Subpar - Jon Rahm Interview: Breaking down his victory at the 2021 U.S. Open

Episode Date: July 6, 2021

On this week's episode of GOLF's Subpar, six-time PGA Tour winner Jon Rahm joins former PGA Tour pro Colt Knost and jicky jack legend Drew Stoltz for an exclusive interview. The 2021 U.S. Open Champion breaks down his final round at Torrey Pines, Phil Mickelson watching alongside his wife, and what he has done to celebrate since securing his first Major championship.

Hello world. Welcome to another week of golf sub-bar, Colt Nost and Drew Stolz. As you can see, we're not together, which is very, very disappointing. But you know what, Sleas, it's always good to see your beautiful face. Appreciate you mutual, even though you look like you're coming to us live from the top of Sears Tower or somewhere right there. Where are you right now? I'm at our boy Tommy Kane's house here in Chicago, down in River North. Place is unbelievable. Talk about a man who likes to get amongst it. Our guy Tommy Kane. nice enough to let me crash here for a few days before I head up to the John Deere.

You know, I love the John Deer, but I don't need to spend any more time in Moline than I have to. I think you've got to figure it out in terms of where you spend your time leading up to that deal. Top of TK.'s place up in Chicago, not a terrible location. But this got back, what's that? Yeah, Nanakia's the top of TK. You're living a pretty damn good life right now. It's going to be hard to come home and go back to your normal house. but you were out there this past week.

A, it looked hotter and shit. So I want to know about that. B, I want to know, did you ever get in contact with our guy, Marshall Mathers? And is he a yes? When should we start booking him? And three, Cam Davis. I mean, not a guy out of nowhere, but not a guy that his name was at the top of people's minds, I guess, going into this week.

Definitely do not think his name was on many people's betting boards. That's for sure. But I tell you what, Detroit, it was awesome. You know, they got a ton of rain earlier in the week. They did an unbelievable job getting the place ready to go. The weather was actually nice, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Not too hot. We were very, very lucky.

Sunday, oh my God. I almost died. I thought it was around 92 degrees, you know, humid heat index, just all the moisture coming out of the ground. I was the rabbit on course reporter. Mark Eamleman had the final group. So basically where anyone made a move I went to, so I was bouncing around like a goddamn pinball out there, sweating my ass off. And then to top it all off, we get a three-man playoff. So I got to go even more.

We're all panicking. We all have like 830 to 850 flights. We're supposed to be off there at six. Now this playoff just won't end. Oh, my God, sleeves. And the whole squad wore all black I saw. And I was like, that's, you know. That's the thing.

They do blackout. It's good for not showing sweat, but not good for not sweating. So catch-22. If Troy Merritt made that part butt on the fifth playoff hole, we ought to have been screwed and missed our flight and had to spend another night Detroit. But, you know, unfortunately, he missed it. But good for Cam Davis. You know, this kid, I mean, what a beautiful golf swing. Um, that thing's a joke. I mean, I'm sure everybody seen the videos of him swinging it left-handed as well. It is really impressive. I would say might need to work on

the putting a little bit. I kind of said it. I didn't say it on air, but like all fair, I was like, you know, I think the only way Cam Davis wins this is the Troy Merritt messes up because he just can't seem to make that clutch butt when he needed to, but you know what? He put on unreal performance. Made only one putt over 20 feet the whole week and ended up getting the win. Yeah, it looks like he just swings the hell out of it and just ball strikes the way. He hit every green in the playoff and the five-hole playoff. Gave himself a bunch of chances. I thought it was over on the first playoff hole after he stacked that nine aren't in there again, almost exactly how he did at the end of regulation, which by the way, we didn't even talk about

that, finishing Eagle Birdie to get yourself into a play. Pretty damn clutch. And Troy Merritt clutched up, too. There was a lot of pretty, you know, good closing play down the stretch yesterday to get into that thing. But I thought, I thought Cam Davis had won it on the first playoff hole coming off the, you know, the birdie in regulation. I thought he's going to get it done. But dude, that golf sweep over and over doesn't look like much can go wrong with that. I believe at one point during the round yesterday, we had like 14 guys within one shot of the league. I was like, we're going to have a two-group playoff here. I mean, it's just going to be nuts. But Cam Davis, man, this could get his career off and going. Won the Australian Open back in

2017. But this is his first, you know, big win, obviously over here. and it's a game changer, a career changer for him. So, I mean, yeah, he's going to never know. See him on President's Cups and things. He just looks like the prototypical modern day golfer. He's big and tall, is skinny, he's long, his golf swing's perfect. But like you said, I think the putter, you know, I guess he can get better with that. But that's the only thing that he's really lacking right now.

And he's still winning PJ Tour events without really hole in anything. So pretty damn hard to do. But, Coul, I want to ask it because you were there on the grounds. My pick this week didn't turn. out too good bryson found himself in the news again with a little catty mix up uh the day before the event i decided you know what not anymore and i had to do a little switcheroo yeah we know about it so so tim has stepped away before and then he's came back um this one was interesting i actually talked to tim at hartford the week before i had a subpar hat on and he's like what is that i was

like that's our podcast he's like have me on and i'm like you know what i actually think if be interesting. Our caddy episodes do great. And you're, you guys be one of the most interesting men in golf. I think it'd be awesome. He's like, I'd love to come on. He's like, he has a new business and started a luxury bus company that gets you from Portland or the private airport in that area over to Band and Dunes. He's like, can I promote my business? I'm like, more than welcome to. I'm happy to have you on. Last week, Wednesday night, I go to dinner and there's Tim Tucker. He comes up. He's like, have me on your podcast now. And I'm like, well, they're not

not really here, but, you know, we can figure something out. He's like, I want to come on. I got a lot to say. And I'm like, oh, interesting. I was like, did you quit? And he kind of looked at me like, he didn't say anything. And I was like, interesting. So he bought me a drink. I went over and have my dinner. And I was like, man, this is just weird. Like, I get a weird feeling something happened the next morning, the news breaks that they mutually agreed to split ways. Yeah. Tim Tucker no longer there. Very interesting timing. A lot of people are like, oh, caddies come and go. I'm like, listen, here's the deal.

He was there on Tuesday. He was there on Wednesday. Catties don't get, caties don't mutually, players don't mutually agree to separate ways on Wednesday night. So obviously something happened. I'm interested to see if it ever comes out with what exactly did happen. If Jim does ever come back, I don't know. But I'm very interested to see who the hell is going to caddy for Bryson de Shambo because there's not many caddies out there, in my opinion.

that are capable of caddying for Bryson because it requires a lot. It's a much different situation. It's almost like I think you need to go through like a little two-week boot camp training to understand exactly what Bryson wants. You're gonna have, yeah, it might take more than two weeks in a lot of cases.

I mean, when you get everything that he wants, and also, on top of like learning a new language, getting all his distances, learning his clubs, all that different type of stuff. The amount of hours that you work as a Bryson caddy is, I mean, more than anyone on the PJ tour, I would guess. So he's got him banging balls into the, you know, until it's pitch black at major championships. He shows up early.

He stays late. It's just that job as a whole. Granted, it's a very, it's a good paying caddy job. I mean, the guy's going to make a lot of money. You're going to participate in all that. You can do a lot, lot worse. But there's also just the time and the energy and the hours you got to spend with him out there. I think it's got to be the hardest in my mind, probably caddy job on the PJ tour.

