1 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:08,079 Speaker 1: It's the Son of a Butcher podcast. We come to 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: you every Wednesday. This week's guest Richard Bland, playing on 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: the Live Tour. Richard longtime European DP World Tour player 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: and I can never get used to calling it DP World. 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: It's the European Tour. But that's where Richard Blyin spent 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: the majority of his career and in his late forties. 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: He's now in his fifties. He made the decision to 8 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: go to Live and he talks about outgoing DP World 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: Chairman Commissioner Keith Pelly. Keith Pelly told him, listen, if 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: I'm you at your age, I take the deal. He 11 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: talks about it, and listen, Richard's not one of those 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: guys that got a ton of money. It was just 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: a decision to where it was like, Okay, this is 14 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: an opportunity, I'm going to take it. He's on the 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: Cliques Martin Kimer's team, and listen, he's playing really, really, 16 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: really good golf at this stage of his career. And 17 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: I can tell you he kind of used my used 18 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: the Floridian where I teach to kind of spend the 19 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: last three weeks. He's coach Tim Barter, who commentates for Sky. 20 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: They came over and I watched this guy grind for 21 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: the last month, and even in his fifties, he's probably 22 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: working harder now than he ever has and he wants 23 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: to continue to play well. And I think he's got 24 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: a very very interesting story. And like I said, he's 25 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: not a superstar. He's not someone that got the live bag, 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: got all the money. It was a choice that he made. 27 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: He talks about it. I've known Richard for a long time. 28 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: I've watched his career and this is a really really 29 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: good podcast, some really candid things that he talks about, 30 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: and something I think you all will listen and enjoy. 31 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: So Richard Bland this week on Son of a Butch. 32 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: My guest is a I mean, Richard, you are a 33 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: veteran of professional golf. You turn pro in nineteen ninety six, 34 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: got onto the European Tour. I think in twenty in 35 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: two thousand and two, if I'd have told you in 36 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four you'd still be playing competitive golf at 37 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: the highest level, would you have believed me? 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: Probably not No. But you know, I think it's it's 39 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 2: every kids stream you know that's growing up playing golf 40 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: that they want to play at the highest level for 41 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 2: for as long as they can, So you know, it's 42 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 2: something that I'm proud of that I'm still going at 43 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: nearly fifty one, so I must be doing something right. 44 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,959 Speaker 2: And yeah, it's been uh yeah, it's been a journey. 45 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 2: There's been some ups and downs, but I wouldn't change 46 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: it for anything. 47 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously it's easy to always look at the 48 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: icons and the superstars of competitive golf, but there are 49 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: certainly more people like yourself than there are of these 50 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: guys that the public see. He's flying around on private 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: jets and you know, having this amazing kind of superstar lifestyle, 52 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: both on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, the Challenge Tour, 53 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: the corn Ferry Ladies all over the world. The tours 54 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: are really made up of a lot of people that 55 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: are somewhat the fabric of what those tours are because 56 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: the John Rahm's, the Rory's, the Scotti Scheffler's, they're outliers. 57 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: They are very unique, unique people. But there are a 58 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: lot of people that get into golf, and I think 59 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: it's easy when we look at careers. Blandy, you haven't 60 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: won a major, you haven't won multiple times all over 61 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: the world. It's easy to look at that and go, oh, okay, 62 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: well that isn't a great career. But as Pat Perez said, 63 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: he said this to me many times. People always say, well, 64 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: you only won three or four times, and he always says, 65 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: we'll try and win in once. I don't think the 66 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: great ones, the Ernies, the Tigers, the Greg Normans, the 67 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: Nick Faldos, that of the past generation, and then the 68 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: guy's doing it today, Rory Scotty, Scheffler Brooks. They make 69 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: it look so easy and they make winning look very, 70 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: very difficult. You won your first tournament in twenty what 71 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: was it, twenty twenty one? I mean how many starts? 72 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: It was like almost five hundred to four hundred and 73 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: seventy eight starts. You played some great golf throughout your 74 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 1: career and didn't win. When you did finally get that 75 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: breakthrough at the British Masters in twenty one at the Belfrey, 76 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: which is an iconic kind of old school kind of 77 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: UK old European tour golf course. They had a bunch 78 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: of tournaments there, They had Ryder Cups there. What do 79 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: you remember about that week and what surprised you about 80 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: that week to get your first win, because I'm always 81 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: fascinated when you do finally break through. And I asked 82 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: this question all the time. Is it different than you 83 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: thought it was going to be? Did you play the 84 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: best you've ever played that week? What was it about 85 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: that week that in the almost four hundred and seventy 86 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: something other weeks tournaments, it wasn't your week? 87 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think one of the things that 88 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 2: really helped me. That week we were still playing in 89 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: Covid and we'd just come off a five week stretch, 90 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,799 Speaker 2: so there was a there was a six week stretch. 91 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 2: The last tournament was was the Belfry, So I just 92 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: I'd been away from home for five weeks, not allowed 93 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: out the hotel. 94 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: Because you guys were much more on the European Tour 95 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: the DP World Tour. Now, you guys were much more 96 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: draconian and streaming because we were on tree to country, right, 97 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: you were just going from state to state. 98 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 2: You know, every country had a different regulation, different testing 99 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 2: process or whatever. You know, we were getting tested two 100 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 2: three times a week every week, and we were we 101 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: were coming back on a on a charted playing that 102 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: the tour had charted and it was arriving into Birmingham 103 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: at about two o'clock in the morning, and this and 104 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 2: the and I remember the Belfry was a Wednesday to 105 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: Saturday start, and the and the flight landed at like 106 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: two o'clock on Monday or say Tuesday morning. And I'd 107 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 2: played the Belfry before plenty of time, so I kind 108 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 2: of felt like, you know what, I didn't really need 109 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: a practice round. And I and I'd played okay over 110 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 2: the five weeks. I hadn't played great, but I think 111 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 2: I had one top ten and maybe another top twenty 112 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 2: in the five weeks, so you know, the game was okay. 113 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 2: And I just I said to my girlfriend at the time, 114 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: who's now my wife, I said, can you come and 115 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: pick me up? I want to go home. I just 116 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 2: you know, loads of guys were just going straight to 117 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: the hotel and straight into the bubble again. I said, 118 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: I just need I need like twelve to fifteen hours 119 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 2: out of it. I need a night in my own bed. 120 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 2: I just need to get back home. And I then 121 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 2: just traveled up on the Tuesday night and started Wednesday. 122 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 2: And then I never do that in a tournament, I 123 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 2: mean you even though I didn't feel I needed the 124 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 2: preparation because I just played for five weeks. But I 125 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 2: just needed to be at home for a little bit. 126 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 2: So I drove up in the afternoon and uh and 127 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: just started Wednesday. But then there was another funny thing 128 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 2: that happened that week. I was walking down the range 129 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: on the Wednesday and I passed a good friend of 130 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 2: mine played amateur golf with him, a guy called David 131 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 2: Howell had Aliev and he said, you can't, he said, blandy, 132 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: he says, I need to stop, he said, He said, 133 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: You're never going to believe this. He said, I had 134 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: a dream last night. He said, you win your first 135 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: golf tournament. He said, don't know when, I don't know 136 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: what tournament was, but you're going to win. 137 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: You're like i'd had that. I've had a dream a 138 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: lot too. 139 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,119 Speaker 2: At some point I've dreamt he said. It was so vivid. 