THE ED MYLETT SHOW - Zach Johnson - Ed Mylett's Fitness Regimen

Episode Date: January 2, 2017

Zach Johnson (Zach has won 2 major championships and is one of the greatest golfers in the history of golf), 3rd winningest golfer on the PGA Tour over the last 20 years.

This is the admiral show. Okay, my guest today is one of the greatest golfers of his generation. Although he was just sharing with me that didn't necessarily start out that way. This is somebody who is not even the number one golfer on his high school golf team. And rarely played the number one in college. I was in fact, I was reading that he did not even make first team all conference in college. And then he ends up going on to be, listen to this everybody, he joins a few guys you may have heard of before. He joins Sam Sneed, Sevy Biasistero, Nick Fowldo, and two guys named Jack Nickless and Tiger Woods in the history of the sport he's chosen, or has chosen him, called golf, as the only man in the

history of that game to win both the Masters and the Open Championship at St Andrews. And so quite a leap from number two or three in high school to joining Jack Nickless, Tiger Woods, Sneed, Bia by Astero and Fowldo. So Zach, thank you for being here. Oh, it's my pleasure, thank you. I'm here. It's gonna be good. I wanna read something to you, you said.

And what I wanna do today, I think your great strength is your mental game and your mental approach to the sport. And you know, I have these theories and one of them is that, you know, you're the more I've been around you, I've seen you're a business. Kind of like what Jay-Z says, you're not a businessman,

you're a businessman, and the game of golf is a business. And the more and more I'm around business people, I think they need to train and prepare like athletes do in this generation to be a modern, a modern successful business person. And I think more and more athletes have started to train like business people. And so think more and more athletes have started to train like business people.

And so I wanna talk about that a little bit. I read, I was reading something you said. You said, everybody talks about this guy's got so much talent because he hits it so far, referencing other guys. And he's so athletic, blah, blah, blah. And you said, I understand that, but that's physical talent.

There's also mental talent. And that's something I strive to get better at. I've always relished the fact that I can withstand the difficult tests. Some guys fold, some guys falter and I'm not suggesting all of them do because some guys are better than me in this regard. But I love being in difficult situations

and having to execute. You said, in basketball terms, I want the ball, I want the last shot, I'm not saying I'm definitely gonna make it but I'm not gonna pass it either I'm gonna shoot it and I like that mentality that's how I was raised I thought well it's how he was raised so your dad used to say to you supposedly winning is it everything but wanting to win is what does what does that mean for you and did he say that yeah I mean that there mean, what you just recited is something that I continued to, you know,

I bring that out and tell myself exactly that and a lot of instances. I certainly tell kids that, I tell other athletes that and individuals, you know, like you mentioned, in the business world, I mean, you know, it is such an individual game, you know, in the sense that really when it comes down to it, the executioner shots are what people notice or what your scorecard is indicative of, but, you know, there's more to it than just, you know, hitting a ball

and hitting again. There's so much that goes on outside the ropes, inside the ropes. There's so much between the years, you know, in the process of the game, in the process of each year, each week. You know, I mean, there's certain instances for me where, you know, making cuts is almost irrelevant. It's, where's the improvement? What's lacking? What, you know, what do I need to work on? Turning the negatives into positives, then and all that all that kind of mentality that you know i think athletes have to have i mean the best ones in the in the game and their support

you know really don't fixate on you know i guess you'd say the outcome they they're they're more concerned about how to get there and and when you get there you know you relish that and certainly want to improve all along but uh... i've got a great team of individuals as you know as you know and and guys that i trust and trust me and uh... you know i'm not the most dominating guy physically but i think

you know as an athlete that that is always necessary and especially in this in this game of golf that's so mentally demanding uh... there's just there's just more to it than a 315-year-old carry. Yeah, it's interesting to say, I was looking to your team, and I think you probably start to agree with your wife, Kim. But I look at you got this trainer, Troy, Damon Jircati, Bender's your swing guy, Bradger manager, Mosier mental coach, you got this group around you,

and they were saying what you just said about you, I was sitting on the range when you're hitting balls a couple weeks ago with Brad, and he said, maybe you could elaborate on this, because I, business people face this too, right? Like, not everybody's the most gifted communicator, or the best sales guy, or the most boisterous necessarily, but the guys that are, the guys that are winning are grinders, they're competitors, right? And I was, and they perform under pressure, you know, if they, it's a big sale, they can necessarily, but the guys that are winning are grinders, the competitors. Sure. And they perform under pressure.