And it takes a very specific type of dude to be able to be able. able to do it to learn all that shit like you were saying to get it exactly the way Bryson's going to want it before every single shot. I think that takes a long time. So as soon as they I saw, I read that on Wednesday. I saw that on the news. I was like, well, no way Bryson's going to have a week this way. There's just too much brain. His brain's going to explode after all that. Yeah, it's, it was a tough situation obviously. I mean, he, he relied on, and people kind of, because on the broadcast, I said, you know, I was saying how he relies on Tim Tucker so much. And everybody's like, oh, you think you can't play without Tim Tucker? I didn't say that.

what I said was he relies on him like they go over everything they they have a weird formula the way they come up with numbers and all this he's very involved in the green reading everything and now he's doing it all his own so I thought he was going to struggle last week after all that happened like I said yeah it's just like a security blanket like you're used to having something there you can go through all the stuff your checks you're you like it this way you like a 125 flighted or whatever their little terminology is that they use they're just a reassurance like yeah that's the right thing. And then you've got somebody that's never done it and probably can't speak the language that you like using. It's a, I kind of, as soon as that happened, I was like, well,

maybe not the week of Big Bryson after all. I was talking to some of the caddies out there, like, who do you think is going to get it? And they're like, listen, there's going to be a lot of guys apply for this job. There's only a handful that are actually capable of doing it. So I'm excited to see. I mean, he's got the match today, which we'll see. We'll see who's on the back for it. But moving forward, I mean, we got the open championship next week, and he's going to have to have somebody carries back. Better figure it out, yeah, pretty damn quick. So he ain't got a whole lot of time. I want to clear all the rumors right now. I've not been contacted at this point, Colt, that's on. That's all I'm going to say at this moment. At this moment, I am not Bryson's caddy, period.

You stole my next question, but thank you for go ahead and clarifying that. Well, I'll tell you what, one man who does not have any caddy issues, John Rom, the U.S. Open champ, Our guy, you know, he's been on the golf subpar twice. You win a major championship, you get to come back again. We sat down with him for a very special U.S. Open Edition of Golf Subpar. All right. Well, before we get to our guy, John Rom, I want to tell you about our friends from Rockform. Slee's best speakers on the market.

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too they're water resistant don't worry about any of that but if you're gonna get a speaker you like to have a good time on the course like to get amongst it you need rock form period i think i tell you what sleaze if your service goes out can't get your spotify your iTunes whatever it's got an SD card on the speaker holds up to 5,000 songs so you can always continue to get amongst you Go to rockform.com intercode subpar for 25% off. That's rockform.com intercode subpar for 25% off. Get amongst it with rock form. Here he is, John Rom on golf subpar.

All right, our first two-time guest now becomes our first ever three-time guests, and he returns as the number one ranked golf around the planet. U.S. Open champion, the Spaniard. John Rom, welcome back, brother. Thank you. I hope the listeners aren't getting sick of me at this point, but it's all right. Well, it's a good excuse to be. Yeah, it's a good excuse.

Yeah, it's good to have you back. Yeah, it's our first ever time having a major championship trophy in the studio. So thank you for bringing that. But what's life been like since you became the U.S. Open champion? It hasn't changed at all. Besides the obvious necessary celebrations has been the same. I do believe having a young infant in the house that does help a lot in the sense of no matter what you do or you party or no. in the morning that baby needs a diaper change he needs to be fed he needs his parents so it's uh

it does keep you grounded a lot faster than than if you didn't so it's uh you know the last few days i didn't really touch a club up until yesterday so until tuesday just over a weekend you know it's been nice just taking some time off eating whatever i mean i know that's a dad bot but i i saw you with the dad box shirt yeah i usually do try to eat somewhat clean it's just the amount of plates that i eat that's a problem i think you you earned it i think people will look past that. And you brought the trophy here today, how beautiful it is. How hungover is this thing? What's this thing? It looks like it needs an IV. It's been, it's been going. I mean, it was only Sunday night, Monday, and Tuesday, and oh my God, it's a lot, a lot of orange juice

that went through it. A lot of orange juice. That's right. Yeah, I get that vitamin C. I like that. There we go. You got a celebration Tuesday night at Silverlee when you got home. I know the sleeves was in making an appearance. Tell us a little bit about that. I know Ben Herman was filling that thing up with some nice kequila for you. Yeah, it basically, I arrived. Ben took the trophy and he was his trophy for the rest of the night. It's like he had won. And yeah, I mean, I just looked away and all I see is a couple of empty bottles. It's like, here, John, I'm like, oh boy. And of course, he got to a point during the night where everybody wanted a picture of video, everybody wanted a picture of video of them and me drinking.

And that was before I could eat anything. So I'm like, listen, before I die in the next 45 minutes, let's take a second. Okay, get me, let me get some carbs in me before, you know, something bad happens. And, but it was a great night, honestly. It was really fun, especially in a close environment, you know, there's no judgment. And, well, things got a little bit, a little wild. Those glow-in the dark golf balls. I mean, dude, there was some people hidden that should have not been hidden.

And I got scared. Like I was hiding behind people because I was like, I'm not going to be the one getting hurt here. Because, I mean, come on, you hit a nut off a brick. Off a brick. And there was that little rock wall like five yards in front of it. Call on if you saw it. Like it was what is it? Two feet high, three feet.

It's not high, but you're also hitting off bricks. And there was the one dude got up there. He had a broken leg. You rolled in on the little thing that rolls his leg around with a cast on. And he hit it and hit the wall. Oh, is that what it was? So it was poor surgery cast. It's trying to swing.

And it's his right leg. like he's it's full on stock and tilt so that bowl was not going to get off the ground yeah no that was that was not good and hit the wall and started ricking his shay around like a bullet and i was like this would be a tough way for rammed after wd from the open if he catches a stray fluorescent golf ball to the dome ah yeah that's what i went away that's when i went away Herman was insisted on getting a practice session going on there oh yeah he took over yeah of course that's what he does yeah but i mean obviously you deserve every minute of that celebration i got though when you look at the names on that trophy who do you think had the biggest party with it

oh well i haven't thought about that what do you think about i can tell you who didn't have the biggest party 1899 willie smith won i'm seeing right now i think willie probably sent it back in the day i don't know in the personal level but i can't picture bryson just going on an offender i just can't see it so uh i got to say brooks brooks or dustin i would go yeah that's good that's fair i saw bryson in dallas with the US amateur trophy at a yogurt shop. So I'm going to go out. I'm going to agree with you. I don't think he really.

It's too much fun with it. Wait, hold on. You fill it up with yogurt? I mean, that's not a bad. That's not the worst idea. I mean, a little pink berry from the USO. That's pretty normal. He probably fills it with his muscle milk and that's how much he knows he has to take it a day.

It's perfect. Pretty much a more scoops. What's the insurance policy on a situation like this? I have no idea. You get a little loose and drop it or maybe an unruly fan walks off with it. What happens? I honestly don't know. What I have been told is,

the angel on top of the trophy, they said they have a stack of them. Because apparently they screw off or they break off pretty easily, especially because the top, it's a screw-on and off. So I think people grab it off the top, and sometimes they break off. I would say probably have to be careful having it outside in Arizona and the heat right now because it would probably be easy to bend and things like that. But I actually don't know. I know you get a replica after a while.

I truly have no idea. I can't imagine this being the actual original one. Somebody must have done something to it. It has to have been through hell. Yeah. Yeah. I'm glad you brought up you get a replica because I'm very curious about this. Not that it matters since you just won $2.25 million, but do you have to pay for it?

I have no idea. I'll gladly pay for it. I mean, gladly. Give me 10 of those. Get two, dog. I want one. I think they provided. I think.

I don't know. Tell them, Cole. Get one. Well, you have to pay for the U.S. Amateur one. $14,000. You want to buy me one? Yeah.

Seriously? You have to pay for that? Yeah. Oh, come on. That's crooked. Come on USDA. They're not making enough money off these. It's amateurs.