140 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 2: You win your first golf and four days later there 141 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: I am holding the trophy. So but I just, I 142 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: honestly believe that, just that twelve fifteen hours at home, 143 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 2: just to unpack the suitcase, sleep in your own bed 144 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: for seven eight hours and just have a cup of 145 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: tea and just beay at home, reset and just reset it. 146 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: Just I don't think the fans and people listening to 147 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: this podcast, if you don't travel as much as that 148 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: we all do, the travel, it wears you down. And 149 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: if you can. I mean one of the things that, yes, 150 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: the private jet travel is on the PGA tour that 151 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: a lot of the superstars are lucky enough to do 152 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: is the ultimate luxury. But it was Greg Norman who 153 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: learned that from Jack Nicholas. Nicholas had his own jet, 154 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: Palmer had his own jet. Greg got his own jet. 155 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 1: I remember when Tiger was turning pro he my dad 156 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: was still working with Greg and Greg said to Tiger, 157 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: invest in private jet travel, especially in America, because he said, 158 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: will you can get home and if you can get 159 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: a night at home, he said, you'll have a family 160 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: one day. But it's that one night. So I'm lucky 161 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: enough to travel an enormous amount with Brooks and DJ 162 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: and I'm lucky enough we do a lot of it privately. 163 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: But what it does it gets us to and from 164 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: work faster. But there are times to where we're playing 165 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: the following week, but we get home and if you 166 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: can get a night with the family, with your dogs, 167 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: with your kids, with your wife, girlfriend, sleep in your 168 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: own bed, get up, make a cup of coffee in 169 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: your own home. The reset that that can give you 170 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: is enormous, It really is. 171 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's huge. Yeah. I've always especially with Europe where yeah, unfortunate, 172 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: I've always sort I live in the south of England, 173 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 2: so we've always got Heathrow and Gatwick which are fairly 174 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 2: close to me, so you can pretty much certainly in Europe. 175 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: You know, Heathrow is a huge hub, so you can 176 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: get to pretty much anywhere most times a day. So 177 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 2: even if we were playing in the even if we 178 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 2: were playing in the same country, if we had to 179 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: say two tournaments in Italy, I would travel home on 180 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 2: the Sunday night if I got if I hated being 181 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 2: at a tournament in Europe on a Monday, I'd hate it. 182 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: I'd be Wednesday, I'd be right, let's go, come on, 183 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: I need to go. You know, Wednesday was just a 184 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 2: brain dead day. And so many times, you know, if 185 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 2: I if I okay. During COVID, we kind of had 186 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 2: to do it and you okay, so mentally you kind 187 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 2: of got your head around it. That's what you're going 188 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: to have to do. But if you didn't have to 189 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 2: do it. I hated doing two weeks on the road 190 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,719 Speaker 2: in uh in Europe where I didn't go home. You know, 191 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: it's just that get home, unpack, repack, have that day 192 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 2: at home, whether you go work on your game or 193 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 2: you sent your clubs on to the next event. It 194 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: just like you say, you just you draw a line 195 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: under the sand of the last event, press the reset button, 196 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: and then go again. Okay. Mean you're getting up at 197 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: four o'clock on a Tuesday morning, okay, to go and 198 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 2: get an early flight so then you can go play 199 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: the practice round on the afternoon. You know. And some 200 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: people might say, well, you know, why not just stay 201 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 2: out and then do it, But for me, it just 202 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: kind of messed the whole week up. You know, I 203 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,079 Speaker 2: was just Wednesday, I was ready to go, and then 204 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 2: I'd come Thursday. I don't know, I was just kind 205 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: of I just felt like I was out of sync, 206 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 2: and so many and a few times that I did 207 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 2: do it. You know, the second week, I've missed a cut. 208 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 2: I've been playing, maybe played quite well. In the first week, 209 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 2: I missed a cut just because I was I was 210 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: just out of sync. The whole week so it was 211 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: just right. If I can get home, I'm going home, 212 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: doesn't matter. You know, I've been I did it from 213 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 2: an Emirates flight once we came back from Morocco, and 214 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 2: the Emirates flight was like four hours later, and I 215 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 2: just went, I'm going to go home for an hour. 216 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: I just went home for an hour and then just 217 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 2: went back to the airport just to go. I don't 218 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: want to go from one term or to the other. 219 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 2: I just went, I'm going to go home for an 220 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: hour and then I'm going to come back. 221 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: So that week at the Belfrey, I mean, you'd played 222 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: so many tournaments, you'd kind of you'd been one of 223 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: those players that, you know, it wasn't necessarily a stigma, 224 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: but you'd had a good career, lost your card a 225 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: couple times, but you'd always made a living playing for PETISCL. 226 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: You've got this idea in your mind, what winning your 227 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 1: first tournament is going to be like that Sunday? What 228 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: was the Sunday like? Did were you? Were you in 229 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: the lead? 230 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 3: No? 231 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 2: I was. I think I was tied or one behind 232 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: on Saturday and I shot I think I shot level 233 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 2: par on Saturday and hold nothing. I played te Degreen. 234 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 2: Probably the week I played best Tea Degreen I've ever played. Yeah, 235 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: I made one bogie a week and that was I 236 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 2: Like I say, I missed from about two and a 237 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 2: half feet for par on one hole. I think on 238 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 2: the about the eighth, seventh or eighth hole on Saturday, 239 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 2: and I just missed everything, and and and another thing 240 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 2: that happened before. Yeah, I've been you know, Tim my coach. 241 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 2: I've been with him for my whole career on tour 242 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 2: for twenty two twenty three years now, and he's never 243 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: He's never done this in the whole time I've been 244 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: with him. He texted me on this. So the Friday 245 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: nights we were sady for he said, if you want 246 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: to win this, you got to go and shoot sixty 247 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: six tomorrow. He said, So you have to be better 248 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 2: on the greens. He said, if you want to win, 249 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 2: that's the number you've got to go shoot. And I 250 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 2: shot sixty six on Saturday. Okay, that got me into 251 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: the playoff. But it just just just a couple of 252 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 2: things that week that the Dave Howe thing and then 253 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 2: Tim doing that he's never done it. Since he's never 254 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 2: done it, you know, it went a couple of times. 255 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 2: I've had a you know, I've had chances since and 256 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 2: what have you Like, I lost in the playoffs at 257 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 2: at Dubai the next year. Yeah, you know Victor Hoblin, 258 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 2: Yeah he never He never texted me the night before saying, look, 259 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 2: this is what you've got to do tomorrow, Tim. Yeah, 260 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 2: so I think, yeah, I think he's just going to 261 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: leave it at that one. That it was just a 262 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 2: one hit wonder there. But yeah, you know, I knew, 263 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 2: you know, I played pretty good on the front nine. 264 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 2: I think I went out in about three under. I 265 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 2: made a really good pass save on nine, I hold 266 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: from about fifteen foot for power of nine, which really 267 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 2: then kind of kept my mementor and I birdied and 268 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 2: the short hole around the corner and then yeah, you know, 269 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 2: and and then I kind of I stole on at 270 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 2: twelve the long pat three. You know we're playing. It's 271 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: it's pretty damp and sort of typical English day, you know, 272 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 2: sort of drizzle ball, not going very far. I remember 273 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: I hit busted a three iron to about thirty feet 274 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 2: short of the flag and hold it and uh and 275 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 2: then yeah, you know I hold you know, I hold 276 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: a beauty on eighteen, Yeah, which I probably thought at 277 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: the time, you know, I hit my te shot which 278 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: only just cleared the waters, but maybe a few people 279 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 2: just see. And as I was walking around. 280 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: That's a tough finish. 281 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 2: It was horrible. 282 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: It's a tough finish kind of dog lay, yeah, kind 283 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: of from right to left. There's water off the tee. 284 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: There's water on the second shot, the landing area when 285 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: you're back in that little hollow there. I remember the 286 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: Ryder Cups that the US both lost there. There was 287 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: one year that they lost and it seemed like every 288 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: US play or rinsted in the water going. All the 289 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: matches went down to the last and then in I 290 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: think in the early nineties that's the that's the first 291 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: Ryder Cup over went to Davis love Hold the winning 292 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: pot on the eighteenth l But that eighteenth at the 293 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: belt bring tough driving. 