You know, if they, it's a big sale, they can close it. If it's a presentation, they give it. They do their best under pressure. And it's Brad said to me, I go, what is it with him? Because I've played with you. I mean, you're, you're unbelievable player. You're one of the best of your generation. But you're not, you don't bomb it 340.

Right. And he said his gift his talent is a is a bigger talent which is under pressure he executes as well as he does when there isn't pressure maybe even a little bit better and most of the guys he plays with they're pretty good on Friday they might be all right on Saturday but Sunday on the back nine when they need to make a shot, he can make it. And is that true? How did you get that?

Are you that way naturally? Or is that something you've worked on with Mo or what is that? Yeah. I think it's probably a combination of a few things. I mean, you know, for me, I relish the opportunity where the nerves are heightened. I roll up the opportunity where truly, you know, the execution of the shot is pressure packed. I mean, that's why I practiced. And, you know, I've got certain drills and certain games, I guess, you will that I play with myself that allows me to, you know, somewhat mimic those situations without actually being in it.

But as an athlete, as an athlete, my life was sports as a kid. You kind of said, a golf pick me. I really didn't pick it. I were rather played probably anything else. But as a kid, I like the underdog story. I like the individuals, the teams that weren't supposed to. I mean, their backs were against the wall, and they stepped up.

I mean, growing up in Iowa, it's all up there. It's all college sports, and it was all those teams up there that had talent, certainly. And then, but it was the teams that could rise up to the difficult situations and occasionally knock off the big guys. And I've always had them and I've always loved that, you know, regardless of who it is or what team it is.

So that's always been embedded in me. And then what Dr. Mo, what I've learned with him is, you know, I think that's probably an innate trait I have or an intangible piece of competition I have instilled in me, but alongside of that, where I've learned, and this is the part that I think I've trained myself with, you know, I'm not going to wow you with a drive. I mean, unless you get wild with accuracy and boring shots, I'm not going to wow you. But what I can, I can continually his consistent shots. I keep the golf course in front of me and I don't put myself out of play too much. In this game, over 72 holes, that can pay dividends. More than that, what I've really learned and understood is what I need to practice and what I'm going

back to what you were talking about in the business world, what aspects of golf am I good at and what can I make better. You know, everybody talks about, well, I know my strengths, I know my weaknesses, I've got to work on my weaknesses, well, of course you do, but your strengths, your strengths, that's probably what got you where you are, why not improve those, why not sharpen those and polish those so for me it's my accuracy with my t-shirts my way of playing and obviously in the game of golf you got to put well and I'm not suggesting my great putter but anybody that's putting on the

weekend and they're on television specifically on Sunday and they're putting pretty well you know bottom line is there's about two or three things in my game when I go to the range might leave the house and practice you know I'm gonna hit my six iron I'm gonna practice some eight irons you know I'm gonna do that but I'm gonna hit more drivers wedges and a lot of putters and that's that's really what what does it those aspects are we're gonna allow me to climb the leaderboard I watched the open you bogey the 17th hole on the last day, right? And so you're on the 18th hole, you got, I think it's like about a 25 foot putt

and that putt inevitably if you make it's going to put you in a playoff to win the cleric jug, right? You have this actually happened to you. And so you're over that putt. I'm just curious, you're over that putt, you and Damon are, you're reading the putt if he helps you read the putt. Do you for a second reflect on all the grind you put in and all the work? Does that give you comfort confidence or what are you thinking in that second?

I'm curious. What goes into you more the championship? What's in your head in that second? I would say most of the time, no. I mean, you know, all the time and, you know and work and energy I put in does not surface in that instance. But what does surface is, fortunately, in that instance, because that one was very vivid still in my mind, is exactly what that putt was. What exactly was in front of me?

