WEBVTT - Stacking Birdies with Mariah Stackhouse 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:03.400 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where Liz Sheppers 0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.160 scored the ot winner to lead the Minnesota Frost to 0:00:06.200 --> 0:00:10.479 a second straight walter Cup. We've asked the WNBA for comment, 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:12.800 and if you don't get that joke, honestly, good for 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:14.720 you out there. You're probably touching grass and feeling the 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:15.840 sun instead of living. 0:00:15.640 --> 0:00:16.759 On the internet like us. 0:00:17.280 --> 0:00:19.760 It's Wednesday, May twenty eighth, and on today's show, we'll 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:22.880 be bringing you my conversation with pro golfer and LPGA 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:26.440 tour player Mariah Stackhouse ahead of this weekend's US Open. 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:29.680 We talk about growing up a prodigy, the cost of 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:33.160 life on tour, dealing with injuries, including the one keeping 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:34.720 her out of this weekend's tourney. 0:00:34.640 --> 0:00:35.200 And more. 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:38.960 Plus so many champions were crowned over the weekend, Caitlin 0:00:39.040 --> 0:00:43.200 Clark is sidelined, and the NWSL's next expansion squad has 0:00:43.240 --> 0:00:43.960 its head coach. 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:57.080 It's all coming up right after this Welcome back slices. 0:00:57.080 --> 0:01:01.400 Here's what you need to know today. Let's start on 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:05.040 the ice with the PWHL. The Minnesota Frost completed their 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:08.319 title defense, securing a second straight walter Cup with their 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:11.240 win on Monday, Entering Game four on home ice, the 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:13.080 Frost r up two to one in the series and 0:01:13.160 --> 0:01:17.000 with eleven twenty four fans cheering them on inside Excel 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:19.960 Energy Center, Minnesota found its first goal in the second 0:01:20.000 --> 0:01:23.120 period thanks to friend of the Show Kelly Panic. Ottawa's 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:26.160 Teresa Venisheva answered in the third, setting up overtime for 0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:29.080 the fourth time in four games in the series. 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:30.440 In the n Frost. 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:33.400 Forward Liz Sheppers showed off her clutch gene once again, 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:36.440 scoring the championship winning goal for the second year in 0:01:36.520 --> 0:01:38.960 a row. We also got a shout out front of 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.280 the Show Matti Rooney, who made thirty three saves for 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.080 Minnesota in the win. With the start and the win, 0:01:44.200 --> 0:01:47.960 she earned her fifth straight postseason victory, tying the PWHL 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:50.720 record for most wins in a single postseason set by 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:55.360 Boston's Aaron Frankel last year. Two seasons, two titles for 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:58.040 the Frost, we got the beginnings of a little dynasty 0:01:58.040 --> 0:02:02.200 cook in here, folks. Crossfield, North Carolina put the cherry 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:05.600 on top of its undefeated season on Sunday, beating Northwestern 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:09.000 twelve to eight to earn the programme's fourth women's lacrosse title. 0:02:09.400 --> 0:02:12.359 A record fourteen thy four hundred and twenty three fans 0:02:12.400 --> 0:02:15.960 attended the twenty twenty five national Final, obliterating the previous 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:19.120 record of eleven thousand and six sixty eight. The game 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.560 was a grind, with both teams notatching their lowest point 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:25.000 totals of the season. There were a couple of really 0:02:25.000 --> 0:02:28.040 cool family connections in this one. UNC head coach Jenny 0:02:28.120 --> 0:02:31.480 Levy and her daughter, freshman Kate Levy, became the first 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.840 mother daughter combo to win the championship, and Kate scored 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:39.000 UNC's second goal in the dub Grad student attacker Ashley 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:42.040 Humphrey hit ninety assists on the season in the title game, 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:45.160 breaking her own nc doublea single season assist record from 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:49.120 twenty twenty two, while her sister, freshman attacker Chloe Humphrey, 0:02:49.360 --> 0:02:53.600 recorded her ninetieth goal of the season and NCUBA freshman record. 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:54.880 And there's more. 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:57.840 The eldest sister of the three, Nicole, is also on 0:02:57.880 --> 0:02:59.959 the UNC roster this season, but she didn't play the 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:04.280 championship game. You could say that lacrosse prowess runs in 0:03:04.320 --> 0:03:07.800 the family. Two more quick shoutouts from the Lacrosse Weekend. 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:10.919 My friend Stu Gotts's daughter Rachel Wiener, whose Northwestern squad 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:14.079 came up just short of the title, and my Cornell 0:03:14.160 --> 0:03:18.240 big Red who won the men's National championship, first title 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:22.040 in lacrosse for Cornell since nineteen seventy seven. And getting 0:03:22.040 --> 0:03:24.239 to watch the game with my college friends on Monday 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:26.440 at my friend's lake house was the perfect way to 0:03:26.480 --> 0:03:30.960 close out the perfect girls weekend. Some footy news congratulations 0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:34.320 are in order for Gotham FC. The NWSL club won 0:03:34.360 --> 0:03:38.160 the inaugural CONCACAFF W Champions Cup on Saturday, earning a 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:41.840 one nail dub over Liga MX club Tigris uanl Feminil. 