294 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 2: Well, they've actually put a new tea further even further 295 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: back for that. And I remember when when I teed 296 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 2: off there, we it was it wasn't very nice, you know, 297 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: it was a bit of like I said, there was 298 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: drizzling yet and I back off the T shirt and 299 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 2: people had said to me, or what was it your 300 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 2: nervous and no, I said, the face of the driver. 301 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 2: I could see the face of the driver was a 302 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: little wet, and we all know that you get a 303 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: little bit of moisture on the face, the book can 304 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 2: literally go anywhere. I mean absolutely anyway, So it was 305 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 2: I actually kind of try to dry the face and 306 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 2: then yeah, you know, so I was walking around the water. 307 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: It's quite a sort of longish walk around the water 308 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: to get to your tee shirt. Thought, fucking just if 309 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 2: I can, how some make three? I think that's good 310 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 2: because I was. I think I was leading by one, 311 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 2: and I thought, if the weather stays like this, it's 312 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 2: going to be pretty tough to beat. I thought, I 313 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 2: can't see myself losing. And I hit I think I 314 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 2: hit a four iron about twenty five feet right of 315 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: the flag on the middle tier. And then yeah, I 316 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 2: just probably hit the sweetest part of my career. And 317 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: of course, then you know, sometimes the golf and God's 318 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 2: go against it. It literally probably from doing my interviews 319 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 2: in my iView. Then the sun comes out and it's 320 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 2: absolutely you know, I was hitting some balls on the 321 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 2: range and it's perfect. I've taken everything off, you know, 322 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 2: I'm practicing in a short sleeved shirt and you know, really, 323 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: you know, no, it's perfect. Yeah, you know, am I 324 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 2: ever going to you know, come on, give me a break. 325 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: But you know, unfortunately, you know, it worked out. 326 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: You got it done, and was the sense relief? Was 327 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: the sense what was it? Because you've played so long 328 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: and you'd had such a long career at that stage 329 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: and really twenty twenty one after being on the European 330 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: Tour DP world for I still can't get used to 331 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: the damn no mean, but you've been there for almost 332 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: two decades. Was it finally or this is what I was? 333 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:18,719 Speaker 1: I wonder what that feeling was. I think, you know, validation. 334 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think more, you know, as as everything kind 335 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: of sunk in, it was more I think just the satisfaction. 336 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 2: The satisfaction you know, we all you know, we kind 337 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,239 Speaker 2: of you know, we all know we can do it, 338 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 2: you know, and yeah, you know, I will be the 339 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 2: first to admit, you know, there was there was occasions. 340 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 2: You know, you get in your own way, and when 341 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 2: you do that and you don't when the next time 342 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 2: you want it, it's almost like you put too much 343 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: pressure on yourself that even the next time because you 344 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 2: want it that much more and you know, and and 345 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: it's and it's I think it's a very very hard 346 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 2: thing to do. It's almost like, yeah, the more you 347 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 2: care about it, you can try. 348 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: You've got it. 349 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 2: You've got to care less in that respect. And uh so, yeah, 350 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 2: I think it was just that satisfaction that you finally 351 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 2: did do it, and and just it's not like a 352 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 2: cockiness or a brash or all that, but then you 353 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 2: just have that in a I think it just takes 354 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 2: your inner confidence to just to another level. 355 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: If you've won a tournament on tour, people look at 356 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: you different. Yeah, I don't care what tour you're playing 357 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: on now. If you were a winner and you have won, 358 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: people look at you differently, You get treated differently, you 359 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: get different pairings, but there is a knowing look for somebody. 360 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 1: And I'm sure having been on tour for so long 361 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: in Europe, the acceptance and the so many people were 362 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 1: happy for you for that win. I mean because you'd 363 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: been a part of the tour for so long, so 364 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: the old guard were happy for you, and then the 365 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: young guard were happy for you as well. 366 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. No, it was u Yeah, you know, the the 367 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 2: amount of messages that I got, you know, the next 368 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 2: sort of week just completely blew me away. I mean, 369 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 2: and Legends of the Game, you know, Freddie Couples, you know, 370 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 2: putting it on social media. I think VJ. Singh did it. 371 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 2: Even Phil, guys I've never even met before. I never 372 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 2: even met Phil at that point. Of course I'd played 373 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 2: in majors and seen him, but not someone that I 374 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 2: would go up to and say hi, you know, he 375 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 2: would know who I was. So that that was, you know, 376 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 2: that was that was really nice. But I think I 377 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 2: think the thing that really got me was the messages 378 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 2: that I got from people that not not necessarily golfers, 379 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 2: but whatever walk of life they were in, and they 380 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 2: were kind of like, I'm going to keep going. You know, 381 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 2: there's times when I've gone, you know what, am I 382 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 2: doing the right thing? Am I on the right path? 383 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 2: And You've now proved to me that I'm going to 384 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 2: keep going down the path that I'm on? And that 385 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 2: was that blew me away. Those messag are still on 386 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 2: my phone now and will remain on there forever. And 387 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 2: that and it, honestly it took There were thousands, I 388 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 2: mean literally thousands. 389 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: People you don't know. 390 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, my wife. My wife was so understanding because I 391 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 2: was literally for Yeah, I had a week off straight 392 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 2: after and probably you know, obviously there was a lot 393 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 2: of media to do and sky and that kind of stuff, 394 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 2: and I was just these just hundreds of messages were 395 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 2: coming through every day and I was reading and I 396 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 2: read every single one. I didn't reply to all of them. 397 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 2: You know, I kind of put a message out there 398 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 2: basically saying thank you to everybody that I couldn't reply 399 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 2: to every single one. I'd probably still replying now, and 400 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,400 Speaker 2: that that that kind of really meant a lot that, 401 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 2: you know, that some people, you know, they took that 402 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 2: they watched and that they were crying, you know, you 403 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 2: kind of like when you're coming down to stretch and 404 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 2: you're in that like you and I. Nothing prepared me 405 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: for that. Nothing prepared I wasn't expecting. I'm just a 406 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 2: guy that's just won a golf tournament, So what really 407 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 2: in the grand scheme of things, I wasn't prepared for that, 408 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 2: you know, and some of them quite emotional. 409 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: That twenty twenty one year was your breakout year after 410 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:21,199 Speaker 1: being on tour for almost two decades. You lead the 411 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: US Open at in San Diego, that John Rahm won 412 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: at Tory Pines. You're forty eight years old, You're leading 413 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: the US Open after two rounds. 414 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 415 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: Confidence And I say this a lot on the podcast, 416 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: but we talk about it as a lot in the 417 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: professional game, at the elite competitive level. Confidence They always 418 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: it's a cliche. You can't put a price tag on it, 419 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: but it is so true. You get your first win, 420 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,360 Speaker 1: gets you into, You got into, You broke the top 421 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: fifty in the world for the first time in your 422 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: late forties. I mean, that doesn't normally happen like that, right. 423 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: Was it hard blendy over there that you had that 424 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: you didn't have the success that obviously everybody wants. Was 425 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 1: it hard to not try and make changes? You and 426 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: Tim Barter, your longtime coach, who is a commentator on 427 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: Sky for the American listeners if you watch Golf Channel. 428 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,640 Speaker 1: He's the guy you know at the DP World tournaments 429 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 1: doing the interviews. You and Tim have been together forevers. 