Entry fees from the U.S. Open with these dudes that should be 150 out there paying 400 or whatever. It would be a little backwards if we don't have to pay for her, but the amateurs did. That would be very backwards. Who's the one? Have you heard from anyone since you won that you were like shocked to hear from or that kind of blew your mind? Like congratulations text or phone call or anything like that? Well, I have gotten some calls and I texted him back. I don't know if you said.

didn't expect to get a call from Hale Irwin. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I just didn't expect it. I don't think I've ever met him in person. But just people from Spain, there was, the most surprising one was a football team from from La Liga from Spain, who I have no affiliation to. And I don't live there. I'm not a supporter of them, but they still send me a letter congratulating me.

That was unique. I don't know how to say this word, that the ex-king of Spain, like the old king. I don't know, though, the exact word. He abdicated a couple of years ago. He called me personally called me on the number on the phone, and that was kind of surprising. You know, I did not expect a phone call like that. Usually you get an official letter from the house,

but not a phone call. So that was pretty unique. And you mentioned Spain. I mean, I would have to imagine the reaction over there has been just unbelievable. I mean, you're the first ever Spaniard to win a U.S. Open. What's it been like? I mean, has the whole country just been going crazy since you won this? I have no idea, but I can tell you, my mom was telling me, they live in a small,

little somewhat cichlid neighborhood. That's a private property. Technically, you can't just walk in there, but there's no fence or nothing. It's, you know, nobody can really tell you, right? And the next day, there was a TV camera crew, which would be like if TMZ showed up at my parents' house, and they were drinking the doorbell trying to talk to them. They didn't know they were here with me and spent, so when they finally gave up, they just started interviewing neighbors.

Just walking around the house? Yeah, the community. Someone tell us about John? There's a pool and people in their own neighborhood just, you know, relaxing their own privacy and they came up and started asking questions. You'd think they would know they were at the USO, but I mean, they were on TV and all that stuff. By the way, they know how to party a little bit too. Your parents were incredible.

Potentially MVP's that party. My dad was enjoying it. Yeah. I mean, obviously they were able to come here for a couple weeks and I end up winning the US Open. I mean, of course they're going to celebrate. I mean, how cool is that? Let's get into a little bit of the golf because it was an incredible leaderboard

heading into Sunday. I mean, it looked like there were so many guys that had a chance to win. I believe at one point there was like 15 guys within two or three shots of the lead. What was it like going into that Sunday? I mean, you were three back. Did you feel like, hey, if I could go out and play well, this is mine? I had a lot of good vibes. All I can say is when I won a Tory a few years back, I was also three back on Sunday.

So I was like, you know, it's just, you know, everything that had happened prior where I was playing Father's Day. I just had a lot of good vibes going into that Sunday. So I was definitely confident. But basically right after the first T shot, just the way that swing felt and the ball flight and everything, when you start up with the ideal T shot feeling and visualizing wise, I was like, okay, you know, today's a good day. Today's my day. And that's how I started. And, you know, that's how I played the whole day. I mean, I played one of the best rounds of golf I've ever played.

And even the holes where you can say I was a little bit off, like three, four, and five, it wasn't like he was crazy off. Like, three was a good shot. I just missed Justin win, and he was a foot off being great. Four, same thing, both the driver and the second shot. And five is just, you know, I mean, the right place to miss. The only other place I could say that I really was a missed shot was nine. Nine would be the one that was, you know, a bad swing.

That was a huge break. Yeah, that was one of my questions was number nine. I mean, you hit that ball and you hit it way left over the fence. Did you immediately think it was out of bounds? We couldn't tell. We didn't know. So in our view, it was just like about four or five years left of the bunker. It was nowhere near the OB, but it hit the tree and ricochet left.

So we couldn't see that. We didn't see it land. That's why I hit a provisional because I was assuming that was an out-of-bounce fence. like even on the farmers I had never seen anybody go go left so I was like everybody goes way right and and I think it's because we all think it's O B and when I get there and it's like you know it's what was the term TIO I was like well went through the possible drops and actually ended up you know getting really lucky of being able to drop it on basically on the area of dirt not even in the rough I could I could have hit three what if I you know if I felt like it it was really

you know perfect life so the lay out was a lot easier. Your situation at the memorial got so much attention and so much media across the really the world honestly with the COVID stuff that happened. And then the way you handled that, taking the high road, not placing blame on anyone like that, I think so many, I think you gained more fans by going through what you went through than you might have had you gone on to win that golf tournament. Did you notice like the fans? Because I could kind of feel it just watching on television on Saturday, Sunday, that they were behind you. Did you get that sense when you were out there? Yeah, there was definitely a before and after Memorial.

Definitely big difference. And it's probably the only time in my life where I think I've gotten more congratulations for my press conferences than my actual play. And, you know, I really don't know what to explain about the whole situation. It's just when it happened, I was fully aware all week that that could happen. I knew that that was a possibility. So it's not that it caught me off guard. It's just the way I found out was too reminiscent of how I was told last year that I was going to

get a stroke penalty. Yeah. You know, it's just kind of blindsided again a year later on the same hall, on the same tournament, right? And it's like, come on. Seriously, it's just, it's, that's what you hear me on TV say like, oh, not again, seriously. Yeah.

Just like, can we learn from last year and tell me in private? Yeah. You, you handled it so well. And I think, please and I both know you pretty well. We played some golf with you. You can get a little fiery, but you handled that situation so well. Like, what was it? Because, I mean, you easily, and I think if you would have lost your mind a little bit,

got a little angry, no one would have blamed you because of the way they approached you and it came out of nowhere, but you handled it so well. It was very impressive. What made, like, how did you handle, how did you do that? Well, thank you. Um, I think, listen, I get mad on the golf course, yes, but of the golf course, I'm not the same person, right? Like, yes, I'm Spanish. We're passionate people and all that, but it's not like I'm angry all day. Like some people choose to believe, like anything that happens. If somebody cuts me off in traffic, I'm losing my mind. No, I'm not, you know. I'm really, really relaxed when it's off the golf course.

I just really care a lot about what I do. And at the moment, I think when I found out that I was positive, my initial thought was, well, it sucks that I can't finish because I played arguably the best run of my life, and I put another performance, leading by six at Jack's plays. And it could have been a record-breaking week, right? Especially after he changes the golf course trying to make it tougher, it just felt nice to actually just do that because I'm sure Jack wasn't happy that I was playing that good. Jack might have a hand in that positive test.

He's going to rip that place up next year. I doubt it. And you're going to rip it back up next year, put alligators in the fairways. So when they tell me, obviously at first I was mad. I'm frustrated. But then, you know, you can't help to think. I had two months old at home, a wife with asthma. Her mom is asthma.

And my parents were coming in Monday. This was a Saturday. So I was like, my priorities. completely shifted, right? It's just like golf was secondary. I basically right away, I knew I had no argument. I knew I couldn't fight it. I knew there's nothing I could do to change it. So I was like, well, I'm going to choose to remember the fact that I'm 18-90 to three rounds in this golf course. I'm going to choose to remember how good I've played and how good the new potter was working, which was a huge plus in that sense. And I'm going to forget about golf,

act like the tournament ended today and move on. And my priority again, like I said, was Kelly and my family and making sure everybody was okay. And once everybody was okay, negative test and all that, trying to get back home and isolated. And that's all I could do. I mean, this just, you know, it's not like I could have made a case and, you know, maybe play on Sunday. It was not going to happen.

There's rules. This COVID rules for a reason. We are not pandemic. So I just, you know, in a split second, I knew there's nothing I could do. And I basically accepted it. I was never resentful or blamed anybody. It's just, it is what it is, period. It could have happened to anybody.