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:46.000 No idea what the CONCACAFF W Champions Cup is. It's 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:48.720 a tournament that brings together the top women's soccer clubs 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:51.760 from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. And you 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.720 remember we told you it actually started last season. Okay, 0:03:54.760 --> 0:03:57.320 back to the match. So after missing a penalty kick, 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.480 Aster Gonzales controlled the rebound and bare married the game 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:03.600 winning goal for Gotham in the eighty second minute. I mean, 0:04:03.640 --> 0:04:05.800 who else would it be that lady is on a heater. 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:08.680 With the win, Gotham FC has secured a spot in 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:11.480 both the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup in twenty twenty six 0:04:11.600 --> 0:04:14.480 and the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup in twenty 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:16.560 twenty eight. Also got to give a tip of the 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:19.680 cap to the Portland Thorns, who defeated Club America three 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:23.240 nil to take third place in the tournament. More soccer news. 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:26.800 Boston Legacy FC has found its head woman per friend 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:28.960 at the Show Jeff Casouf at ESPN. The club has 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:32.000 agreed to terms with Felipa Pateau, who's been heading up 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:36.280 Portuguese club Benfica's senior team since twenty twenty. Pateau led 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:39.440 the squad to five consecutive league titles and helped Benfica 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:42.080 become the first Portuguese club to reach the UEFA Women's 0:04:42.120 --> 0:04:46.280 Champions League quarterfinals in twenty twenty three and twenty twenty four. Now, 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.599 the thirty six year old, who was nominated for the 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:50.880 Ballon d'Or for Coach of the Year last year, will 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:54.080 be under contract with Boston until twenty twenty seven and 0:04:54.279 --> 0:04:57.720 lead the side in its first NWSL season next year. 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:00.159 A little more NWSL news. 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:03.440 Huge kudos to Barbara Banda in the Orlando Pride three 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:05.679 to one win over the Utah Royals. On Friday, Banda 0:05:05.760 --> 0:05:09.840 scored the fastest hat trick in NWSL history, completing it 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:12.400 in the first thirty eight minutes of the match. She 0:05:12.520 --> 0:05:16.000 scored in the sixth thirty seventh, and thirty eighth minutes. 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.039 It was also the first hat trick in Pride history, 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.400 and per opt to Jack, Banda didn't just bury three, 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:25.560 she was on target for all six shots she attempted, 0:05:25.760 --> 0:05:28.320 becoming the third player to attempt six or more shots 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:32.040 with one hundred percent accuracy in an NWSL match. To tennis, 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:35.039 many of the WTA's top players remained standing in the 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:38.159 French Open at stad Roland Garros, but a couple players 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:41.080 have seen their tournaments come to a close. World number 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:43.520 nine ranked player Emma Navarro got knocked out in straight 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:46.640 sets by Jessica buzis Manero in the first round, and 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:49.000 just a few weeks after picking up her first WTA 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:52.360 title since twenty twenty one, Naomi Osaka suffered her own 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:55.520 early defeat. She lost to world number ten Paula Bedosa 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:57.600 in the first round, and she had a pretty emotional 0:05:57.600 --> 0:06:00.800 press conference after the match. A reporter Naomi how the 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:04.400 tough loss would make her stronger, and here's how she responded. 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:10.200 I hope you can tell me that I think. I'm 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:14.039 not sure. I feel like I learn little things from 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:18.679 each match. I think I lost a tiebreaker in Rome, 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:22.760 and I didn't lose the tiebreaker here, So I mean 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:27.200 I am conscious of things when I'm playing. So maybe 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:30.720 the next match I play, I'll learn little. 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:31.360 Things from today. 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.640 And you know something, I really can appreciate when athletes 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:37.440 show us how much a loss hurts, because that way 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:39.360 we feel even more joy when we get to watch 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:42.880 them win. Naomi's been on this super public journey back 0:06:42.880 --> 0:06:44.760 to full strength over the last few years, and it's 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:48.080 been a constant reminder watching her just how hard what 0:06:48.120 --> 0:06:51.599 these players do is. So we're sending love your way, Naomi. 