430 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: It was funny. I saw not long after you won, 431 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: Danny Willett, because Danny was the host of the tournament 432 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: at at the Belfry, and I saw Danny and I saw, 433 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: my what an amazing story and he was like, you 434 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: couldn't script it any better, right, I mean, for Blandy 435 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: to win, for Tim Barter, who's his coach, to be 436 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: the guy that interviewed him. You know, they'd been together 437 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: for so long, and then you know, we talked about 438 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: who were walking away, and then as I was walking away, 439 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: Danny shouted out me and he's like, I'm still trying 440 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 1: to figure out how Tim kept his job for that long. 441 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: The guy's never won in twenty years. But it was 442 00:22:55,520 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: an amazing story, and it it vaulted you two kind 443 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 1: of a resurgence in your career. All of a sudden, 444 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: at forty eight, you're playing some of the best golf 445 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 1: of your career. You almost beat Victor Hovlin a couple 446 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: of years later in Dubai in a playoff. Victor is 447 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: one of the best players in the world. What was it? 448 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: Was it the validation that you, all of a sudden 449 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: had this realization Blandy there where you went, Wait a minute. 450 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 2: Yes, I am good, Yeah, I can do this. 451 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: It is just golf. I am just playing the game 452 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: the way everybody else. They might have different toolboxes. We 453 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: you and I were talking about this privately yesterday You're 454 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: not going to out drive Bryson to Shambeau. You're not 455 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,439 Speaker 1: going to do some things that other players can't. But 456 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 1: you've got to look at your game and go, Okay, 457 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: these are the things I'm good at. And I think 458 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: it's interesting you said this to me privately yesterday, and 459 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 1: you just said it earlier when we started. You wouldn't 460 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: change anything, and out of your entire career, most people 461 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: would go, Okay, I would go back and make changes. 462 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,479 Speaker 1: Given the career that you had and the sick that 463 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 1: you've been lucky enough to have. Why do you say 464 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: looking back that you wouldn't change anything. 465 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 2: You know, you've got to You've got to love the uh, 466 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 2: you know, just just just a journey that you're on. 467 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 2: You know. I I've made some great friends along the way. 468 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 2: Of course, you know, of course, no professional golfer wants 469 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 2: to play poorly and lose a card and that kind 470 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 2: of thing. So yeah, of course I would love to 471 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 2: be able to change that. I don't have to go 472 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: through there, of course, But and you know, you could 473 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 2: kind of go like, there's something not necessarily I would change, 474 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 2: But if you went back your mind, you know what 475 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 2: I would have maybe started doing that a little bit earlier, 476 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 2: you know, but like a you know, like I joked 477 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 2: with you yesterday, you know, you know, my school report 478 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,119 Speaker 2: always just said, yeah, he's a bit of a slow learner, 479 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 2: that kind of thing, and and I guess I kind 480 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 2: of brought that into golf. And but you know, like 481 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 2: we said yesterday, you know, you've seen some you know, 482 00:24:55,840 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: we've seen some superstars that kind of peak and then 483 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:05,360 Speaker 2: they're they're not playing anymore, you know. So to have 484 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 2: maybe my success later in my career, okay, you know 485 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 2: that that that that's that's that's how it's happened for me, 486 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:19,959 Speaker 2: and I'm grateful for that. So you know, yeah, of 487 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 2: course someone saying we'd love to win in our fourth event, 488 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: of course, you know, but I think sometimes that's it. 489 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: It's not always a good thing. You know. We've we've 490 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 2: talked about players that won early in their career and 491 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 2: suddenly they've got all this money and and you're a 492 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 2: young lad, and you're a single lad, and it's very 493 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,719 Speaker 2: very easy to go out and you think everything, Well, 494 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 2: I'm now just going to go I'm set now for life. 495 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 2: I'm going to be on tour for the rest of 496 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 2: my life, and and and they kind of probably feel 497 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 2: like they don't have to improve anymore, whereas you do. 498 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 2: You have to try and improve every single day, you know, 499 00:25:55,160 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 2: because that's just how good the standard is. And yeah, 500 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 2: and yeah, I'm just I'm grateful that it did come 501 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: for me later in my career. You know, there are 502 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 2: players that have played for twenty years, never won, never one, 503 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 2: you know. And fortunately I'm now not in that bracket. 504 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 2: But like like you said before, it's so hard to win. 505 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 2: It is, you know, back probably and I'm not taking 506 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 2: anything away from the ear of years ago, there's probably 507 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 2: only maybe ten or fifteen guys. 508 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 1: You really says that a lot. My dad said when 509 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: he played the tour in the early seventies, you know, 510 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: he was still playing on tour when it was non exempt. 511 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: He always says, Listen, I knew I wasn't as good 512 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: as the best players. We knew we were just making 513 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: up kind of the field. We knew we had no 514 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: chance to win because everybody, the top stars, Jack and 515 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: those boys back then, they were just so much better 516 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:57,159 Speaker 1: than everybody else now. And you probably and I'd be 517 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: interested to get your perspective on this, because this is 518 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: something I've touched on in the past. Why is it 519 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: do you think this new generation of players come out 520 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: and they are ready and do win early, because when 521 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: you turned pro in the early part of the two thousand, 522 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: you had to be an apprentice. You had to figure 523 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: out it's going to take you two three years to win, 524 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: and there was that mentality that you had to learn 525 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: your craft. Why is it that you see so many 526 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 1: this Ludwigo Aberg. I mean, this kid looks like he 527 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: can't miss and to do what he's done. I mean 528 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 1: last year at this time, he's playing college golf and 529 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: now he's played in a Ryder Cup, he's won a tournament, 530 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: and he's never even played in a major. You must 531 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 1: have seen a shift every single year in the in 532 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: the talent. 533 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 2: Oh, definitely that's coming out. 534 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: Do you feel like the players have more tools in 535 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: the toolbox now? What is it that you see after 536 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: being on tour for over twenty years that you see 537 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,400 Speaker 1: with this younger generation that just seemed to come out 538 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:08,640 Speaker 1: with zero fear and they just are not afraid to win. 539 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,199 Speaker 2: Really, I think you know I've said I've said it 540 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: to a lot of young guys that you know, when 541 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: I was playing amateur golf in the early nineties, playing 542 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: for England and that kind of thing. We never had 543 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 2: fitness coaches or psychologists or anything like that. We didn't 544 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 2: have TrackMan's or launch monitors. 545 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 1: Don't get out of the dirt. 546 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, you just you're right, Okay, You've and coaching, you 547 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 2: know you you and I'm sure you know your dad 548 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 2: can say the same thing. Coaching has come on that much. 549 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 2: You have to know an awful lot more than what 550 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 2: you used to. You don't have to understand how machines work, this, 551 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 2: that and the other, biomechanics, all this, what have you. 552 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 2: And I just think I think golfers have just led 553 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,479 Speaker 2: bread differently now. And I mean by that is that 554 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 2: you look at you look at Tiger's boy Charlie. He's 555 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: probably now he's you know, he's doubled in size in 556 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 2: the last year. We saw him. At the last father 557 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 2: son told him. He's probably in the gym with his 558 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 2: dad every single morning. He's not the average probably as 559 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 2: a as a bill the fourteen year old kid or 560 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 2: however old he is. Yeah, he probably takes his shirt off. 561 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 2: He probably looks like an eighteen year old he does, 562 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 2: you know, So it's it's that's that's how it is now, 563 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 2: you know, And I think Tiger changed that. You know 564 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 2: that that we had this this guy that came along 565 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 2: that was just better in every single way and off, 566 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 2: so everybody had to go up, what is he doing? 567 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 2: And we have to we have to now keep up. 568 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: You're of that generation people forget. They look at Tiger 569 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: now and a lot of people never really saw Tiger play, right, 570 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: They never saw him play golf. They saw it on 571 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,239 Speaker 1: Golf Channel, they've seen it in reruns and stuff. But 572 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: you were part of that generation playing on the European 573 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: Tour when Tiger would come over two or three times 574 00:29:57,720 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: a year, he'd play in them. He'd obviously play in 575 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: the Open Champi, but he'd come to Dubai and then 576 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: he was on that circuit where he was playing at 577 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: the Deutsche Bank which was in Germany, so he was 578 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: coming over there. There was no YouTube, There really wasn't 579 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: an Internet, so you were seeing him for the first 580 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: time and as a golfers and as an athlete. As 581 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: you mentioned, he was one hundred and eighty freak returned 582 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: from what golfers used to look like. Do you remember 583 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: when you saw Tiger for the first time at a tournament. 