It was like you said, it was about a 25 foot putt, a little left or right, at the bottom of the, towards the hole, it kind of flattens out, it might even go left, based on what Damon has seen in his yard book, and from previous tournaments there, we kind of knew that pin placement leveled off, we knew that. So fortunately, I had all that, you know, I had all the information, you know, it comes down to execution, and the last thing that went from my mind was speed, and you know, I mean, because the bottom line line is you might know the line perfect but one you got to hit it on it too even if you hit it on it may not go on if you don't have the right speed.

So fortunately the speed was the last thing I went through my mind and I'm very grateful for that. I mean that's something that you know I continue to tell junior players, other pros is you can make a putt a number of different ways but your speed is ultimately the most important and fortunately that is what that's what surface for me. No it's interesting about that just I want to say this to you just from like a business side for people that are listening to this. A couple things you said in the last five minutes is bear repeating that one is that this simple repeatable kind of mundane routine

gives you security. I think this helps everybody perform under pressure is something they do that's repeatable, right? It's reflexive. You don't have to think about the million-punch you fit because it's a reflexive action for you just like somebody who's well-drilled and well-practiced in their presentation, for example. And then the other piece just to reinforce it is, you're in the moment, is really what you just said. You sound like I have time to think about it, I'm in that moment, and that's a lot of people, it's difficult because there are guys who have had that putt that are thinking, if I make this, what if I don't, they move forward into the future of what it might

look like if they do or don't, whereas it sounds to me as if you were so in the moment, you didn't have time for other thoughts. Is that accurate? Oh, without a question. That is exactly right. What exactly is in front of me? And that the single solitary stroke in front of me is a 25-foot foot left or right that might level off in the end.

And that's all. At that point, you really got to get down to how you prepared, trusting that. All, I mean, as you said, it's all the time and all the energy and all the work you put in. You don't have to reflect on it, but that should instill confidence. You've been in that situation before. So it really just comes down to, you know, for me, trusting my routine, the process of that, and then, you know, the execution trusting my routine the process of that and and then you know the execution

is what i can control i can control you know how many steps i take to the to go into the put i can take you know how many practice strokes i take how many looks i have of the whole et cetera and after that the outcome i don't want to say it's irrelevant but i can't i can't do anything more than what i know and what I can't control. The outcome will take care of itself. Is the routine the same every time when you're over a pot? Does your feet be? It could be.

It could be. I'm not just saying it is every time. I mean, every shot is different, but at the same time, it really should be. I mean, that's, you know, that's why I have Dr. Mowl. That's why I have those coaches and that's something that I continue to try to own and craft. I mean, it really should be. I mean, we always think of examples, and granted it's kind of pertinent right now because he's making a comeback, thankfully.

If you look at Tiger, especially when he was playing consistently, I mean, you couldn't tell, if you were rewinding a fast forward, you couldn't tell if it was a four-foot putt on Thursday on the 18th of all, or a six four foot putt on third day on the eighteenth of all or six foot putt on eighteen on Sunday to one of our term i mean it was almost the split second and that and that's just that's just a great sign of someone that's really disciplined someone that's really in the moment something really trust

what they're doing how they go about their execution that's what we're off-driving to do and uh... think that's, I think to you, I think when you say it, you kind of take that for granted. But that is one of the rarest things for an athlete or a business person to be able to do is rely on the routine. Typically, even a guy like Tiger Woods, he's an outstanding player.

It's mundane, grinding, repeatable stuff that gives him, like even your golf swing is a highly repeatable golf swing. I think that's one of the reasons that you are successful across the board is your golf swing's repeatable. It's not a lot of swings like yours on tour, but it's a really replicatable golf swing for you. I want to talk about practice just real quick, because I want to get in there,

because I have a son who will kill me if I don't ask you this question, and I think business people can this is gonna apply too. What is practice like for you? In other words, you just said something. You work on your strengths most of the time, but it gets tired of it. Is it the same thing, typically, do you mix it up, or what's practice look like for you?

No, I think it's a great question. I basically know when I go to the golf course, what I'm gonna do, how long I'm gonna do it, what my breaks are gonna be, when I'm gonna eat, et cetera. And I think it has to be though, I mean, I only have so much time throughout the day, and I'm also 40 years old, where my body can only do so much. So I go to the gym, that's a typical start.