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:53.799 You're still a hell of a player and we're rooting 0:06:53.839 --> 0:06:57.719 for you. Some WNBA news, second year sensation Caitlin Clark 0:06:57.760 --> 0:07:00.000 will miss at least the next two weeks of Indiana 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:00.600 games with. 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:01.640 The left quad strain. 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:05.320 The injury announcement came on Monday, and of course sent 0:07:05.480 --> 0:07:09.240 some folks into a spiral. By all accounts, though the 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:12.240 move is more preventative than anything, as Clark had been 0:07:12.320 --> 0:07:14.920 limited in the preseason with what she called tightness in 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:18.000 her left quad. The team didn't officially confirm whether the 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:20.560 two instances were related, but Clark said she had a 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:23.520 pain after their loss to the Liberty on Saturday, and 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:27.200 an MRI revealed the injury. Now this is uncharted territory 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:27.600 for Clark. 0:07:27.640 --> 0:07:28.440 She never missed a. 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:31.520 Game at Iowa nor in her WNBA career to this point. 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:34.400 The Athletic published some comments from Fever head coach Stephanie 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:36.920 White talking about the injury. She said, quote, there's so 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:38.960 many things when you think about Caitlin and her not 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:42.560 wanting to miss games. Obviously everyone wants to watch her play. 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:45.720 But for me, it's maintaining perspective. It's making sure that 0:07:45.760 --> 0:07:47.720 we address this in a way that doesn't affect the 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:50.600 long term, that we take care of it, don't over push, 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:53.600 don't overexert, making sure that we take the long game 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:56.240 approach to this so we're not having lingering issues throughout 0:07:56.240 --> 0:07:57.120 the course of the season. 0:07:57.440 --> 0:07:58.080 End quote. 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:01.360 Per ESPN's Candor, and the Fever phenom is set to 0:08:01.360 --> 0:08:04.600 be reevaluated on June ninth. That's a bummer for me 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:06.920 and Chicago fans as She's said to miss the Fever 0:08:06.960 --> 0:08:08.920 Sky game on June seventh that had been moved to 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.400 the United Center, and that's part of a real cool 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:14.800 doubleheader with the opening day of AUSL still gonna make 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:16.720 it happen, but we all want to see Caitlin in 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:18.280 that one to the Diamond. 0:08:18.280 --> 0:08:20.680 The D one College Softball Super Regionals are. 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:24.400 Over and eight teams advanced to the Women's College World Series. 0:08:24.680 --> 0:08:27.200 The action gets started tomorrow at twelve pm Eastern with 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:30.400 number three Florida taken on number six Texas, followed by 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:34.079 number two Oklahoma versus number seven Tennessee at two thirty Eastern. 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:37.520 Both those games will be on ESPN Coverage moves over 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:40.400 to ESPN two at seven pm Eastern for number twelve 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:43.839 Texas Tech against unranked Ole Miss, and then number nine 0:08:43.920 --> 0:08:47.000 UCLA at number sixteen Oregon round things out at nine 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:50.480 thirty pm Eastern. We'll link to the full interactive bracket 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:52.880 in our show notes. Also want to give a shout 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:56.040 out to Tennessee's CARLN. Pickens, who reset the record for 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:59.400 the fastest pitch in college softball history. Now you remember 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:01.480 we mentioned her back in March when she first broke 0:09:01.520 --> 0:09:03.840 the record. With a seventy eight point two mile per 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:08.000 hour pitch against Arkansas. Well, Pickens out did herself on Saturday, 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:11.080 throwing a seventy eight point four mile per hour bullet 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:13.120 in the first inning of the Lady Bowls Super Regional 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:16.480 game against Nebraska. Starting to understand why Pickens has been 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:20.560 the SEC pitcher of the year the last two seasons. 0:09:21.679 --> 0:09:22.800 We got to take a quick break. 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:24.960 When we come back, I chop it up with most 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:36.880 acts back in a jiff. Joining us now, she's a 0:09:36.880 --> 0:09:40.000 professional golfer on the LPGA Tour. A graduate of Stanford, 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:41.720 where she was a four year All American and a 0:09:41.760 --> 0:09:46.160 twenty fifteen NCAA team title winner. In twenty eleven, at seventeen, 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:48.760 she was the youngest African American golfer to qualify for 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:51.600 US Women's Open, and was the only Black qualifier in 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:54.240 that tournament. She reached her highest ranking so far in 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:56.679 twenty eighteen, at one hundred and thirty seven in the world. 