, you know, those are the important weeks that you have to try and fight through and manage your game as best you can. But yeah, I mean, if, yeah, I do believe that I'm the best player in the world, and I feel like I have the record over the past five or six years to back that up, but I don't necessarily feel like I am every single time I teed up. Okay, that makes perfect sense. Along those same lines, if you could, if you could like trade something,

ability of yours, and swap it out for any one skill that another player has, what would you swap out? Like I want that guy, you wouldn't pick this because you're probably the best driver on tour, like saying, I want to drive it like Bubba does or I want to do that. What would you choose from any other player on tour? I would choose... I go Steve Stricker's wedge game. Steve Stricker's wedge game, he's well. Okay. He's still got it.

I still got it. Yeah, I mean, he's one of the best wedge players I've ever seen. And I feel like I give myself enough wedges. If I can drive it well, that you put Steve in those spots, he's going to hit it pretty close for you. So it's one thing in my game. I feel like I still need to work on a little bit. If my wedge game got a little bit better,

I think I'd be a little bit more efficient and take advantage of some of the drives that I had. So, yeah, that would be it. We saw what's this first year Dustin Johnson said he's ever practiced his wedge game and look at what kind of season he had this time. It's scary. Is there anything you're changing in that part? You want to look to change in that part of the process, how you practice your wedges or I mean, is it just something you're always conscious of that you'd like to play your wedges better?

Yeah, I think it's something, I mean, you know, looking at DJ, he's definitely shallow to ed his wedges. You know, he doesn't take as much of a divot as he used to do. And I think that's something that I need to try and work on. I think you get a much more consistent, much more consistent flight, which gets you much more consistent numbers and distances. And that's something that, you know, I've tried to work on, but something I need to continue to work on if I can shallow wipe my wedges, and I'll take to beg a divot and get steep on them. You know, it'll make everything just that bit more consistent.

All right. Well, I'll get you out of here on this, because I could keep you probably for another hour if I had my way, but you didn't have to spend an hour by time. But of all everything you've accomplished in your career so far and there's still a lot to go, but what is the accomplishment that you would say you're most proud of in all of your career? I would have said if I'd beaten Patrick Reed a couple of weeks ago it would have been my Ryder Cup singles record, but that's gone. I think my open championship, you know, the open is for me being from where I'm from. It's, you know the likes of you know Sevi and Fowldo and Norman and then obviously Tiger you know for the years it's it's

pretty cool I mean I you know I you know to win an open championship and to get your hands on a Clare job is pretty cool and you all I'll always remember the moment you know my that's the only only major when my mother's been up. And remember when she came onto the green, and it was just such a cool moment. So definitely my pride is to my most memorable achievement to do it. Well, I can tell I can't imagine how excited you are

for the hype train for Port Rush. And no, knowing how much that would mean to you. Oh, it's got any edge, it's awesome. I think, you know, I was actually speaking to a friend about it the other day. It's, you know, to have an opportunity to win a major championship and open championship at home in front of home fans. I mean, you saw what it was like at the Irish Open this year a little bit, and how much it meant to me, but if I were able to win an open championship there,

I could retire the next day and be very happy. Yeah. Well, get you out of here actually on a really light one. Who's the most fun guy out there on tour to play with? Like from a conversational standpoint, like you see, oh, I'm paired with this guy today, we're gonna have a good time. Who's the guy that you're go to guy in that regard?

I Look at as I look at it as pairings because the player in the Coddy always have to have a good dynamic I think that's one of the I have I got a lot of fun with a lot of the euros Like I always get I love getting tired to pull during Terry because they're just so funny They're like a they're like a double act. They're funny. Those are two good guys to play with. Polter to play with and obviously with Terry. I'm trying to think a lot of the younger guys are good.

Jordan, Justin Thomas, I'm proud of Justin, but it turns into I feel like we both lose concentration a little bit when we turn together. Well, he definitely did. He definitely did the memorial. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, JT definitely, yeah, that drivery hit off 14, that was funny. Um... By the way, I love that, I love that tweet, uh... Um... when he was hitting driver off the deck in Malaysia, and then the one from Tampa this year, that was so funny. He, uh...

He, uh... That was hilarious. What's funny is people don't know that, like, we're friends, and we get along, and like, he's sending me like screenshots of people like it's commenting on Instagram like hey don't worry about those guys man you're fine like screw those guys keep hitting driver on the thing yeah keeping you it's awesome no even my mom was like I can't tell are you fighting with Justin Thomas I'm like no mom like he's in on the joke it's fine oh it was too Oh, it was too funny. So it was too funny. All right Roy, thank you for an hour your time and it's been much

appreciated and highly anticipated and best of luck with the rest of the race to Dubai. Your off season if you really have one and yeah, yeah, and yeah, just can't thank you enough for coming on man and we'd love to do it again sometime. Yeah, for sure. No, it's been a blast. Thanks for having me. Alright buddy, talk to you soon later. Be the right club, be the right club today. Yeah! That's better than most. How about it? That is better than most. Better than most. How about in? That is better than most. Better than most.

Expect anything different.