It happened to me at that point. And I was just so focused on getting healthy for the U.S. Open that, and more than that, to be able to see my parents and spend time with them. I think the hardest thing out of all this is not being present when my parents met my son for the first time. Yeah, and I think that's why you gained so many John Rom fans that week that maybe were indifferent or whatever before. They saw the way you handle that. Like, I like this guy. And I think that's why so many people were.

we're pulling for you at the U.S. Open, but you mentioned like the power of positive thinking after the U.S. Open. Is there something that sparked that? Was that the memorial or was that something else? Or like what kind of led to this like mental transformation, I guess, if you want to call it that? No, I've always been very positive. But I think this case was a perfect example of shortly before a big event, something like this happens. And I've also mentioned from some of the biggest setbacks, you can have some of the biggest breakthroughs, right? So, I mean, and I say the power of positive things. thinking of just telling myself, you know, I'm okay, I'm positive. I have COVID. I'm not going to,

I, you know, I'm hoping I'm not going to get too sick because I know it can get sideways very quick. And I was like, you know, let's stay positive. Like, I'm going to play the open. I'm going to do well, you know, Kepa's going to be okay. Kelly's going to be okay. My parents are going to be okay. You know, it's all going to be okay. And I kept reminding myself that and even at home, I never got too desperate. I was bored as heck in my bed because I couldn't do anything. But I never got desperate. I always stayed positive. And I was. always did everything I could do to, you know, try to get the virus out of me. I was spending out how much time in the steam shower, just trying to sweat it out and trying

to get things out of me. Like, it was just, you'd have to think I'm going through a detox or something. I mean, it was unreal. The amount of hot showers I was taking, just trying to get things out of me. And I think that's, that was the key for my first negative was my swap, my PCR on Thursday afternoon. So literally five, six days after I test positive, I got my first negative. And now it's a huge thing because I'm like, well, if I get negative from the next one, I can actually go to the tournament early enough because if I had to wait the 10 days, I would have been able only to arrive to San Diego on Tuesday afternoon.

So just staying positive, good things happen. So being able to hit balls a couple days before, even traveling helped. I played 18 holes with my parents. I hadn't played with both my parents in the same group in maybe 10 years. So that was a great thing just for the soul itself. just to play. I played terrible, but, you know, I had fun with them, being able to get some workouts. And then the U.S. Open week, it's almost crazy to think that because of everything that happened is like I had a, I had an alibi, had an excuse. You know, if I played bad, well, I had COVID. Yeah. Whatever.

Yeah, interesting. Very, very true. Yeah, but I mean, I've never seen you so calm on the golf course, especially with having a chance to win. Like, the back night, I mean, it just looked like nothing was going to bother you. You're playing beautiful, beautiful golf. Were you looking at the leaderboards at all and knowing where you stood coming down the stretch? So I didn't want to look until the back nine, but like Drew said, there was so many people pulling from me that week that everybody was telling me where I was standing. Like obviously I know when I birdie one and two that I'm one back because they haven't even teed off yet, right? So I know I'm one back in that sense. But then, you know, after everything, I make my par on five, hey, you know, this is this happened.

You're one back. And I'm like, thanks. I don't want to know. Shut up. Yeah, and it was, I think, on 9, after the break, when, you know, I knew Bryson had birded 8. I knew he was at 5 on that. I'm like, he's going to birdie 9 because for him is reachable unlike the rest of us. So that's when I chose to actually start looking.

It was on 9 when I made the birdie. I looked. I knew Bryson was at 5. I looked back. I knew he was laying up, and I saw his shot into the green. I saw he had the 12 footers. I was like, you know what? Game on.

I'm one back. I was like, if I can make it through 13, even par. this is it's a good score it's tough to make it even part through those four holes and i'm including 13 because when you have a 610 year part 5 with that rough and that pin location apart is good yeah a lot of people lost it right there a lot of people didn't get through that stretch and that's where it weeded into you know you and louis coming down the stretch and then 17 18 obviously where that's where all the fireworks happen looking back on it now is there one shot during that two-hole stretch that got your nerves up more than any other shot during that stretch well the one

You're feeling it the most. Bunker shot in 17. From the fairway? Yeah, just because... Yeah, it's a gap wedge. And, you know, if it was an eight iron, I'll be less concerned. It's not the lip itself, but with an eight iron with the cavities, at least you can actually somewhat misheaded and still maybe get it on the green.

With a gap which, the difference of being 20 yards or 20 yards long, 20 yards short of the pin is not that big on the swing. So that was the key. especially because it was that downwind, right? I'm like, if I thin it and it just goes with a way it's just going to go along, I'm screwed. If I chunk it, it's not the easiest up and down. So that's the one I was the most nervous about. Did you even pay attention? I don't know if you noticed.

I'm sure you had to see it. But there was a ton of grass from like somebody's divot right behind your ball. Oh, I know. We could see it off the T. And I told Adam, dude, is that grass? Like, can we, what's going on? Can I move it? And I was literally about, what, this far past it?

Yeah. And we know who it was. I'm not going to say who it was, but we know who it was. Four caddy. Four caddy. Yes. As a former caddy on the PJ Tour, that's Bush League. Bush League. It's actually, it's a good friend of mine. It's a very likable player. And I know we know who it was. And it's unlike, very unlike his caddy to do something like that. Very unlike him. Well, the fact that it played out the way it did makes that a little easier for him to swallow. If it had been sitting right there in the divot, he might have been like, oh my God. I just changed history.

Well, I know you can move the grass, but I would have to be really careful. That would be tricky, yeah, with all that. Now, that would have been, I don't know if I would have been able to hit it inside 35 feet if I have to hit it from the grass. So I don't know. Well, then you go to, you mentioned you had a great gap wedge. And then you have this put on 17 that breaks four or five feet downhill left or right. More, more than, yeah. Okay, more.

Yeah. I mean, you can take us through it better than weekend. I was just on my couch watching it. But, I mean, what was the heart rate like? What were the emotions like when you saw that ball? ball starting to break towards the hole well um obviously i'm very concerned about the speed right it's like yeah i can get away like i'm still at four on there i can still parr birdie and give myself a chance to win because louis was still on 13 or 12 right i mean it's just and i wasn't hearing any roars behind me

so i'm like well they're not really going for birdies back here right so i knew i had a chance and the main thing was speed, right? I mean, but the one thing I can say is the more I got into the routine, the more I let the little kid in me hit that putt. And I just did like I did when I was a little kid. I basically see the entry point on the hole, and I kind of backtrack from there, and I kind of visualize the line and the high point, right?

The high point of the arc, and that's where I aim, where the highest point of the put. And then I just see those last six feet of point. put going and and then I just feel it right that's that that's what I've always done that's what I do and I actually like hitting putts with that much break I actually can't enjoy it because that's where I grew up in I grew up in point of greens and none of those grains you can have a straight put most of the time it's going to be heartbreaker so it's something I'm familiar with and yeah I mean not like I was expecting to make it or anything like that but when I hit it and that ball hits the apex

I was like oh man that actually looks good and you never know in point of greens you can hit the the slightest imperfection it maybe doesn't go in but that ball you know had a good role going in he kind of stuck to the ground and kept going and going and going and i didn't let myself believe that was going in until there's like two feet left and you know that's kind of when i start raising the putter or like feeling it it's a very late reaction and like 18 yeah and then you go to the 18t and you got to hit that i mean more or less you got to hit that fairway to have a chance to go forward into i didn't see anybody reaching that thing especially where that pin was going for it from the rough. How hard was it to get yourself

after all that and the uppercut and everything? How hard was it to get your heart rate back down to settle in and hit that shot that T-ball on 18? Yeah, not that bad. The guys in front were still on the fairway, so we waited a little bit. It's a T-shot I hit good all week. It's a T-shot that really fits me.