0:09:56.880 --> 0:09:58.960 She's in her gen z era, but she's never given 0:09:59.040 --> 0:10:02.800 up the peace sign. And it's Mariah Stackhouse. I'm Mariah. 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:04.200 Hey, Sarah, you do it. 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:05.959 I'm good. Thanks. 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:10.000 Everyone just heard about your start as a golf phenom, 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:11.280 So I want to go all the way back. 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:12.400 How'd you get into playing? 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.200 My dad actually got me into playing golf when I 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:17.760 was younger. So I wanted to go wherever he went. 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:20.800 So he left the house, I wanted to go with him, 0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:22.640 and so he would often go play golf after work 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.000 on the weekends. So he cut down some clubs for me. 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:27.160 Got me started when I was about two years old, 0:10:27.559 --> 0:10:30.000 and the rest is kind of history. Started playing tournaments 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:31.320 at six and just kept it going. 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:34.600 When you say cut down clubs, like what was he 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:37.559 using to break adult clubs into the size that you 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:38.360 could practice with? 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:40.679 You know, I have no idea, But he was an 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:43.400 architect and he's had a construction company too, so he 0:10:43.440 --> 0:10:46.000 had all the tools. So whatever he used, okay, chop 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:48.360 it down, I'm not sure, but he cut some real 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:50.480 clubs and took me with him. 0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:52.560 I'm just trying to imagine my dad trying to do that. 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:55.760 Yeah, because the shop, you're right, it's iron, so you'd 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:58.640 have to really have something and like keep it. 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:01.000 Safe, like throw something on the end, not stabbing everybody 0:11:01.040 --> 0:11:02.040 when you're trying to learn how. 0:11:01.920 --> 0:11:02.840 To play it too. 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:07.280 Exactly or like stabbing my own arm slinger, right right right. 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:10.240 I mentioned that back in twenty eleven, you kind of 0:11:10.240 --> 0:11:12.760 burst onto the scene and you did an interview with 0:11:12.880 --> 0:11:16.880 NPR rejecting the comparisons to Tiger Woods. Was that just 0:11:16.960 --> 0:11:19.400 about the fact that he had won bigger tournaments at 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:21.880 the age of seventeen than you had yet or was 0:11:21.920 --> 0:11:25.520 there something else that you didn't like about hearing that comparison. 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.480 You know, it's not that there's anything that I dislike 0:11:29.559 --> 0:11:33.080 about hearing the comparison, you know, at that time, and 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:35.400 honestly still to the present day, there aren't that many 0:11:35.440 --> 0:11:38.160 black golfers on tour. So for all those of us 0:11:38.200 --> 0:11:40.559 who come up that are younger than Tiger, they're always 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.400 going to get that comparison, especially if you've had a 0:11:42.440 --> 0:11:47.120 successful junior career. But you know, Tiger is one of 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:50.360 the greatest athletes to ever walk the planet, you know, 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:53.560 So it's honestly just you know, looking out for myself 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.000 and allowing myself to kind of carve my own lane 0:11:56.280 --> 0:11:59.880 with my own expectations that don't necessarily have to be 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.720 as grand as that is, you know. There, like I said, 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:06.000 one of the best athletes to off for play. So 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.559 now a little bit of pressure exactly. 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:11.320 You know, you also said back then, which was all 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:13.360 the way back in twenty eleven, so a long time ago, 0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:16.439 that you hadn't experienced the same race hurdles that Tiger had, 0:12:16.679 --> 0:12:19.720 nor had you faced gender based hurdles. You're thirty now, 0:12:19.880 --> 0:12:21.040 is that still the case for you? 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:25.520 I think, by and large yes, I think I was. 0:12:25.600 --> 0:12:28.960 I was grateful as junior golfer that my dad, especially 0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:32.960 on the golf course, was always around me, always protective, 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.199 and I think he grew up in murder Beeat, South Carolina. 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:38.160 He definitely did experience racism on the golf course, and 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:39.920 so he was always protective of me and wanted to 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:41.960 make sure that he was there to protect me from 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:44.760 anything that might be said or done to me. So 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.320 throughout my junior golf career, I just never had those 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:49.440 experiences because he was always going to be right there 0:12:49.480 --> 0:12:53.320 making sure that they didn't happen. And then, you know, 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:57.240 as I got a little bit older, start traveling by myself, 0:12:57.360 --> 0:13:01.160 especially turning pro you know, nothing was ever overt you know, 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:03.680 are crazy, which was which was a blessing for Shure. 