Get a good workout in, get limber, and hopefully, just do like your body's in a good position. It's some golf balls and puttin' chip. I get to the golf course and, like you said, I've been my 90 plus percent of my practice. It covers three different things. And that's my driver, my wedges. When I say my wedges, I'm talking, you know, 110 yards and in, around the grain, distance control, and then obviously putt. So my putting specifically would be about 25% mechanics, and then about 75% on field, on games on feed. Really? What I've learned in the game of golf is what comes down to golf swing, you can kind of

say it's probably 75% technical and then about 25% feel. Well, I think the short game and the putting stroke and putting in particular is probably the opposite. I mean, there's a number of ways to do it. And I think it's that 75% feel, 25% mechanics, because it just requires so much speed and feel around the greens that it's just imperative.

So, you know, that's where I try to do most of my practice. And I've got numerous drills, numerous games, and we're always trying to fine tune that. But, I mean, I enjoy it. I enjoy the practice. Yeah, what you do is you, and this is for business guys too, you simulate game situations

and you distill it down to the three things, four things, whatever it is, that matter. That business people struggle to do that. It's important lesson to take away is you've got to simulate a real game situation with a client or a prospect or whatever it might be. Then you've got to distill down the two or three things you really need to be able to execute on under pressure. I want to ask you a couple of things.

I asked you a couple of years ago. I said, do you love golf? Because, and the reason the context for this is this. I think some business people, they hear all these things like you have to have passion, you gotta love what you do. And I'm here to tell people, I've made millions of dollars in business, I haven't loved what I do every second that I do it.

And I certainly, I certainly fatigue on process sometimes. You rely on process, I really don't process. But let me tell you what you said back to me, it was interesting, because I certainly, I certainly fatigue on process sometimes. You rely on process. I really have process. But let me tell you what you said back to me. It was interesting because I remember I, I've repeated that you said this to me to other athlete friends of mine. And I said what he said was he goes, I don't know. I, I like golf, but I've, and you said I friggin love competing. Like, is that like, and I know it's hard to talk about yourself this way, but are you kind of like one of those nut ball competitive type people like no matter what it is, and

that's gotta give you some edge. What did you mean when you said that? Elaborate a little bit. Yeah, no, yeah, I did say that. That's a really good memory. You know, yeah, I mean, again, I do. I like the game of golf. I mean, you know, I don't, if I take a week off,

I don't really have a massive itch to go practice or play like I once did, but I don't mind going there. Fortunately, I like the gym more so than I do the game of golf just because at this day and age, the only way I'm to keep competing is if I stay healthy. So longevity and your prevention, the gym is the main thing. So with that, yeah, I thoroughly enjoy competition. It doesn't matter if I'm watching it, if I'm in it, if my kids are in it, if my niece or my nephew is in it, I just enjoy it.

I love witnessing it. You know, niece or my nephew's it. I just enjoy it. I love I love witnessing it. You know I love winning. I mean there's no question I like winning but you know as an athlete I guess and as a competitor I probably get I want to say satisfaction. I probably get more out of losing. I probably get more out of the moments where you know I, I put all the time in and, you know, I'm in the situation where I have an opportunity to win and I don't come through. But man, I still love it. If anything, those moments drive me to be better. And I just, I don't know what it is. You know, fortunately, I don't mind the practice in the grind to get to those situations.

But I know I'm a realist in the sense that i just it's just not always going to call in all the balls i always going to live in they could live out and that's okay that's okay because i feel like sometimes i'm going to get my time i'm going to get my shot and i'm going to relish that when i get it by the way is that true by the way so i i don't i think it was a pga the year dj had that issue in the bunker I think people forget you could have won that golf tournament. Couldn't you was that here? Is that right? You need yeah, okay, you finish like third. You think you finish like third day. No, no I think three that's correct. I can hear in your voice the little twinge but but honestly so you walked away from there

Not depressed or bummed out very long it turned into more fuel for you really is that right? Well, no, I'd be lying to you. When I left the golf course, the immediate feelings, the immediate, I guess you say reflection was I was pretty upset. I don't want to say I was pissed, but that was mad. I mean, I Can look back on it Ed and I can tell you that was it was when straight in 2010 that We was the best ball striking week. I think I've had T-Degrean Or at least one of the top three that I've ever had and it was in a major and I'm like My pudding would have shown it would have been a different story, but it didn't and

You know again, I'm if i look back on it i mean i made about a twelve footer for par and eighteen to tie for third you know and quite frankly we know no dust issue to one determined by two shots instead of uh... sort of losing it but you know that that's a role in it so uh... yeah i mean you know it's it's the immediate reaction after losing is not necessarily a positive, but if you sit back on it and think about it and look back on it, you're like, well, she's looking at all what you did.