I mean, it's straight left to right way into a fairway that slopes right to left. I'm like, for a fader of the golf ball, especially with how good I hit it that day, I basically aimed down the left half of the fairway, kind of took a little bit of a step left and strong as hard as I could. Fully knowing that if I misheaded,

I'm going to be in the right bunker and I still can go for the grain from that right bunker. I still have a chance to diso play, and I basically just let it go. I went as hard as I could. Yeah. Well, it was a thing of beauty. And I got to ask you,

because I believe you get four-iron for your second shot, correct? I mean, for most of us mere mortals, that's really not ideal with anything on the line, but, you know, water in play, you know, missing it right, it's not the greatest thing. And in my mind, when I watched you make that golf swing, like, that was one of the purest strikes I've ever heard you had. It just looked like you just pushed it just the hair. That was the best swing all week.

You absolutely plus. That's what I thought. Yeah. So it's crazy because all week I hit good T shots. And that far away kind of has a dip and then he goes to a downhill, right? And all week I'd been standing on that downhill with no chance of hitting. really that front part of the green all week, which, I mean, I'm in the faraway, right? I'm not going to complain.

But just that day, that ball stayed enough on the upslope where I didn't have to worry about height. So I'm like, perfect. And the wind's whipping pretty hard left or right, but the trees and the grandstands kind of block you a little bit. So you can't feel the true strength of it. So if you see the shot, you have the pin, and then you have the two TV cameras on the left. So I'm playing a straight shot at the TV cameras. And it was about as flush as I could hit it. That thing starts at the TV cameras, fades.

about two yards and hits the apex. And I'm looking at it like, well, this is going to fall pretty much straight down right on the pin. I'm going to have 20 feet for Eagle. And it just keeps drifting and drifting and drifting. And then, you know, I mean, it was still very little just right off the grain. It was a really, really good shot. It's just the wind just got it a little bit more than I thought it was going to for how

good it hit it. But again, I mean, it's just sea level, that thick marine layer. It happens. And then, yeah, it was a really good shot that ends up getting not a great bounce, in my opinion works through the like a little bit of a down slope on that on that third shot that you have not the greatest lie of all time you got up there and you hit that bunker shot out to the right pretty quickly did it ever into your mind to go at that would you have even done that is it just impossible or like Thursday morning would you have tried to go at that flag or no it's no chance yeah the only chance

I had to keep it on the green was hitting the pin if I go at it or landing it just off the bunker which it's an unnecessary risk when I'm tied for the open especially knowing that louis had at that point I think it was on 14 so like he still has to go through 15 16 and 17 I just like I mean this I just had to give myself a chance that was it and I was feeling confident I mean I've been putting good all week it's not like you're gonna make good long pots on at Torrey pines but if you see all my pots on the back night I mean I'm burning edges all day so again I chunked it slightly of the bunker so it landed more on the downslope and he didn't get as quite as far up the slope as I wanted to because that would have

roll back down maybe a couple more feet and giving me a less of a breaker or less of a downhill put but still I mean we're talking yeah three feet it's not like I had much of a choice but I mean and then you have this put to you know post six under par and you have a little bit of a history on this green yes one that you know I'm very happy for you but the first time you made one there kind of pained me a little bit because I knew my pocket was about to get a little lighter but that's the story for another day But take us through the birdie pot on 18. In my mind, I mean, it didn't break near as much as 17, but it kind of was nice because it had the same shape, though, left or right

and about the same distance. It was a smaller version, yeah. Just slightly smaller version. Very similar pot, though. I mean, I think I aimed that one maybe two to three feet left. The other one was more like five, six, maybe seven. I don't really remember exactly, right? I couldn't tell you.

But same thing, just let's break. Very, very similar. And I can tell you on this one, as soon as I hit it, as soon as I hit it, before I look up, it felt so good, I'm like, that's it. That's why when I start seeing, and I look up and I see that bowl rolling exactly what I visualized. I mean, the day ended the way it started with the most, basically the most visualized shot,

the closest to the visualization that I've ever had in my life and two shots in the tournament like that. And usually you're lucky if you hit one, right? I mean, I had that second one. And, yeah, I mean, 10 feet left. You can see I'm like slowly kind of believing like, oh my God, it's coming in. Yes. Yes. I mean, that one, that one definitely as soon as I hit it, thought it was in. Took that hard right turn. And you didn't know what Louis was doing at the time.

But in your mind, as you're standing over that put, do you think this is to win the U.S. Open? This is to give me a playoff at the U.S. Open. What are you, like, was there either of those going through your mind? Like, this is either to win or getting a playoff? I don't know why. But that day I was thinking more in numbers. So when we got a 14 and I missed that short pot on 14,

which was actually a good role. It's just kind of got a little bit of a bump. I told Adam, two fours, two threes, we win the tournament. Simple as that. 15, 16, 17, 18, right? doesn't matter the order I couldn't care any less just two fours two threes and yeah I mean I made four on on 15 three on 16 and three on 17 so honestly I was just thinking on six under I wasn't thinking names I don't think I ever thought about names I was just trying to get to five under once I got to five

let's get to six under and that's all I was thinking I thought six was a really good number because louis had been basically defending the lead most of the day or most of the last couple hours and he was about to find himself one back. So that's a tough switch to change right on the spot, especially in the U.S. Open when you can get a little tight because of the faraway. So I was just thinking numbers. And I mean, you had an incredible reaction. The fist pump. The crowd was going nuts. Looking back at it, which reaction do you like better? You're won at the U.S. Open or your first win in 2017 because both were epic? It's different. I mean, they're very different. That pot I made on the farmers was unexpected.

Like you're trying to make it, yes, but I was trying to hit it as close as possible to the hole. And I think it was more of a surprise reaction in that sense. And two pods would have been enough. I like this one better because I had, you know, I had to make it to get myself the best chance possible, right? And it's a makeable pod. And I don't know. It's also a U.S. Open. So, yeah, I mean, I would say this one was a little bit bigger.

And then you go to the range, getting ready for a playoff. You don't know if you're going to be in one or not. Where were you? What were you doing? and what did you think when you found out Louis drove it into the penalty area on 17? So our good friend Jason Gore actually took me into the USGA, the little headquarters they had. And he took me in there. And at first he took me into his office where cameras couldn't get to me for a little bit

because I just needed five minutes to try to calm down. And I watched Louis play 15 and 16, or 16 hit it on the green. I went to the bathroom and then it was when I stayed out and the cameras were on me. So there was a five minute gap, maybe a little bit more where you couldn't see me. of that. I just needed five seconds for myself, drink some water. And then, yeah, I was from that little headquarters, and I watched pretty much 17 T shot at. So he went in the water before I went to the range. But he was so far up there that I knew he could still hit a close and make a par. Right. So, again, Louis also had just made Eagle the day before on 18. So I'm like, it's still a possibility.

You always have to stay ready. Plus, the last two times I posted a lead, somebody came in from behind and birded 18 to type me and have to go into a playoff. And I've won both of the times because I stayed ready for a playoff. So I just basically mentally stay ready the whole time. And on the range, Adam was trying to have it on the phone, but it wasn't really working. It was delayed. We did see the putt miss. So basically, I don't know who it was. I think everybody related to the broadcast. We're basically telling us what was going on. But I didn't see the shots on 18. I just heard it. Did the weight just feel like it was forever? Like, come on, Louis, hurry up. Get this thing going. I hated it. I mean, I don't mind being on the thick of things and have those narrows and those

butterflies. That's fun. But it's, I think the waiting, it's more of a state of panic. It's completely just like unsettling because there's nothing I can do. And you're there watching and you don't want to watch. It feels like it's forever. I mean, it felt eternal. It was not fun, not enjoyable. But at the end, yeah, it was really fun, obviously. Then you had Phil over there chatting up Kelly the whole damn time over there getting very comfortable with Kelly. I didn't even see that. I can tell you. I had no idea that was going on.