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:08.120 It would all some microaggressions, like you know, letting players 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:10.600 in that might have their badge on their hit, you know, 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:12.880 but then not one letting my badge count. It's like, no, 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:14.680 we also want to see your idea to get into 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:18.560 the locker room. Little things like that. But you know, 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:21.000 my dad, they had an affirmation written for me that 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:22.760 I would say to myself here every day when I 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:25.400 was young, and part of that was just having pride 0:13:25.400 --> 0:13:28.600 and confidence in myself and being happy to be black 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:31.120 and proud of that. And so I think that that's 0:13:31.240 --> 0:13:35.280 kind of my internal protection against those sort of things, 0:13:35.360 --> 0:13:37.960 and they never really get me outside of myself and 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:41.920 outside of my body or make me feel undeserving of 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:42.760 being in that space. 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:45.400 Oh, I love that, and I love that they had 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:48.480 you before maybe it even was necessary already saying that 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.559 to yourself and ready for that, Let's talk about the present. 0:13:51.640 --> 0:13:54.760 You're currently sidelined with an injury, which is a bummer. 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:57.000 Tell us about the surgery. 0:13:57.120 --> 0:14:00.600 Yeah, I had a pretty like just on a case 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:04.000 and bicep tendonitis, and I took about six weeks off 0:14:04.000 --> 0:14:06.440 in the off season. At the start, did my PT 0:14:07.800 --> 0:14:09.560 and it just would not get better. So after two 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:13.320 cortisone injections with no improvement. I reached out to my 0:14:13.760 --> 0:14:16.880 Stanford coach and the Stanford Sports Medicine Network and they 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:19.440 got me connected with a team here that works with 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:22.080 a lot of athletes, and so I underwent surgery at 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:24.800 the very end of March. So it's been almost two 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:29.400 months now, and I had a bicep toent odisis, which 0:14:29.440 --> 0:14:32.720 is basically going in and cleaning up the damage part 0:14:32.720 --> 0:14:36.360 of my bicep tendon and then retightening it and then 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:38.520 letting it heal so that I can get back to 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:43.240 working out and swinging paying free. So it's it's honestly, 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:47.640 I like the physical side of sports. So the like 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.720 kind of nerd outside of me is enjoyed, like learning 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:52.840 the process and everything that I'm going through and I'm 0:14:52.880 --> 0:14:56.120 realizing like pt and like recovery. It's a really cool 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:59.360 space on the side of not being able to play 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:02.680 that has really up. Like the US Open qualifiers came 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:06.960 and went couldn't compete. I'm watching my friends, like, you know, 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.680 they had a new and mogural tournament in Mexico and 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:12.000 a couple of my buddies LPJ and EPSOM were there 0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:13.880 and I was like, man, you know that would be 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.320 that would be cool to be performing getting a chance 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:18.880 to play there right now. But I have a great 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.920 team around the agent, sponsors, and they are really pushing 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:26.600 just patience, take care of yourself, heal because we want 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:28.000 you to come back the best that you can be. 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:31.240 So it's been a whirlwind, and I definitely miss traveling 0:15:31.240 --> 0:15:33.440 and playing and honestly just seeing our friends on tour. 0:15:34.280 --> 0:15:37.920 But it's also been nice to be home and spend 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:39.880 some time with my family, time that I haven't gotten 0:15:39.920 --> 0:15:42.840 to spend in years. So I'm just kind of looking 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:44.880 at the silver lining of it and saying, if this 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:47.080 is the situation that I'm in, let's just make the 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:47.600 most of it. 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:50.440 Well, I can tell you, as someone in their forties, 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:53.160 if you really like diving into pt and understanding how 0:15:53.160 --> 0:15:55.720 your body breaks down, you're in for a beautiful future 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:59.560 because a lot of us are are there, whether we 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:01.000 like on one. 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:02.600 Are you hoping to be back competing. 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:04.480 I should be able to make a full swing with 0:16:04.520 --> 0:16:06.600 an iron by the end of June, so that's an 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:09.120 after the twelve week mark, I can swing a club 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:11.480 and if that goes well and it's paying free, I'm 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:14.200 hoping to build up over the next couple of weeks 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:17.320 next few weeks, so maybe by the end mid to 0:16:17.440 --> 0:16:20.000 end of July be hitting my driver and if that 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:22.080 goes well, just a couple of weeks so strong work 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:23.840 in the gym and working to get my swing speed 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:26.440 back up, which would make the go mid August, so 0:16:26.520 --> 0:16:29.040 all things go well, I'm hoping to be back competing there. 