584 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 1: What was the year and what did you think? 585 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 2: I can't remember the I remember I obviously I saw 586 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 2: him at the Deutsche Bank. I didn't really see him play, 587 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 2: but I watched him practice in a playoff one year. 588 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 2: I watched him practice for about forty five minutes in Dubai. 589 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 2: I remember I had to I can't remember if you've 590 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 2: been to the Emirates that there was a workshop, but 591 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 2: in one of the small mantelists there was always the 592 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 2: workshop there and I needed a put of gripping, and 593 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: the guys just said, look, we're a bit busy'd come 594 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 2: back in forty five minutes. I said, yeah, okay, no problem. 595 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 2: And as I was walking out and come out onto 596 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: the back of the range, literally Tiger just arrived. Steve 597 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 2: Williams just put the bag down. Tigers and I just 598 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 2: went like, no one around. I just kind of like okay, 599 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 2: and I'm probably seven eight yards by and I just 600 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 2: sit on the grass and beautiful about one o'clock in 601 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 2: the afternoon, and I just watched the most unbelievable forty 602 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 2: five minutes of practice I've ever seen. It was it 603 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 2: was you can't hit you didn't miss a shot. I mean, 604 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 2: did you not miss a shot? 605 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: We didn't. You didn't see players like that. You didn't 606 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: see players that look like that. You didn't see players 607 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: that had speed like that. And Tiger had this aura 608 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: around him. I don't know if he created that or 609 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: we around him created it, but you felt you were 610 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 1: in the presence of something different. 611 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 2: It was crazy, Like you say, he just didn't miss 612 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 2: a shot for forty five minutes, and I mean draws fade, 613 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 2: I mean, exactly the same shot every single time. It 614 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 2: wasn't if he's hitting a drawer. It was a five 615 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 2: yard draw, and then the next one was a five 616 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 2: yard drawer. It wasn't oh it hit one dead straight, 617 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 2: and then one had overdraw a little bit, and then 618 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: one he got perf. It was the same every single time. 619 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 2: And then he just opened himself up and hit exactly 620 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 2: the same shot just the other way. Just a five 621 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 2: yard cut, five yard cut, same flight, same trajectory. I mean, 622 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 2: do you, as a goalfer, you just standing there going 623 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 2: like you can't, you can't do that any better? You know, 624 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 2: I assume it must be like an artist and you're watching, yeah, 625 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: Pocasso paint you know, you go, I can't do that. 626 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 2: I can't do that. And I remember I walked off, 627 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 2: and I remember bumping into Tin and I just said, 628 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 2: we can't win this week. You can't win. You can't 629 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 2: beat that over seventy two olds. You can't you cannot 630 00:32:55,360 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 2: beat that unless he somehow self destructs. You can't beat 631 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 2: that over seventy times. I'm sorry, you just you can't 632 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 2: do it. It was just on a level that I didn't 633 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 2: even think existed. And I assume that was I don't 634 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 2: know if that was. I think it was whether your 635 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 2: dad was still with him or gone over to Hank. 636 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 2: I'm not too shy. I think it was early two 637 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 2: thy When did when did? 638 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: When have t dub and my dad? Two thousand and two? 639 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 1: It was the last year they worked again. 640 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 2: Right, Okay, So I assume it was probably maybe later 641 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 2: than that. 642 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: I mean, listen. Even still, there's an argument to be made. 643 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: There's always this argument about Tiger's golf swing. Who was 644 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: better under my dad or Hank? I mean, obviously in. 645 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:41,479 Speaker 2: My opinion, And I'm not just saying it because it's 646 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 2: you know, I'm sat here with you, Tiger in two thousand. 647 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, from I mean from an esthetic standpoint, but then 648 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: you look at I mean it's I always think that 649 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 1: Hank gets Hank gets a bad deal because the winning 650 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: percentage and the golf he played when he was with Hank, 651 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: the win rate was higher. I mean, it just it 652 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: was exceptional as well. But I think Tiger will always 653 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 1: going to be thought of in that golden era of 654 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:11,840 Speaker 1: right around two. 655 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 2: Blue fields away, I mean, blew them away, you know. 656 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:22,280 Speaker 2: So I guess you know, I'm old school. I'm a purist, 657 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 2: you know. In two thousand, I love the way that 658 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 2: Tiger swung the golf club. It was athletic, it was 659 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 2: just power. And he Yeah, I would say he drove 660 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 2: the ball better under your Dad than he did with Hanks. 661 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 2: Way better, I'd take that. 662 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: But he was trying to drive it. 663 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 2: Pretty but yeah, you know, he just came along and 664 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,440 Speaker 2: he and he just changed the landscape completely of golf. 665 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 2: And and I've probably got you know, we we've all 666 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,439 Speaker 2: got to be thankful for it. We're all better off 667 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 2: for it. We're all probably in better shape for it 668 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,359 Speaker 2: because we've we've had to we've had to change the 669 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 2: way we go about working on our games, working on ourselves, 670 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 2: you know, and then maybe that's you know, they helped 671 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 2: me in the longevity that right, Okay, because looking after 672 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 2: yourself a little bit more has helped you, you know, 673 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:15,439 Speaker 2: keep keep your career going. 674 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:17,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, injury prevention, Yeah, that's you know. 675 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 2: And like I said to you yesterday, now you know, 676 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 2: I'm not trying to look you know. I know I 677 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 2: can't compete with Bryson off the tea and DJ and 678 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 2: that kind of and that's fine, you know, But for 679 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 2: me it's about staying can I If I can pick 680 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,719 Speaker 2: up a mile or two, that's fine, but it's as 681 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 2: we all know, as mother nature kind of catches up 682 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 2: on you is I don't want that drop off. If 683 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:40,920 Speaker 2: I can keep my ball speed up around one seventy 684 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: one seventy one, which okay, yes is below average, but 685 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,880 Speaker 2: it's it's far enough. It is far enough, you know, 686 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 2: especially when you play in nice conditions, you can still 687 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 2: get it out there three hundred and three to ten 688 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 2: off the tee. So most part fours you're breaking the 689 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 2: back of Yeah, of course i'd we'd all like to 690 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 2: hit it three p thirty three. Yeah, of course we do. 691 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:07,400 Speaker 2: But if you probably look at most old school players 692 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:10,879 Speaker 2: or guys that have been around for a long time 693 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 2: don't hit it that far. And Harrington's probably a bit 694 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 2: of a and Phil still do. 695 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,840 Speaker 1: Ye only maybe because of his size. But but if. 696 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 2: You look at probably Lee, you look at you know, 697 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 2: I've played a bit with Lee the last couple of years. 698 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 2: I've played with Poults the last couple of years, Stens, 699 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 2: and you know it's about it. Can you as long 700 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 2: as you can kind of hold that drop off, you know, 701 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 2: if you can kind of keep that at Bay, then 702 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,399 Speaker 2: you know, I think you know you can. You can 703 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:47,319 Speaker 2: still compete. 704 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: So much over the last couple of years, the golf 705 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: landscape has changed. You were one of the players that 706 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:53,879 Speaker 1: made the decision to go to live. Talk me through 707 00:36:53,960 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: that decision, why you decided to do it, and what 708 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: you've been surprised at over the last couple of years. 709 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 1: First of all, the decision to go to live, how 710 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 1: did it come about and why did you make that decision? 711 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was I remember I was playing Lee Westwood 712 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:17,399 Speaker 2: in the match Player in Texas and we're walking down 713 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 2: the second and obviously there was rumors of the live thing, and. 714 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:25,400 Speaker 1: This is Tiger Or post filmmaking all his comments and 715 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: Allen Ship, yes, book and everything this live so now 716 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 1: Live's got no momentum. 717 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 2: So this is just whispers about it. It's it's it's 718 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 2: you know, it's kind of will it won't it kind 719 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 2: of thing. And Lee said to me, we're going down 720 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 2: about the second or the third and we're just having 721 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,160 Speaker 2: a chat and he says, have you had any contact 722 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:50,839 Speaker 2: from from Greg yet? And I said no. I said, 723 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 2: why would he want to talk to me? He's gone blindy, 724 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 2: you're you know, you're top fifty five in the world. 