Oh, really? Yeah. You grabbed her a chair, brought it down there. It was a true gentleman, Phil. Well, I can only, I can tell you as much as I was nervous, he was probably way worse. Oh, yeah. And so were my parents. Without question.

Yeah, because I bet my dad was in the brink of cardiac arrest every shot on the back night, especially when I wasn't playing watching Louis. So, yeah, I mean, Phil was a gentleman. I mean, Kelly had never been in that situation. before so she asked him what she should do if she's stand behind besides me or not and and ben and phil was really nice about you know getting the chairs making her keeping conversations so she forgets about it and just telling her what to do and it was slowly right once louis was getting close to hit and he's lay up they started walking down the far away because i feel like phil knew he's not going to hold that shot

out i mean you couldn't spin it back because he was so close he had to land and just short of the pin and it's like it's tough to hold it out but you know in my mind i'm like he could still hold it out and And they slowly started coming up. And when I saw her, it was like five, ten seconds later when they told us that, you know, he had missed it. Plus, we heard a little bit of cheer. But you never know what's going on. It could have him McKinsey Hughes hit in a good shot, right? So you don't know.

What was that moment? I mean, once you found out it was official, though. What was that moment like? I mean, you obviously have Kelly and Kepa there and then Phil as well. And that had to be just one of the most special moments of your life. I saw the images, the replay, and there's a bit of like a five-second word I freeze. but they tell me it's over and I freeze and I'm like

I couldn't process it because I just couldn't believe it right I think I thought what everybody thought is like cannot believe that where I was three weeks ago or two weeks and a little bit to this point what's happened and the fact that I went at Torrey Pines

and Father's Day and everything that happened those few weeks coming in together I just couldn't believe how much of a fairytale ending we had and yeah I mean it was pretty incredible. Dude, it legit was like a fairy tale in the way with what happened at Memorial. Then you coming in, Father's Day, Kepa's there,

your wife's there, your parents are in for the first time you hadn't seen them in forever. You may win 10 plus more majors in your career. Is there like legitimately, is there any way to top this one? I mean, what else could possibly be involved for this? Oh, that one was better than Tori. I doubt it. It's not normal and not to do it my own horn and everything,

but when you see two of births, Burdies and 16 and 18 to win a U.S. Open. It just doesn't happen. I know Jack did it at Pebble, but he had a three, four-shot lead. Tom Watson did in a Pebble as well, and he had a one-shot lead. I don't know if it's happened many times before where somebody comes in from behind and Bertie's the last two holes. This doesn't usually happen.

You don't usually see it. You've seen it Augusta. A couple of people have done. I think it was Mark O'Meara. I remember Arna Palmer doing it as well. it can happen in other events it just doesn't usually happen in the open field dated at the at the open championship in your field but now you don't see a u.s open right typically it's not a place where you can make birdies down the stretch it's kind of like a bogey that might save you or hurt you right so it's

i think it's going to be hard to beat everything combined especially the fact that it was at torrey pines which is our favorite place it's your spot yeah it's our spot yeah it's tiger spot but that's your spot you've taken over it's no longer no no no i'm not i'm not that's a lot of it's not That's ROM's territory. I'm six wins behind. I don't think it's going to have any mind. That shows me. It's like your golf IQ is so high.

Like you know the game. And one of the coolest moments I thought was in one of your press conferences, you said how you remembered Lee Westwood's, but dying off and breaking hard at the right there on 18. Like you pay attention. You study the game. I think that's so cool. Because a lot of guys, you know,

they try to be cool and be like, oh, when I'm not playing, I don't watch golf. But you're not like that. I've only heard one guy say that. Who are you talking about, Cole? Who's too cool for golf, bro? Oh, okay. Oh, okay.

Oh, come on. I remember him. No, I remember him telling me what I did in Ireland when I won for the first time in Ireland. So come on. It's not like... Yeah, he's watching.

I mean, maybe not as much as I do because I just love the game. I absolutely love it. Like, I'll watch it. I'll watch a playoff the other day that a whole playoff. I'll be watching. I'll watch the whole Sunday,

the whole broadcast of every single day. I just love it, especially kind of flashbacks if we go into a tournament where I haven't played before. I did it in college, kind of like, you know, that's the thing of, man, I want to be there someday and I want to, you know, learn from those guys. I've seen Tigers find a round at Pebble in 2000, 30,000 times. I mean, I've seen so many of them so many times. And I just, and it's also a tool of what you had. And I had watched the broadcast of Sunday of the U.S. Open at Tori, because the course hadn't changed

since then. I think they only added the T-box on 13 on the back and the T-box in 15. The greens were exactly the same. So you can actually get a bit of a sense if there's a common theme on people on certain greens. You can actually get an idea of how to play certain things. Maybe strategy, not really, because I'm comfortable at Tory. I'm pretty much going to hit driver everywhere. But around the greens, you can get an idea. And that's something that stuck with me, you know. Tiger also said once that his pot took a lot longer for, for it to break than he thought. And it's because that grain at the end kind of faces, for my angle,

faces towards the back. So that's why his pot didn't really break that much towards the water because it's a little bit more towards the back of the grain right there, more than it looks. And that's why Lee is completely died off to the end. So I knew that if I hit it with perfect speed, it was going to come in sideways at the end. And if you see the put has a little bit of pace to it.

So I wanted to have, you know, one to two foot past speed just so that wouldn't have. happen. I don't know. That's just something I remembered. It's not that I'm thinking about it on the moment, but afterwards I'm like, oh yeah, I like, I remember kind of visualizing it because I saw leaves. It's kind of weird. And when they show highlights of the U.S. Open and Torrey Pines 50 years from now, you're going to be right next to Tiger Woods and his putt in 08 in years this year. It's a little bit different. We need to birdie it to win, to go into a play. I have a broken knee. I mean, that's always going to be more special just because of the situation.

That's a hard one to top, but it's still going to be right there. But now that you've won one, Did it take you longer or shorter than expected to get your first major? Or right in line with what you thought. I mean, I'm not going to put guidelines or, I would say, as a, I mean, as a perfectionist, and I am longer, I wish it would have been earlier. I mean, trust me, it's one thing that happens in golf, when you've played at a high quality, you know, play a high quality game or, you know, tournaments for two, three, four years is that you get put on that best player to never win

a major list very, very, very quick. And I'm like, guys, it's been five years since I played my first US Open 20 majors. It's like, are you supposed to win a major always that quickly just because there's like four guys that did it? Right. I mean, I know JT won early, Speed won early, Tiger obviously won really early, but then you have many cases where somebody like Tom Kite, he won in his 40s for the first time. It's just Phil, Sergio. Ben Hogan didn't win his first until he was in his 30. and then 1-9, right? It's just, there's so many cases where it's, it just doesn't happen when you do it that early.

And not that I was, I would say, earlier or later, but it was at the right time. It's so cool, everything that's happened. But I got to ask, what's been the best moment with the trophy off the golf course? I don't know. I haven't thought about it. Like, you mean, I mean,

I mean, did you have, Have you had your cereal out of it? I mean, No. I put your kid in. I saw you trying to stuff Kappa in there. I tried. But if you open the,

if you ask you the top, there's like two little things that come out. They're pretty pointy. And I was like, I'm not going to try to get him in there and hurt him. He, I mean, he's,

for his age, he's extremely tall. So, like, his feet are touching the bottom. He doesn't really fit. He's a big. How many months now?