0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:34.080 What's the best part about being a pro golfers. 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:34.600 I feel like there's two answers for that. For me. One, 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:38.760 it's just competing and playing golf like as a career. 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:41.520 Every day I wake up and I go to the gym, 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:43.600 and I go to practice and I train, and like, 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:47.000 that's my job is to be as best as I 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:49.120 can be as great as I can't playing golf, And 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:51.480 that's pretty cool. It's the game, Like I said, I 0:16:51.560 --> 0:16:53.800 played it since I was two, competitively since I was six. 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:56.680 It's literally been the dream of my life. So the 0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:58.600 fact that I get to wake up every day and 0:16:58.640 --> 0:17:03.000 do that is a treat. So just competing tournaments and 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:05.840 the training that goes around it, I love the entire process, 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:10.359 but also the travel, like traveling around the country, around 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:13.080 the world, getting to go to all these new places, 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.000 I'm a huge foody, so trying cuisines in different countries 0:17:16.119 --> 0:17:19.119 is great and I feel like when you're there, it's authentic. 0:17:19.640 --> 0:17:22.840 And so those are just the experiences that I get 0:17:22.840 --> 0:17:25.320 to have and the friends that I get to do 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:26.920 it with makes it great. 0:17:27.400 --> 0:17:29.119 Yeah, the social part has always been a big thing 0:17:29.160 --> 0:17:29.320 for you. 0:17:29.359 --> 0:17:31.560 I read an interview where you talked about enjoying golf 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:35.280 in part because you could compete and converse. It wasn't 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:37.600 just like basketball where you're playing against somebody but you 0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:40.000 can never chat with them because you're midway through, you know, 0:17:40.080 --> 0:17:42.760 defending them or driving the lane or whatever. Do you 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:45.600 find at the professional level you can still have those 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:49.399 friendships and really pursue those connections or are people getting 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:52.320 a little competitive for that at this level? 0:17:53.280 --> 0:17:55.720 I think inside the ropes is definitely a bit more 0:17:55.720 --> 0:17:59.480 competitive professional golf, and rightfully so, right like, every shot 0:17:59.520 --> 0:18:02.200 you hit it it's it's your income, it's your it's 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:05.800 your earnings that you're working towards and your goals. So 0:18:06.160 --> 0:18:09.000 I would say that for professional golf, inside the ropes 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:11.080 it's a little bit more serious, but the same thing. 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:14.080 You make friends with people, and so when you get 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:15.919 paired with people that you're good buddies with. There is 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.880 still that social element that takes place inside the ropes competing, 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:22.040 but we also get to travel together, and so there 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.639 are times when we'll ruin an airbnb together. Throughout the country, 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:27.640 we'll stay at the same hotels and plan dinners and 0:18:27.920 --> 0:18:31.359 little excursions, so you definitely get that social aspect, and 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:34.520 I think outside off the course, it's almost even more 0:18:34.520 --> 0:18:38.080 important because you're traveling so long, like you could be 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:40.199 going from homes for four to five weeks, depending on 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:42.760 how your schedule shakes, and so you definitely need some 0:18:42.840 --> 0:18:46.400 comaraderie and friendship out there so that it doesn't feel 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:49.159 like a lonely career. And so that's something that I 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:52.679 learned quickly my rookie year, is that you definitely need 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.520 just friendship and companions to hang out with out there. 0:18:57.600 --> 0:18:59.920 And so I've moved forward after my rookie year and 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:02.520 do all that in place, and so now I genuinely 0:19:02.520 --> 0:19:05.680 have fun when I travel. It's still work, the priority 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.040 is still showing up to the golf course competing and practicing, 0:19:08.080 --> 0:19:12.680 but on the relaxed moments, evenings, off days, then we 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:15.080 hang out and we go have fun and explore the 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:15.800 cities that we're in. 0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:20.600 That's awesome. So travel and potential loneliness certainly some drawbacks. 0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:23.240 What do you think is the hardest part of being 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:23.919 a pro golfer? 0:19:24.800 --> 0:19:27.879 Hands down, Like, there's just things you miss right there 0:19:27.920 --> 0:19:32.400 are you know, milestones and emits and things that will 0:19:32.400 --> 0:19:34.320