Like, you got yourself in that position. And the guy that came on top was just how much better that week or again, just put what's in and yours did, you know, or he chipped in and you did. You know, I mean, whatever it is, it's just the such a fine line when you get the highest level on any sport or any competition or any venture, any business. I mean, when it comes down to it, you really just got to accept the fact that you're just not always going to get the outcome that you desire or visualize. However, if you keep at it and you trust what you're doing, it's going to happen

at some point. And I'm fully believe in that. I've got great coaches that trust in me and I trust them. And it's always a big picture. You know, the way I say, you got to have a vision for the future, but your focus has to be right now. That's really good. Speak to that. I don't have too much more time, but I love that, by the way. That's like a replay that part of the audio right there part. So you just described a few weeks ago you were talking exactly what you just said. I was sort of surprised. You talked about you get your team together every year and you forecast the next year, reflect on the previous year.

And talk about what you shared that it was a little bit, I was struck. It wasn't all about just wins and losses for you as you forecast, because a lot of people are gonna hear this audio as we roll out into the new year. Their new business year. And you said some things, I don't know if you remember this or not,

but I was struck by you were more about the measurements of specific aspects of your game than necessarily the big result. In other words, it wasn't about, I wanna win 11 times, it was about, I want to be a blankly blank fairways in regulation or whatever it was. Talk about how you approach your planning and your goal setting type stuff for a second. Sure, yeah, I mean, you know, what we've learned is, you know, there's usually three or four, or four or five in particular, but three or four each year stats that really can

elevate my golf game and get me in position when golf term is. The bottom line is, yeah, you can write your bulletin board goals, you know, put them up there and list them. You know, I want to win majors, I want to be in contention in this and I want to make this team and that it is. Well, sure, but how are you going to get to it? So all of ours are objective based. And within those objectives is practice. What drills am I going to get that? So all of ours are objective based. And within those objectives is practice.

What drills am I going to do? What sort of games am I going to replicate so that my practice is transferable? So with all that being said, we break it down and get to the point where... We hashed it out. There's a lot of discussion and even heated discussion. It's healthy. I wouldn't want it any other way, because like you said, in the very beginning of this conversation, it's my business.

It is technically to fill my job. I don't know if it's a clear cut job, but it is my vocation and I'm going to give it 110% and I'm going to certainly get the right team assembled and try to get better. I mean, I don't want to get stagnant. I don't, I mean, I like the word maintenance and certain things, but for the most part, I try to get better. I mean, you know, I don't want to get stagnant. I don't, I mean, I like the word maintenance and certain things, but for the most part, I want to get better. And so that's what that's times about. It's about getting this crew together. We have a common bond, we have a common end all be all vision for the future,

but our focus is the next day. What am I going to do in practice that's going to allow me to get in a better position each and every week? Yeah. I think you, I think so many people think about these big picture things and they don't measure the tangible things they need to do. I mean, like if you're a sales guy, yeah, you'd like to be the, make a million dollars a year, but are you making the phone calls every day? It's so transferable, cough, and this, it's, it's, it's kind of odd to me how similar they are.

You're in your gym right now. People probably wouldn't believe this, but it's 9.30 in the evening where you are and you are in your gym. And I've watched, and you know that I love the gym. I was, I think modern business people are athletes. I think they should train physically. I don't mean they need to be ripped or buff, but I think you're careful, although you recommend to that one barbecue place to me.