725 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:58,360 Speaker 2: They're going to want to talk to you. And I 726 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 2: went like really, and okay. So I kind of like 727 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 2: just got on and played and didn't really think too 728 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:07,600 Speaker 2: much of it, and then kind of like spoke to 729 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:09,359 Speaker 2: my manager at the time and just sort of said, look, 730 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:11,920 Speaker 2: you know, is it worth a trying to get a 731 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:14,879 Speaker 2: conversation and see And they came back and they said, yeah, 732 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 2: you know, we're you know, we're we would be very interested, 733 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 2: and you know, and I talked it over with my 734 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 2: wife and you know, my family, and I said, look, 735 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 2: there's this opportunity here that you know, you can't turn down. 736 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 2: At forty nine years old. Yes, I've had a decent 737 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 2: longevity on on DP world and the last couple of years, yes, 738 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 2: I'd done some nice money, but it's still not you know, 739 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 2: all right, that's it. I can completely stop playing and 740 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:47,120 Speaker 2: never have to do anything else for the rest of 741 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:50,360 Speaker 2: my life. Not even close. I mean not even close. 742 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 2: And you know, I and I talked to my wife 743 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:56,400 Speaker 2: quite a lot about it, and I said to us, 744 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:58,600 Speaker 2: look are you okay with this? You know, we know 745 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:01,719 Speaker 2: that the human right, so the side of Saudi is 746 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:05,120 Speaker 2: not good. And I said, you know, have you got 747 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 2: a problem with this? She said, Look, at the end 748 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:09,759 Speaker 2: of the day, you playing golf, no matter where you 749 00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 2: play golf in the world, isn't going to change that. 750 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:14,279 Speaker 2: He said, So you know, you have to do what 751 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,759 Speaker 2: you think is right and for the best. And as 752 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:19,359 Speaker 2: soon as she said that, then for me it was 753 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,800 Speaker 2: it was absolutely there was. I was one hundred percent. 754 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 2: I was It's a no brainer. My age, at my career, 755 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 2: at that stage of my career, I don't know how 756 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 2: long I got left. I didn't know, you know, I 757 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:31,560 Speaker 2: could be I could lose my card the next year, 758 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 2: and so right, okay, okay, it might be a one 759 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 2: year thing. It might be I never signed a contract 760 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:44,319 Speaker 2: will Live. The first contract I signed with them was 761 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:46,919 Speaker 2: at the start of twenty twenty three. Yeah, I've never 762 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:51,080 Speaker 2: signed for a dollar. Does everybody think I had any 763 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:51,839 Speaker 2: money from? 764 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 1: Everyone thinks that everybody that went to Live got the 765 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:58,160 Speaker 1: bag right, they made all this money. Yeah, there are 766 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:00,400 Speaker 1: guys that did that, but there were also people like 767 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: yourself that made the decision at the age you were 768 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 1: at to go. Were you and have you been surprised 769 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:09,840 Speaker 1: at the backlash? 770 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:11,000 Speaker 3: Uh? 771 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,880 Speaker 2: I kind of yeah. We all knew it wasn't going 772 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:16,840 Speaker 2: to sit very well, you know, as soon as you 773 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 2: start kind of upsetting the apple cart as such. Yeah, 774 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 2: you know it's going to put some noses out, and uh, 775 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:26,720 Speaker 2: you know, I think looking back to London the first event, 776 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 2: I think some of the questions that the media put 777 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,080 Speaker 2: across to some of the players. Fortunately I wasn't one 778 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,760 Speaker 2: of them. Ye know, I mean they were they were shocking, 779 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:40,799 Speaker 2: they were dreadful, they were disgusting questions to be asked. 780 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:48,800 Speaker 2: And you know, when you know, if there's a World 781 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 2: Cup in Saudi Arabria in a few years or whatever, though, 782 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 2: those journalists will be out there, one of them, you 783 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,799 Speaker 2: know that they'll just be doing their jobs exactly you know, 784 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,560 Speaker 2: and exactly what we're doing. You know, we're just doing 785 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:02,719 Speaker 2: our job. There's an opportunity there to do your job 786 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:08,720 Speaker 2: for more money. Like you say, it's not everybody's decision, 787 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 2: and that's that's entirely up to them. But all you 788 00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,800 Speaker 2: can do is you have to make the best decision 789 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,880 Speaker 2: for you and your family going forward. Whether that agrees 790 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:24,359 Speaker 2: with you know, some people, that's them, you know. I 791 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,759 Speaker 2: got I got some stick on social media and I 792 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 2: remember replying to one guy. It was just rubbing me 793 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:31,719 Speaker 2: up the wrong way one day, and I just said, 794 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 2: I said, if I turn up to your house with 795 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:38,279 Speaker 2: a briefcase with five million dollars in that briefcase, and 796 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 2: I tell you, right, this is where the money's come from. 797 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:44,200 Speaker 2: I said, there it is tax free, it's yours, but 798 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 2: that's where it's come from. The briefcase would be on 799 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:48,520 Speaker 2: the other side of the door, on my hand, and 800 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:53,239 Speaker 2: be still being the door because they're not in that situation. 801 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 2: It's not there in front of them. It's very very 802 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:57,879 Speaker 2: easy to take the moral high ground. It is. We've 803 00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:01,640 Speaker 2: all done it, probably, but you know, when that situation 804 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 2: is actually gone right, I've got the chance here to 805 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:09,400 Speaker 2: make my life, my wife's life, and my family's life 806 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:14,759 Speaker 2: very very comfortable for the next however, however long at 807 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:15,840 Speaker 2: forty nine years. 808 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 3: Old, i'd need locking away really if I didn't take it, 809 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 3: you know, And I would, and I will say, it's 810 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 3: the best decision I've ever made. 811 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:29,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've absolutely loved it, and I've loved the innovation 812 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:33,080 Speaker 2: of Live and how it is trying to you know, 813 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,920 Speaker 2: make golf call again, you know, and I and when 814 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:38,560 Speaker 2: we played in London, I felt like a rookie again 815 00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:40,520 Speaker 2: at forty nine. I did. I felt like it, and 816 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:43,160 Speaker 2: I really do thank them. It's made me a better 817 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,799 Speaker 2: player because I'm playing against Bryson, I'm playing against DJ 818 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 2: and playing against Brooks, playing against Cam. I'm playing against 819 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,280 Speaker 2: them fifteen times a year. It's made me a better player. 820 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:59,440 Speaker 1: And you're You're on Martin Kimer's the cliques. Having access 821 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:03,200 Speaker 1: to a guy Martin Kimer could be the most unassuming 822 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:06,320 Speaker 1: two time major champion that's also won the players Champion 823 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:09,239 Speaker 1: you could ever meet. I think because Martin's such a 824 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:14,120 Speaker 1: nice person, such a genuine, genuine human being, that you 825 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:17,799 Speaker 1: sometimes forget how great a player he was. You can't 826 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:20,400 Speaker 1: win two majors and phone it in. I mean, I mean, 827 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:22,719 Speaker 1: if you look at the places that he's won, right, 828 00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:26,320 Speaker 1: winning US Open at Pinehurst, which was brutal, and then 829 00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:29,279 Speaker 1: the way they had whistling straight set up, and then 830 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:32,600 Speaker 1: to win at the Players as well. Last year you 831 00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 1: got to spend a lot of time with Martin. There 832 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,359 Speaker 1: were times where he was healthy, there's times where he wasn't. 833 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:41,239 Speaker 1: But what have you taken away from your time and 834 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:44,720 Speaker 1: your experience with a great player like Martin? 835 00:43:44,920 --> 00:43:49,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I just think he's very He's just 836 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:52,840 Speaker 2: you can see he's just very, very cool under pressure, 837 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 2: and you know, I think he's got tremendous sort of 838 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:01,759 Speaker 2: self belief in himself, and you know, you talk to 839 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:03,760 Speaker 2: him about you know a few things. 840 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 3: You know. 841 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:06,759 Speaker 2: I was just with him a few days ago and 842 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 2: it was got I think the US Opens going back 843 00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:11,760 Speaker 2: to Pinehurst again this year, isn't it? And it was interesting. 