Three? Yeah. Dude, he's big and he's damn near standing up already. I was holding him with Herman, which, by the way, It's terrifying you let him. Herman hold your baby. But I was like, this kid's ready to go.

There's one baby holding another baby. Good point. Good point. Yeah. He looks, he's the happiest person on earth when he's holding that baby. Oh, dude, he's giddy when he's holding that baby. Yeah. He likes to stand, like push his legs and try to stand. He doesn't know how to control his feet, so they kind of go all over the place, but he tries to.

He's already the betting favorite for the 2040 U.S. Open back at Tori Pines, from what I'm told. or he'll be an Olympian well in golf or in other sports whatever the hell he wants the genetics he's gonna have his pick of the litter I do have a video coming in mind it's a wine I was gifted by a friend oh heck people probably said

Phil would probably see and holding a bottle of wine waiting with Kelly right he was willing holding a bottle of wine and it was really nice wine that he gave me did not expect it so I got permission for him because I know all the wine drinkers of the world are gonna be so mad at me for doing this, but I will, I'm going to decant it in there and we're going to drink it out of that. What is it?

And it's going to be me and Kelly, I'm not going to say what it is for the video, but it's... We probably wouldn't even know. But it's... No, you know it. You know the brand. It's just not... It's from Phil. Yeah, it's probably pretty nice.

It is very nice. It is very nice. I've never had it. Are you at all concerned, John, that you'll never win big golf tournaments or be world number one unless you learn how to control your emotions. Until you get that, dude, you're not going to win shit. Well, no. You get those questions all. the time still. I saw you got one at the US Open. I was like, what are we doing? Guys

have done anything in freaking years. Like, how long are you going to hold on to something? Listen, I think it's a fair question. It's been a fair question for a long time. Especially, it's a fair question given the fact of how much calmer I was in Memorial and in the U.S. Open. There was a different demeanor to me on the golf course. And I think that's also what attracted all this people. In the past, I have probably not behaved my best. best in the golf course. There's been times of my emotions I've gotten the best of me. But for 99% of my career, getting angry is helped me. And that's what people don't realize. If you see me on the 11th T-box on that Sunday of Torrey Pines in 2017 after my putt, basically

1-8-10 for Bertie, I am losing my freaking mind. I am so pissed. And that's when I look at Adam, we're three back and I'm like, I'm fired at every single pen. Don't care what you say. I'm going to win this thing. And I go to the back right pin on 11. I hit it great. Hit it to 10 feet. Make birdie. Hit a great shot on 12.

Almost make birdie. Eagle 13. Eagle 18. Right? So it's like it helped me in that sense. Sometimes it kind of gives you like it gives, it's giving me an extra year so many times. Happen at Olympy Fields too. After I got the stupid ass penalty for picking up my ball for whatever reason.

Yep. That was strange. I basically, I laughed it off and I told Adam, you know what? We're going to win this thing. Because I'm sorry. This is just. I got mad and ended up winning it. There's been many occasions where I have,

but at the same time there's been some where I haven't. And in retrospect, looking back on it, I don't think I would have really won a major or had a better chance had I kept going the way I had. Because it's easy in regular events, but when you're magnified in a major and everything matters more,

I was always really aware. And there was a lot of times when I had part pots that I would just be trying so hard to make it just because I wanted it so bad. And it's not always the negative emotions. I had to control the wanting to win it so bad that I think is what changed. I've spoken of truly what happened and everything changed after the third round of the PGA. I finished bogey-boge and I'll be fully honest here on everything. I'm mad because I really just shot myself out the tournament, right?

And I look over and it feels like 10 out. And I'm like, well, this is over. And I get to the press conference, and I'm like, they're asking me a question, the usual question. Well, tell us how today went. And I'm like, haven't you freaking been watching for the last four hours? I'm not happy, right? I play great golf and I finish bogey, bogey. I'm pissed.

I don't want to talk to you about what happened because I'm mad. And that's when I said, to be honest, I don't want to be here. And meaning I didn't want to be at the press conference because it's just, I knew what question was coming and it made me mad. And I didn't handle that my best. And, you know, it's a little embarrassed. I get home and I look at Kepa. And I'm like, I'm aware that I've been a role model in the past of people, but not in a direct way like this. I look at my son.

He's two months old and is smiling and playing with me. And I'm looking at him like, to this guy, it doesn't matter if I went 15 majors, 17, 65, or saying it badly I shit to bed the next weeks of my life. He truly doesn't care. And I was like, you know, but what I can do is be a good role model for him. He's going to learn from what I do. He's going to see what I do and try to copy me. He will learn from me. So I can't try to be, I have to try to be the best role model possible for my son.

And I didn't tell anybody this. I don't think anybody knew. I made a deal with myself. And that next day I went to the golf course, started playing. And I was feeling the exact same way, but game wise. But for whatever reason, mistakes just kind of just float through me like nothing had happened. I remember on one I hit a great t-shot, hit a great wedge shot that lands next to the pin and goes long

and I struggle for par. And I look at my catty-out and I'm like, man, that was a great wet shot. When in the past, I probably would have complained and tried to blame somebody else, right? And I don't know, it's just, I think all this seven years of work I've done with my mental coach, trying to get ready and try to improve, which is, you know, there was steady improvement.

There's always setbacks. But I think I had one of those moments of realization just by looking at my son. And I feel like everything that I learned kind of clicked. And after that, the golf I played has been unbelievable. Now, with that said, I remember that question I got asked after the third round of the U.S. Open because I shoot one over. And the question is, well, how close were you to loosen it out there, John? I'm like, seriously, did I look like I was about to lose it at any point?

Like, in the past, probably. And I'll give it to you. I've probably lost it in majors and I've lost majors because of it. To being fully honest. But those are things that had to happen for me to get to what I am right now, right? But like, they asked me that question. They asked me the same thing at Augusta. Like, I'm coming in without practicing after the birth of my son.

And I hit a T-Shadow 9 after 3-putting 8, right? Three-potted for bogey and a part 5 after a good T-shot. I wasn't happy. And I hit it on 9, and I'm fading a little bit too much as you're going towards the riot race. And I'm like, man, hit it, win, hit it, win, get lucky. And after the run, they're like, hey, man, you know, you got mad over there or nine. I'm like, I got mad. Yeah. What do you mean I got mad? Like in that

Saturday round, I was like, man, I was not happy with my swing, but I was never losing it. I mean, got it to you. It was open to hard golf course. And I do also think it's fair for them to ask the question. They need to write. They need to try to sell. And sometimes some media can be really quick

to just make a thing, your thing, right? Like mine is getting mad. Phil's his hitting bombs and doing crazy things, right? Oh, this might be another thing. And that's what they talk about. Why else? Would they always talk about Bryson every single day about him hitting drivers. Right? It's just the one thing they categorize you on, and that's what they're going to talk about.

And I'm always going to get that question, and there'll be better days and there'll be worse days, but I definitely saw a shift from that PGA. And if you see the competitive rounds I've played, that Sunday of the PGA till Sunday of the U.S. Open, there are some pretty good rounds of golf. Because, I mean, none of those courses were easy, none of the conditions were easy, and I've been able to play really good in all of those. Um, that's a little story, you know. Yeah.

They say in Spain that a baby comes with, uh, they say bread under their arm, like a little, like something like a present under their arm. And for me, it's not the US open. It's, I believe the sense of presence and priority. Like, I don't know. It just happened to where if something happens, something that might have bothered me in the past. I'm like, eh.

Yeah. Like it's, it's his the priority. As long as he's okay, I couldn't care anyway. It's like, whatever. The biggest perspective change that you can have on the planet without question. without question. Well, John, it's been awesome. I mean, that's so cool to hear.