So I know you're not careful about every single meal that barbecue place was awesome by the way, but I know you're careful. And I was at your first win at the Bell South when you won, but I've watched your body change and your dedication to your body. And I've actually also observed your confidence change. Obviously winning majors probably helps the guys confidence, but I've I've actually also observed your confidence change obviously winning majors probably helps the guys confidence But I've what particularly a couple weeks ago when I saw you your legs your lower bodies bigger than mine I mean you're you're core in your legs are

I mean they look like no seriously you watch like a a mani Pacquiao He's not a big man, but his lower half is so strong and I noticed that in you as my gosh his legs are changed and so yeah second what you're what's your dedication to fitness I mean talk about that just for a second of how that applies I think there's a little secret to I think knowing you're in the gym at 9.30 at night gives you some added confidence knowing I'm doing stuff not every guy on tours doing I don't think it's just the physical strength I don't

think it's just the physical what do you talk about your dedication to your body and how that's changed real quick sure no I mean you know here you're always looking for you know one little thing that can elevate or take you to another level or even you know I'll try frankly trump your your peers your your opponents, right? I mean, I'm always trying to figure out what's best, but what once it's not rocket science I mean I can tell you you know for me It's also finding time during the day shoot We're also in the holiday season to my kids. They're all about Christmas fever right now

And so you know We've got activities and homework and all sorts of things going on at home and but when that's done I mean today I had a good practice, you know I worked out before I went had a good practice and now I'm at home and you know, I mean I we put in a little gym make shift gym in here so that I can do exactly what I need to do if given the time and and You know the kids are a bit. I mean why not? Right now I've even if it's just a stretch at the end of the day,

so that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I'm ready. I mean, it's not, it's not like I'm going to sit in here and start doing bench press at 9.30, but I'm certainly going to make sure my body is in a position that like I said, where I feel like tomorrow I can tackle it, I can hit a hard, when I do go to the gym, and you know, I can have a successful day of practice. Otherwise you know I mean if I don't prepare for the moral then quite frankly tomorrow's or today was around and so tomorrow. So it's always you know it's always just taking you know whatever necessary steps it is for my body which is my instrument to be in the proper position.

I love you know I don't mind the cardio as much as I once did. I don't particularly care for it. I don't, I don't love it, but I'll do it. But I love doing all the exercises that Dr. Troy has put in my plate and I mean, I certainly enjoy it. I mean, you know, I'm seeing the benefits of it. You brought up one point. I'm not suggesting they're big. I do appreciate it. I wish my wife could have heard that. I love him, ring my leg. I love him. I can tell.

As an athlete, I mean, I've played a lot of basketball, a lot of soccer as a kid. So that's dammit endurance. Really was never much an issue for me. But at 40, again, you got to be a realist. I mean, it's not, you can, there's, it's not, you know, you can still think, great shape and add muscle and get more flexible. And that's what I'm trying to do.

Yeah, well, you look to me physically like you're in the best shape of your life. I don't know whether or not that's accurate, but you do. So I mean, I, I think everybody needs to hear that though. Every business guy ought to be moving their body every day, ought to be trying to gain that little advantage over it. If it gives you five more minutes of endurance in a day to make one more phone call, you've outdone your competition.

So I'm with you on a couple more things and I'm gonna let you go because it's late out there. Please, yeah. I wanna ask you, a little quote I saw. You said, I don't play emotional golf, I play a emotional golf. Do you remember saying that? What did it mean?

I guess, you know what, I mean, I've bastardized that, but what I'm trying to say there is what I've learned in certain instances, especially in certain tournaments, you know, everything's on the line when it's, you know, a major championship or a radical or a pro-sale or whatever it is, when those big tournaments arise, you know, how are you going to get through those situations, you know, and it's really understanding yourself, you know, the way I play it may not be appropriate for you. It may not be appropriate for the next guy. I mean, in Ryder Cup play, what's my partner? How does he play golf?

I don't want to hold him back. I've played with the likes of Phil. He's been my partner a few times. I've played with Hunter Mayan. I've played with a lot of guys. He's been my partner a few times. I played with Hunter Mayan. I played with a lot of guys that played like me, boring golf. And I also played with guys that just kill it, like a Jimmy Walker. So, you know, the point is understanding really emotionally how you play the game.

You know, for me, it's, I don't need to let it out. I don't need to let that exuberant or that raw raw. Some guys need to let it out. I mean at the end I might let it out. But in the course of competition, I don't want to say I harness it or I bottle it, but I just, it's an execution of a shot and then it's a circle. And I could go through it again and do it. And you know, the next shot is the same thing. It shouldn shouldn't be any difference so that's how I've always approached I've learned that I think in the cup it's a particular but also in major championships my emotions will get the best of me if I don't play the emotional golf that I know and that is really trying to take it out of it I don't I just don't need it to be successful.