844 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:14,400 Speaker 2: We was having dinner one night and and I just 845 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:19,520 Speaker 2: was just chatting to him about that week, and you know, 846 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:21,560 Speaker 2: it was just interested in talking to him about you know, 847 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:24,160 Speaker 2: when did you really feel like, you know, you're right, Okay, 848 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:26,440 Speaker 2: I've got this, I've got it done. And it was 849 00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:28,239 Speaker 2: quite he was telling a funny story. I think he 850 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:30,279 Speaker 2: was like I think he said, I'm like he hit 851 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:35,000 Speaker 2: his t shot on fifteen or something like that, and he's, uh, 852 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:36,799 Speaker 2: and he hit I think he hit like two iron 853 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:38,439 Speaker 2: off the tee and then he hit his second shot 854 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:42,040 Speaker 2: into about fifteen feet with a three iron and he's gone. 855 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:43,680 Speaker 2: He was walking up to the bring. I'm right, okay, 856 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:48,120 Speaker 2: that's it. I'm good now any three puts and he 857 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 2: was in. He was and it was like it was 858 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:53,000 Speaker 2: so interesting and he's funny. As soon as you think 859 00:44:53,239 --> 00:44:53,839 Speaker 2: and he's gone. 860 00:44:53,840 --> 00:44:55,879 Speaker 1: On the golf course, as soon as you think, okay, 861 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 1: I'm safe now, Yeah, I've got it. Someone holds a 862 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:02,400 Speaker 1: bunker shot, you make a bad swing out of nowhere 863 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:04,920 Speaker 1: because you go to that mindset of going, okay, I've 864 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 1: got this. Yeah, and it sometimes can really really kind 865 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 1: of switch the other way. 866 00:45:09,760 --> 00:45:11,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's he's and he and he actually quite 867 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 2: openly talked about the time, you know, I think he 868 00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:16,560 Speaker 2: went on to win by seven or eight or something 869 00:45:16,640 --> 00:45:19,319 Speaker 2: like that, but he talked about the time in Abbadabby 870 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:21,719 Speaker 2: when he had a ten shot lead I think with 871 00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:27,840 Speaker 2: twelve to play and lost to Gary Starr and uh, 872 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 2: and it was interesting that he that he talked about 873 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:33,680 Speaker 2: quite a member. Yeah, that how he you know that 874 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:36,080 Speaker 2: he was just going along. Everything was kind of great 875 00:45:36,239 --> 00:45:39,719 Speaker 2: and you know, just right and thinking what okay, this 876 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:42,879 Speaker 2: is just you know, just kind of get it into 877 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:45,239 Speaker 2: the house and take the trophy, thanks very much. And 878 00:45:45,320 --> 00:45:50,360 Speaker 2: I think he made I think he made a six 879 00:45:50,520 --> 00:45:53,439 Speaker 2: or something on the on the ninth or something like that, 880 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:57,960 Speaker 2: and and I think Gary then made birdie, so it 881 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 2: was like a three shot swing there, and then he 882 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:03,919 Speaker 2: made I think he made a triple on thirteen, where 883 00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:07,239 Speaker 2: then he makes a birdie on the very like next hole, 884 00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 2: so suddenly it's a four shot swing. Yeah, and he 885 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,200 Speaker 2: said I just couldn't stop it. I just literally fit. 886 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:14,359 Speaker 2: I was trying everything, but he just I just could 887 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 2: not kind of you know. And someone is as good 888 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:21,640 Speaker 2: as Martin was, the world number one and major winners 889 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:24,520 Speaker 2: and what have you that, Yeah, it happens, you know, 890 00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:28,040 Speaker 2: it does happen. And but yeah, he's just he's just 891 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:30,480 Speaker 2: you know, he's just one of those guys that you know, 892 00:46:30,520 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 2: sometimes he doesn't give you a whole lot, but what 893 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:38,160 Speaker 2: he gives you it's good stuff, you know. And at 894 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:39,879 Speaker 2: the end of the day. You know, we've all I've 895 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,759 Speaker 2: been around the block enough that yeah, I know what, 896 00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 2: you know, I know what I've got to do. You know, 897 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 2: I don't really need I shouldn't really need any sort 898 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:51,160 Speaker 2: of pep talking now that right, Come on, guys, you 899 00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:54,080 Speaker 2: know he should be if that should just come from 900 00:46:54,120 --> 00:46:57,840 Speaker 2: within yourself. But yeah, he's like you said, he's just 901 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,040 Speaker 2: he's just a cool guy to be around. And and 902 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:03,399 Speaker 2: that's when again one of the other things I think 903 00:47:03,640 --> 00:47:05,360 Speaker 2: I've just loved with live and You've got to know 904 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:09,560 Speaker 2: players so much more because you're round in that team environment. 905 00:47:10,920 --> 00:47:13,680 Speaker 2: You have got to know Gmac a lot more, Burn 906 00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 2: Wisberger last year, Laurie Cancer who's been on the cligues 907 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:20,600 Speaker 2: a little bit. But you know, you're also around all 908 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:22,440 Speaker 2: the other guys where everybody's at the course at the 909 00:47:22,440 --> 00:47:27,880 Speaker 2: same time and you and and it just it really 910 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:30,360 Speaker 2: is just a great atmosphere to be around and to 911 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:30,960 Speaker 2: play golfing. 912 00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:33,400 Speaker 1: I think I've said this a lot of times. I 913 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:36,239 Speaker 1: was lucky enough to kind of start my career on 914 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 1: the traveling circus in the early two thousands. That was 915 00:47:39,160 --> 00:47:43,480 Speaker 1: the European Tour back in the day, and Live reminds 916 00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:47,120 Speaker 1: me a lot of what the European Tour used to be, right. 917 00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:49,880 Speaker 1: It was kind of this traveling circus. It went all 918 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:53,560 Speaker 1: over the world and things like that. Keith Pelly has 919 00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:57,719 Speaker 1: just resigned from running the Deep World Tour, the old 920 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:00,640 Speaker 1: European Tour. You've been on Live for the last this 921 00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:02,880 Speaker 1: will now be your third year. But you are a 922 00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: European Tour guy. That is you didn't you didn't play 923 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 1: in America. You never left and moved to Florida and 924 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:14,000 Speaker 1: played the PGA Tour and did both, So the European 925 00:48:14,040 --> 00:48:19,600 Speaker 1: Tour was your home obviously. Keith Pelly moving on sounds 926 00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:23,720 Speaker 1: like Guy Kinnings who was the longtime agent for Monty 927 00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:26,399 Speaker 1: and everybody at IMG, he's now going to take over 928 00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:32,200 Speaker 1: that role. What happens in your opinion now to the 929 00:48:32,280 --> 00:48:37,399 Speaker 1: European Tour, because there is there is this argument now 930 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:42,279 Speaker 1: that I think you can make this that with the 931 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:46,000 Speaker 1: alignment and the partnership that the European Tour that Keith 932 00:48:46,239 --> 00:48:50,040 Speaker 1: and Jay forged together. Now every year the top ten 933 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: players off the europe off of the DP World will 934 00:48:53,200 --> 00:48:56,279 Speaker 1: go to the PGA Tour. Where do you see the 935 00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,880 Speaker 1: European tour going and where would you want it to go? 936 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,360 Speaker 2: Uh? Yeah, I think Keith has done a lot of 937 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:08,840 Speaker 2: good for the tour. I think he has. You know, 938 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,400 Speaker 2: was I a fan of where I where he was 939 00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:15,840 Speaker 2: taking the tour in the last maybe two years partnering 940 00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:20,000 Speaker 2: up with with America. No, I wasn't, And why not? 941 00:49:20,680 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 2: I just like again, I just I always go back 942 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:27,640 Speaker 2: to I remember when he first came in as CEO, 943 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:33,080 Speaker 2: he gave his first player, full player address at PJ 944 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:35,120 Speaker 2: Cattle and I can't remember what year it was when 945 00:49:35,360 --> 00:49:37,680 Speaker 2: whenever the first year was he was in charge PJ 946 00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:41,880 Speaker 2: Cattaloon and he basically we were then going to partner 947 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:43,040 Speaker 2: up with Asia. 948 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:44,400 Speaker 1: It was going to be the Asian Tour. 949 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:48,240 Speaker 2: And he was basically saying that America is hostile America, 950 00:49:48,239 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 2: who's our rival, and we have to compete with them. 951 00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:52,680 Speaker 2: As far as ask said, that was the whole idea 952 00:49:52,719 --> 00:49:55,319 Speaker 2: of the Roleck series is to play for seven million dollars. 953 00:49:55,400 --> 00:49:58,200 Speaker 2: Pretty much what that America PJ Tour were playing at 954 00:49:58,200 --> 00:50:00,760 Speaker 2: the time is to try and keep our best players 955 00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:06,400 Speaker 2: in Europe to play bigger events. But yet we still 956 00:50:06,560 --> 00:50:11,040 Speaker 2: just you know, in some ways, they we bowed down 957 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:14,520 Speaker 2: to whether it be player power that right, they want 958 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:17,600 Speaker 2: to go play in America, and we made it easier 959 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:19,800 Speaker 2: for them to go play in America, that we cut 960 00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:24,839 Speaker 2: our playing minimums down. You know, I think it's now 961 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:26,319 Speaker 2: that you only have to play what was it two 962 00:50:26,440 --> 00:50:28,960 Speaker 2: or three events outside of the majors too. 963 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:34,279 Speaker 1: You've got you've got guys that I mean, You've got 964 00:50:34,280 --> 00:50:36,120 Speaker 1: guys going to the Race to Dubai at the end 965 00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:40,319 Speaker 1: of the year leading the European Order Merit that have 966 00:50:41,120 --> 00:50:44,800 Speaker 1: legit other than some of the co sanctioned and the majors, 967 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:49,760 Speaker 1: have played in maybe two to events legit real standalone, 968 00:50:49,840 --> 00:50:52,480 Speaker 1: and you can take Abu Dhabi and Dubai out of 969 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:56,000 Speaker 1: that equation, right they are not. Those are the ones 970 00:50:56,160 --> 00:51:02,120 Speaker 1: historically that we're talking like a regular Pete European old 971 00:51:02,200 --> 00:51:07,400 Speaker 1: school DP World tournament. The guys that every year are 972 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 1: winning this are playing the majority of their golf on 973 00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:14,359 Speaker 1: the PGA Tour, right. A lot of these guys live 974 00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:20,600 Speaker 1: the majority of the year in America. And I still 975 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:24,400 Speaker 1: remember to where I mean, I started working on the 976 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:27,120 Speaker 1: European Tour in the early two thousands. I've had on 977 00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:30,040 Speaker 1: the podcast. He's a good friend of mine, Trevor Immoman, Trevor, 978 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:36,000 Speaker 1: Justin Rose Poltz, Adam Scott. They use the European Tour 979 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:39,799 Speaker 1: to go over and win on the European Tour to 980 00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:44,359 Speaker 1: then be the springboard to get them top fifty. And 981 00:51:44,520 --> 00:51:47,000 Speaker 1: because top fifty back in the day was the holy grail, 982 00:51:47,400 --> 00:51:49,600 Speaker 1: right if you were top fifty in the world, regardless 983 00:51:49,600 --> 00:51:52,480 Speaker 1: of which tour you played on, you got into all 984 00:51:52,520 --> 00:51:55,680 Speaker 1: the majors, you got into all the wgc's, you got 985 00:51:55,680 --> 00:51:59,399 Speaker 1: into the Players Championship, and then you got most likely 986 00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:01,319 Speaker 1: if you were winning, and you're probably gonna get an 987 00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:05,120 Speaker 1: invite into Honda, an invite into Bayhill, one of the 988 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:11,080 Speaker 1: big tournaments. But back then, those guys Rosie Scottie Poltz, 989 00:52:11,239 --> 00:52:16,200 Speaker 1: that kind of generation. They won European Tour events, real 990 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:20,840 Speaker 1: European Tour events, not CO sanctioned ones, not Dubai Abu Dhabi. 991 00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:26,560 Speaker 1: They won rank and file European Tour events. That's how 992 00:52:26,600 --> 00:52:31,120 Speaker 1: they got to America. Now it seems like the way 993 00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:34,719 Speaker 1: to get European Tour membership is to play in all 994 00:52:34,760 --> 00:52:37,840 Speaker 1: the majors, win one of them, and then go play 995 00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:41,759 Speaker 1: one tournament. Go play Scotland, which is now CO sanctioned, 996 00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:45,000 Speaker 1: but you're not playing a full European school. I remember, 997 00:52:45,360 --> 00:52:48,480 Speaker 1: you know, it's easy to beat up on Patrick Reed, right, 998 00:52:48,520 --> 00:52:51,919 Speaker 1: Patrick Reed makes it sometimes easy for people to beat 999 00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:56,920 Speaker 1: him up. Right. But Patrick Reid has played a lot 1000 00:52:57,160 --> 00:53:00,680 Speaker 1: on the DP World Tour in the last five years. 