I know we're so proud of you. Here at Golf Sopar, you've been great with us. But when are we going to see you again? What's next? When you teeing it up? So I'm leaving soon a couple of days going to Scotland. So I'm going to tee it up in Scotland, play the Open afterwards, and then the Olympics.

And I've chosen to not go to Memphis, most likely not going to go to Memphis because I feel like it's a lot of flying. Luckily, I'm high enough in the FedEx Cup to where I don't have to stress. about being up there, come to the playoffs. So I'm going to take those two weeks off before the playoffs, because then we have playoffs,

Ryder Cup, I'm defending in Spain, and I have quite a bit going on in the fall as well. So I'm going to take that week off. Plus, I'm not going to lie, being at 100 in humid like it is in Memphis, it just doesn't sound good. Don't blame you in the least, and you've got the Open Championship coming up.

Back to back ain't cheating, dude. Back to back ain't cheating. You go get two in a row, brother. We'll try, yeah. We'll be rooting for you. You know, for people, it's a little, I have a little bit of a history.

that too the first ever tournament i played in the uk was royal st georgias so the first ever golf swings i made i think i was 14 and the lynx golf course was uh was royal st georgias royal saint port and and prince and princess i think it is the other golf course around there where so uh you know it's a very very you know very you know very different golfer than i was 12 years ago but uh you know a little bit of a vibe going on there I'm hopefully looking for some redemption from that tournament and playing a little bit better. A little history, little good vibes. Well, best of luck to you, dude. We appreciate you so much for coming on, man.

Congratulations. Don't puke in the trophy or do. Who cares? No, God, no. Thank you so much for coming on. I know you're in high demand right now, so we appreciate you coming on subpar. Three-time guests, brother. Appreciate you.

I'm always going to prioritize you guys. Come on, man. You're the best. That's why we love it. Love it. John Rom, you're U.S. Open champion. All right. Well, that was our guy, John Rom, the U.S. Open champs.

I was very jealous. I didn't get to be there in studio with you, John, and the trophy. The trophy was there. Trophy was looking good. I was shocked that they hadn't, like, you know, you watch the Open Championship, and they got the claret jug and they're etching it in there as the guy's winning. I thought that once you took the property or the trophy off property, it would have your name on it.

But John's not on there yet. You've got to send it in and get it. But, I mean, dude, holding that trophy, like you've been able to do as well. it's really cool just like think of all the fricking talent that's been on that trophy and then just the one night that I've hung out with it I'm like God, there needs to be a documentary that like follows around these major championship trophies and just

like shows the life of the trophy because it's going to go through some wild wild shit over its time. Yeah and you mentioned the engraving part even when I won the US Amateur like you're responsible for getting an engraved. They don't have somebody good. So I'm like I could just put like slap dick 2007 on there and Or there's nothing you can do. Yeah, make it size 28 font 10 times bigger than everyone else's.

Drew still, I mean, I just thought they would have done it like the, like the Claret Jug or whatever. But his will be on there. And like I said, that trophy, that thing has to go through hell. There's got to be a lot of some insurance on that thing because, I mean, everyone that touches it, it's like the highlight other year to, you know, party with it. Yeah, and I'm very interested to hear if he has to pay for it. I thought Jeff Ogilvy told me it's like nine. grand and they just kind of take it out of your check.

But I need to know that if the U.S. Open champ gets one for free and the U.S. Amherer champion has to pay for one when you don't make any money for it, it's ridiculous. And just can we just not make you pay for trophies at all if you win a U.SGA event? Can you not just throw that in like the entry fee or something? I mean, the guy just won $2.25 million. Maybe you chunk them the, you know, the Lakers don't win the NBA title and then you win the MVP and they're like, ah, it's going to be 15 grand, LeBron. I'm sorry about the MVP trophy.

What are we doing? Give it to them for. free. Man, so cool. Our first major championship for golf so far. Love having John on. He is just a fantastic interview. You know, one of the most open guys out there and always enjoy sitting down with him. And look out for him at the Open Championship next week. Might just go back to back. Be interesting to see if the Arizona State Sundowels can keep this little trend up. They went back to back major. Maybe Paul Casey slides in there and keeps it going. They're thumping. Yeah, PC right now. I mean, he ain't too far off than any of these things. So he's got a chance to.

but yeah, I wouldn't bet against John Rom right now. He's feeling himself as he should. The golf game is noised right now. So it's going to be fun to watch over there across the pond. All right. Let's get to the gambling part of the show. We've got the John Deere Classic this week, not the strongest field in the world,

the week before the British Open. Only four of the top 50 in the world. Sleys last week, you went with the heavy favorite, Bryson de Shambo. And obviously we know what happened with the caddy situation, an absolute disaster missed the cut i had a decent week with jason cocrack for the tie for 12 but very disappointing back nine um should have made a lot more money but you know what it is what it is i know i made up a little bit of ground producer mark how those standings looking now yeah cole you made a

made a dent this week not a big one but you're down below a million the lead is shrunk to eight hundred seventy three thousand seven hundred and nineteen dollars all right so very very doable And the purse is bigger this year at John Deere. It's $6.2 million. We're in the past. It's been around $4 million, so a chance to make up some ground. I have the honor. And like I said, only four of the top 50 in the world there.

So kind of slim pickings. But I'm going with a guy who's won here. Has played nine events. Since the players, he's played nine events. He has eight top 20s in one miscut. And that was at the PGA championship. Seems to just be up there every single week. Brian Harmon, the little bulldog.

Yeah, the little bull though. He just seems to not be doing anything wrong. Just drives it straight, hits it on the green, makes a lot of pucks, occasionally misses. It just seems to be over and over right now. He's in a very nice form. I like that picture. And a future guest of golf so far. And an upcoming guest, that is correct.

A big, big year for him right now. A lot of good shit going on for Brian Harmon. Man, massive. Well, I was going to go, Colt, with our guy, Boogny Knight, Boogie Knight, Daniel Berger, as the betting favorite. But he hasn't played in so long, and I went, I bet the betting favorite last. week and it went to shits on me. So I'm going a little bit down the list.

The guy that I'm shocked Cole, I haven't picked yet this year because I love them for a long time. But I've been just holding off on him, but I'm going Sung J.M., 16 to 1. He's the third betting favorite, finished eighth at the Rocket Mortgage. He's just the guy that really never doesn't play golf and doesn't play golf well.

He plays so many events and seems that it well all the time. So I got to think he's going to have a pretty good week this week at the John Deere. So I'll go Sungay, try to bring this thing home. Yeah, you really went way down the list to hold two more spots. All the way to third, dude. By the way, I saw Sungay recently coming from the PGA. I mean, he's the Iron Man at the PGA tour.

He plays 100 weeks a year, it seems like. He goes up to the TSA pre-check line and gets denied. He doesn't have TSA pre-check. I had to go through the regular line with the compliment folk. I'm like, Sung-J, what are we doing here, my man? I mean, you can make an argument that he doesn't even need to be at a commercial airport right now. But if you are, dude, get pre-check or get clear. You should be on clear at least.

Like, he spends more time in airports than probably any human and professional golf. And he's got to just check in regular. That, that hurts my, that hurts me. I don't, I do pre-check and I am nowhere near the amount of travel days, Sung Jay, M.S. So Sung-J, you got to tighten that up. I hope that doesn't affect him at the deer, bro.

It might be still. It's a short flight. Short flight, Detroit, Moline. He'll be fine. Good point. All right. Well, that's going to do it for us. I know, I know we promised you, Jason Gore,

this week, last week, but we had this special John Rom episode come up. We couldn't, we couldn't hold on to it. We had to put it out there. So next week, our guy Jason Gore will join us on Golf Stuffar. Everyone, have a great week. We'll talk to you next week.