That is awesome that is awesome if you go I like that if you go back to the beginning let's go back more we'll go to the beginning to wrap things up. When we said this to me, it's actually, we passed this over, but it's one of the great stories in sports in 20 years. It really is that a guy, everyone tells the story about Michael Jordan, you know, supposedly didn't make his varsity basketball team. I'm highly skeptical of that story, but I, I know you did, you know what I mean? I just made me for a day, you didn't, right? But he's Michael Jordan. So he's physically gifted. But I know I'm around you. I know you're not six four. I know I know you were gifted with every what change? So you is it? I have a theory and I think every business guy

that I know that's very successful from our new president to you know guys I know in in Trans America, Aegon have kind of a coach and that coach sometimes guides them through their business swing is running into Mike Bender and him changing your is that the primary difference do you think in changing your game from a guy who's so so in high school you you know, I read you got one division one scholarship offer. And you, you're, you, when the clerk jutt in the masters, I mean, come on. Yeah.

So is it, was it that coach thing? What, what is it? Is it, is that part of it? Well, yeah, for sure. If you're, if you're going to find one individual, you know, I mean, that's hard to really pick one. Yeah. I mean, it really is. I'm not suggesting that just to plug my team it's just it's very difficult yes i mean he's been with me the longest uh...

quite frankly before my wife but so i've known him you know i'm known as in nineteen ninety nine so we've been together for seventeen years and yeah he and he broke me down and built me back up he saw something in me that you know it's a chance on me, if you will. I mean, I didn't have any money. Then shoot. I was playing the mini tours and just trying to, you know, survive living out of my trunk.

So yeah, I mean, Mike would be certainly at the forefront of that. And then the other individuals that came alongside of him just enhanced it. But the other factor there, specifically for me was, I was a late bloomer and everything. I was late growing. I was late with my athleticism with my just ability to compete. I mean, everything was just a little bit late. I mean, I don't know. I mean, I guess, you know, I know this is the only example I can give you. And I guess there's some coincidence and irony, both involved is, you know, from another sport would be Kurt Warner, right? Yes.

He played at the University of Northern Iowa, the fifth year senior starter. He was boxing shells at a grocery store. He plays the arena football league, and maybe he won other league, and the next thing you know, he's a two-time NFL MVP, you know? We went to the same high school so away are you kidding me yeah great

i know but i'm going to maybe you know and i don't know what it is i mean you know thinking of my childhood and i know she when i was in high school or growing up court warner was a basketball player you i mean he was a quarterback but he was a

better basketball player you know and and when i was growing up, I think my family certainly would have said, well, he has a pretty good jump shot and he can kick a ball. Okay. That's amazing. That's not a thing. So, you know, it really wasn't, you know, I wasn't, I wasn't like a superior athlete. I was moderately skilled and I just loved to compete and it's amazing when when i say that it's amazing once you know i got the college all my support time was called i left college

all my time was called and really you know the dramatic the dramatic change happened really when i was able to vote all my work time to go and then again meeting my meeting my wife meeting brad meeting all these guys and it every little stuff along the way has just gotten you know it's just gotten that much better. It's such a great story. Do you ever sit back? I'm curious by the way I don't give hope to all you late blooming business people that

hear this too. There's time. There's a chance. And do you ever sit back? I'm curious. I sometimes this happens to me but are there days where you go, what the heck? Look, like I know you just moved into a new home. Like, do you ever go, can you believe this is happening?

Or are you so used to being this way now that it's hard to remember how it used to be? Uh, a little bit of both. Yeah, it's a little bit of both. There's no question. I mean, Ed, you've been back there and you obviously know a lot of We a lot of mutual friends, but I mean I went back to Iowa for Thanksgiving and I was back there and then salsa my friends America

You know people and I've you know you just you're back where I grew up and I'm like This is where it started, you know, and now what were I'm at, you know, I mean Yeah, you might have that that sort of thing kind of dogs on me occasionally. I don't ever want to lose that. I don't ever want to forget that. You know, if anything, I don't want to forget is those three to four years were literally with living in my car and trying to find the next super, you know, most felt six super eight that I could crash at to play a golf tournament. Those are the years that i really want to

continue to reflect on and relish and learn from because it that that makes you know the whole uh... getting to the pg2 or that much sweeter getting to you know or senior dreams realize that much no but i you know i'll tell you i mean it you know i've i've had some success and i tasted this, and I've tasted that.

I've been in this arena, I've been in that arena. And fulfilling for a period, but when it comes down to it, it's not the most fulfilling thing in life. And I don't ever want to take my profession, my vocation. I don't ever want to make it my number on priority. And I hope it never will be. It never really has been. There's times where I have a reality check I don't ever want to make it my number on priority. I hope it never will be. There's times where I have a reality check and my wife will

you know, you know, proverbily slap me around a little bit and get me back going. But the moment that my job rules my life is the moment that it's going to get me. It's going to just going to tune me up and spit me out. You've got to have perspective but I love the journey. I love the journey, I love the work, I love the journey, and I won't change that kind of it. I love this call!

Like, that's my favorite part about you is what you just said, and that was my last question, so we'll finish with that. I love what you just said. Please, favorite thing you said, and that is that I know for you how important your family is. And, but the thing I want to finish with, if you don't mind, and that is that I know for you how important your family is. And but the thing I want to finish with, if you don't mind, and that is that I, the thing probably I admire a little bit even beyond that is your faith. And I know that that's not something athletes talk a lot about, but I'd be curious is to

house, if you wouldn't mind just saying for a minute, and we finish on that, how central that is to your life? Does it give you comfort when you're playing the game? Does it give you perspective? How does your faith, I guess, find its way into your golf game and the rest of your life? What's its place in your life? If you don't mind elaborating on it.

Not at all, not at all. I mean, you know, what I've, I guess, in any profession, and then you get through a certain age, you're always kind of like, okay, why am I here? What's the purpose of this? What's, you know, is this where I'm supposed to be? You know, I mean, is this where the Lord wants me or, you know, whatever it is? And, you know, I've had many of moments where I've asked that question. And, you know, it's never, you know, I pray about this, I pray about that. And may not, I may not get

the answer I want immediately, but in time, my prayers are answered. And it's one of those things where, if I sit back and look back on it now, Ed, it's, I mean, my life's been a complete blessing. And it starts with the family that raised me. It starts with the wife that I met along the way and now having three kids. And it just so happens that I hit a golf ball, chased it and hit it again. And that's, again, if my profession defines me, things are just gonna go completely astute.

And I love the fact that the Lord gave me some intangible traits where competition and being a competitor and athlete is wonderful. I know that's where he's got me for a reason. I understand that the way I see it as a Christian, my ministry is more than my game of golf. That's how I can certainly expand on and people can get to learn about what Zach Johnson's all about, what his priorities are all about. And it really is. It's faith first and family and that kind of thing.

If you're going to get me, you're going to get all me. So, you know, as a believer, as a Christian, it just matter where you are, where you live, what you're up against, but when it comes down to it, you know, if you firmly believe that there's a higher calling, am I instance in Jesus? I mean, it doesn't matter what I want to tackle, I know in the end, he's got my back. And you know, I'm not suggesting it's going to be W's, W's, and W's, and losses, that that parts are relevant, but in the grand scheme of things, you know, I not suggesting it's going to be w's wins and losses that that parts are relevant but in the grand scheme of things you know i don't want my legacy to be wrapped around all my legacy to be wrapped around the fact that

shoot he treated people the way they were supposed to be treated he's got three great kids and and and and he calls jesus christian savior that's really all that matters that is wonderful by the way and you do do that you've actually got me a little choked up there, because I love what you stand for and I appreciate you being bold enough to stand up and say it as well. So I really, Zach, I gotta tell you, I enjoyed this very much and I know the people that will hear it.

I like what we can do it again. I'm sure you're dying too. I gotta tell you, I enjoyed it and I know the people that are going to listen to it will as well. So, God bless your brother and I appreciate the time and I know the people that listen got great value from it and get a little bit more insight into what's made you so successful. So, thank you so much. This is in my mind, Sean.