1001 00:53:00,719 --> 00:53:02,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think he's I think I spoke to him. 1002 00:53:02,600 --> 00:53:04,759 Speaker 2: I think he said he's played. He's played more more 1003 00:53:04,920 --> 00:53:08,920 Speaker 2: regular DP World events and than what Rory has in 1004 00:53:08,960 --> 00:53:11,440 Speaker 2: the last however long. Yeah, and it's you know, I 1005 00:53:11,719 --> 00:53:15,160 Speaker 2: don't know, I'm kind of maybe spitballing here a little bit. 1006 00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 2: But if you didn't have to be a DP World member, 1007 00:53:19,840 --> 00:53:22,399 Speaker 2: you know, to play Ryder Cup, would they even come back? 1008 00:53:22,440 --> 00:53:22,879 Speaker 2: I don't know. 1009 00:53:23,280 --> 00:53:26,160 Speaker 1: I remember at maybe they wouldn't. 1010 00:53:26,440 --> 00:53:30,279 Speaker 2: They might come back for maybe play Dubai or you know, 1011 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:32,319 Speaker 2: and Rory maybe play the Irish or something like that, 1012 00:53:32,360 --> 00:53:35,800 Speaker 2: But I I don't know, maybe they wouldn't. 1013 00:53:35,800 --> 00:53:38,480 Speaker 1: The miracle at Madina where the European Ryder Cup team 1014 00:53:39,040 --> 00:53:43,279 Speaker 1: had the massive comeback all the Nobbles to captain, they 1015 00:53:43,360 --> 00:53:47,400 Speaker 1: win it for sev But on Sunday morning it looked 1016 00:53:47,400 --> 00:53:49,000 Speaker 1: like they were going to get beat and they were 1017 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:51,760 Speaker 1: going to get beat bad, and I remember thinking Blandy, 1018 00:53:53,120 --> 00:53:56,520 Speaker 1: is this kind of if they do get beat, is 1019 00:53:56,600 --> 00:54:00,520 Speaker 1: this kind of the final nail in the coffin? Because 1020 00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:04,879 Speaker 1: the majority, if not ninety percent, of that Ryder Cup 1021 00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:10,200 Speaker 1: team for the European Tour all flew to Chicago from America. 1022 00:54:10,520 --> 00:54:13,759 Speaker 1: They didn't fly from Europe because they all lived in America. 1023 00:54:14,200 --> 00:54:17,200 Speaker 1: They were all playing on the PGA Tour, they were 1024 00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:21,360 Speaker 1: all making their homes in America. And I remember thinking, 1025 00:54:21,400 --> 00:54:25,239 Speaker 1: if they go on to lose this, this it's not 1026 00:54:25,520 --> 00:54:28,879 Speaker 1: the euro it's not Europe against America. It's the it's 1027 00:54:28,920 --> 00:54:32,440 Speaker 1: the European based players that left the European Tour to 1028 00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:35,360 Speaker 1: come to the PGA Tour for the money, for the 1029 00:54:35,400 --> 00:54:38,920 Speaker 1: bigger tournaments. They're the ones making up this Ryder Cup. 1030 00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:41,359 Speaker 2: Yeah. I think it's a hard one that I think 1031 00:54:41,360 --> 00:54:45,759 Speaker 2: that the Ryder Cup selection is how you balance yeah, 1032 00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:48,200 Speaker 2: because it is a European it is a European team, 1033 00:54:48,239 --> 00:54:48,839 Speaker 2: and it is a. 1034 00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:53,120 Speaker 1: You know, and it is you have the European Tour 1035 00:54:53,200 --> 00:54:53,560 Speaker 1: and you. 1036 00:54:53,520 --> 00:54:56,640 Speaker 2: Have to you it may be someone that you know, 1037 00:54:56,680 --> 00:55:00,839 Speaker 2: and I've like, I think it's how how do you 1038 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:03,280 Speaker 2: split it, you know, from say like a world ranking 1039 00:55:03,320 --> 00:55:06,759 Speaker 2: list or world points list to the DP World Order, 1040 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:09,560 Speaker 2: a merit points list of who gets in. And however, 1041 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:12,919 Speaker 2: you know, my point is you had a guy last 1042 00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:19,880 Speaker 2: year who's third in DP world points list on the 1043 00:55:19,960 --> 00:55:22,880 Speaker 2: yearly list, and he's not in the he's not in 1044 00:55:22,920 --> 00:55:25,799 Speaker 2: the Ryder Cup. He's third Asian MORONC and he's one 1045 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:32,040 Speaker 2: at that venue that year and he's not in. You know, 1046 00:55:32,239 --> 00:55:38,759 Speaker 2: so that that kind of didn't really sit right, and 1047 00:55:39,000 --> 00:55:43,200 Speaker 2: that just shows you then that really the the the 1048 00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:49,480 Speaker 2: kind of race tooby list is completely irrelevant. It doesn't 1049 00:55:49,480 --> 00:55:50,200 Speaker 2: matter to. 1050 00:55:50,280 --> 00:55:51,200 Speaker 3: The world or the. 1051 00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:55,960 Speaker 1: You're pretty relevant right now in hugely, you know. 1052 00:55:56,520 --> 00:55:58,600 Speaker 2: I think that's one of the things that really really 1053 00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:03,120 Speaker 2: sticks in my is is how, you know, I don't 1054 00:56:03,120 --> 00:56:07,680 Speaker 2: know what kind of say Keith has had in that. 1055 00:56:07,920 --> 00:56:10,240 Speaker 2: I know, you know he can't vote on it, Llever, 1056 00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:12,920 Speaker 2: but to stand there and go, right, okay, guys, you 1057 00:56:13,000 --> 00:56:15,320 Speaker 2: know they've put this, they must have put this proposal 1058 00:56:15,400 --> 00:56:17,920 Speaker 2: together to go right now, this is what's going to 1059 00:56:17,960 --> 00:56:20,880 Speaker 2: happen as regards of world ranking, and someone has gone like, 1060 00:56:21,040 --> 00:56:24,440 Speaker 2: hang on a second, that is just not fair. You know, 1061 00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:28,560 Speaker 2: how can you have like our major, which is the 1062 00:56:28,600 --> 00:56:33,920 Speaker 2: BMWPGA Championship in September where you have a lot of 1063 00:56:33,960 --> 00:56:37,719 Speaker 2: the top ten players in the world, certainly probably four 1064 00:56:37,800 --> 00:56:40,920 Speaker 2: or five of them, Rahm and Rory and Tommy and 1065 00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:44,080 Speaker 2: Fitzie all playing, and you can have a tournament in 1066 00:56:44,120 --> 00:56:47,759 Speaker 2: America where the FedEx is done, the FedEx is done 1067 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:51,560 Speaker 2: so that it's and they're playing for more points that 1068 00:56:51,680 --> 00:56:53,640 Speaker 2: I don't I don't get. And it was exactly the 1069 00:56:53,680 --> 00:56:55,960 Speaker 2: same at the DP World Championships at the end of 1070 00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:59,960 Speaker 2: the year. Are Tour Championship, the same tournament in the Marrier, 1071 00:57:00,080 --> 00:57:03,040 Speaker 2: Chris playing for more world he's playing for more world 1072 00:57:03,080 --> 00:57:07,239 Speaker 2: ranking points. How that can be allowed? I've got no 1073 00:57:07,320 --> 00:57:11,279 Speaker 2: idea is if you are a DP World player now, 1074 00:57:11,880 --> 00:57:14,359 Speaker 2: I think it's almost impossible to get into the top 1075 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:18,400 Speaker 2: fifty in the world unless you probably win six times. 1076 00:57:19,040 --> 00:57:21,840 Speaker 1: Well, I think if I was talking to Chow Men thought, 1077 00:57:21,880 --> 00:57:25,560 Speaker 1: because he's the commissioner and chairman of the Asian Tour, 1078 00:57:25,840 --> 00:57:28,320 Speaker 1: and we were talking about Tom Kim and Tom Kim's 1079 00:57:28,360 --> 00:57:31,400 Speaker 1: kind of meteoric rise to the PGA Tour, but the 1080 00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:36,080 Speaker 1: road that he took in coming from Asia and then 1081 00:57:36,200 --> 00:57:39,080 Speaker 1: coming to Europe and then getting to the PGA. Choe 1082 00:57:39,200 --> 00:57:42,320 Speaker 1: was saying those stories won't happen anymore, and it does 1083 00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:49,600 Speaker 1: increasingly seem as we stand in twenty twenty four that 1084 00:57:50,120 --> 00:57:53,000 Speaker 1: without the framework of an agreement between Live and the 1085 00:57:53,040 --> 00:57:57,560 Speaker 1: PGA Tour, like you said, it seems like the only 1086 00:57:57,640 --> 00:58:01,960 Speaker 1: way to get into all of the big tournaments. It's 1087 00:58:02,240 --> 00:58:05,360 Speaker 1: to me, it seems like it's going the route that well, 1088 00:58:05,440 --> 00:58:08,160 Speaker 1: unless you play on the PGA Tour, there is no 1089 00:58:08,320 --> 00:58:12,360 Speaker 1: real pathway for you to really make the jump that 1090 00:58:12,440 --> 00:58:15,360 Speaker 1: a lot of people have made. And again I use 1091 00:58:15,400 --> 00:58:19,080 Speaker 1: Adam Scott and Trevor Imloan. I worked with both of 1092 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:21,520 Speaker 1: them in the early two thousands and the holy grail 1093 00:58:21,640 --> 00:58:24,120 Speaker 1: for them was get top fifty in the world. That 1094 00:58:24,160 --> 00:58:26,680 Speaker 1: gets you into the players, that gets you into some 1095 00:58:26,720 --> 00:58:29,600 Speaker 1: of the WGCs. Then you can start to make this 1096 00:58:29,760 --> 00:58:32,880 Speaker 1: move that's kind of the base camp that then you 1097 00:58:32,920 --> 00:58:35,200 Speaker 1: can make the jump to go to the PGA Tour. 1098 00:58:35,680 --> 00:58:42,680 Speaker 1: And it does seem like right now, the world it 1099 00:58:42,760 --> 00:58:46,400 Speaker 1: seems like if you're not on Live, the world is 1100 00:58:46,480 --> 00:58:54,040 Speaker 1: basically trying to become one hundred percent PGA Tour centric. Now, Blendy, 1101 00:58:54,120 --> 00:58:55,960 Speaker 1: what do you say to the fans and the people 1102 00:58:56,000 --> 00:59:01,000 Speaker 1: listening to this podcast saying you you left the European Tour. 1103 00:59:01,440 --> 00:59:04,400 Speaker 1: The European Tour gave you a platform for twenty years. 1104 00:59:05,080 --> 00:59:09,080 Speaker 1: You left to further your career right for what was 1105 00:59:09,160 --> 00:59:13,320 Speaker 1: better for you. So your opinion on what happens with 1106 00:59:13,400 --> 00:59:17,880 Speaker 1: the European Tour is in valid anymore because you basically 1107 00:59:18,000 --> 00:59:20,480 Speaker 1: left to go do something else. Because there are people 1108 00:59:20,520 --> 00:59:21,040 Speaker 1: that say that. 1109 00:59:21,160 --> 00:59:23,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, of course, and I completely get it. But of 1110 00:59:23,360 --> 00:59:25,960 Speaker 2: course there's one thing in life we're always allowed, and 1111 00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:29,800 Speaker 2: that's your opinion. Everybody has one, you know, So whether 1112 00:59:29,880 --> 00:59:33,000 Speaker 2: my opinion people want to listen to it or they don't, 1113 00:59:33,160 --> 00:59:35,760 Speaker 2: best you know, I'm not going to lose any sleep 1114 00:59:35,800 --> 00:59:40,800 Speaker 2: over that, you know. My opinion is I certainly don't 1115 00:59:40,880 --> 00:59:44,400 Speaker 2: like the way it's going. Like you say, given ten 1116 00:59:44,600 --> 00:59:48,880 Speaker 2: of your best players away every single year is for 1117 00:59:48,960 --> 00:59:51,640 Speaker 2: me as a recipe disaster. I relate it to my 1118 00:59:51,640 --> 00:59:52,840 Speaker 2: football team Southampton. 1119 00:59:53,560 --> 00:59:56,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, they had My father in law is a season 1120 00:59:56,520 --> 00:59:57,240 Speaker 1: ticket holder. 1121 00:59:57,320 --> 01:00:00,080 Speaker 2: You know they gave away for you know, they they 1122 01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:02,840 Speaker 2: sold all their best players, okay, you know because a 1123 01:00:02,920 --> 01:00:05,120 Speaker 2: Liverpool or a Man United or a man City would 1124 01:00:05,120 --> 01:00:06,600 Speaker 2: come in for them and pay for an awful lot 1125 01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:07,200 Speaker 2: of money for them. 1126 01:00:07,200 --> 01:00:08,760 Speaker 1: Now they're in the Championship and. 1127 01:00:08,600 --> 01:00:12,520 Speaker 2: At some point, at some point, yes, you can kind 1128 01:00:12,520 --> 01:00:14,840 Speaker 2: of keep your head above water for a while, but 1129 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:18,720 Speaker 2: you know you're not replacing Lake for like, you have 1130 01:00:18,800 --> 01:00:23,160 Speaker 2: someone like Nikolai Hooyguard who's got one of those spots 1131 01:00:23,720 --> 01:00:26,080 Speaker 2: going to the PGA Tour this year. And this is 1132 01:00:26,560 --> 01:00:28,400 Speaker 2: and this is no disrespect to the guys that have 1133 01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:30,800 Speaker 2: come from Challenge Tour. That is not the same level. 1134 01:00:31,000 --> 01:00:33,400 Speaker 2: It's not the same level of player that you're replacing. 1135 01:00:33,680 --> 01:00:36,240 Speaker 2: The ten or fifteen guys that are coming from Challenge Tour. 1136 01:00:36,600 --> 01:00:39,920 Speaker 2: Is not replacing those It's not the same caliber. It 1137 01:00:39,960 --> 01:00:43,480 Speaker 2: isn't so you are just watering down your talent the 1138 01:00:43,480 --> 01:00:47,040 Speaker 2: whole time, and that I think in the future for 1139 01:00:47,160 --> 01:00:52,120 Speaker 2: future sponsorship is going to hurt the talk because again, 1140 01:00:52,240 --> 01:00:56,960 Speaker 2: no disrespect to any player that's playing on the Deep world. 1141 01:00:57,000 --> 01:01:00,200 Speaker 2: They're all really good players. They are I'm not I 1142 01:01:00,240 --> 01:01:03,360 Speaker 2: don't dispute that at all. The standard is incredibly high. 1143 01:01:03,480 --> 01:01:07,000 Speaker 2: But unless you have got marquee players people that right, Okay, 1144 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:11,200 Speaker 2: I'm going to go watch that guy. Where's the return 1145 01:01:11,240 --> 01:01:13,720 Speaker 2: for the sponsors? They're just going to go unless you're 1146 01:01:13,760 --> 01:01:16,880 Speaker 2: going to give me x Y and Z. You know 1147 01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:18,800 Speaker 2: of a player and of course, then you've got to 1148 01:01:18,800 --> 01:01:24,720 Speaker 2: pay them to come back and play, and it's I'm 1149 01:01:24,800 --> 01:01:26,280 Speaker 2: just not a fan of it. I'm just not a 1150 01:01:26,320 --> 01:01:30,000 Speaker 2: fan of giving your your ten best players, if you 1151 01:01:30,400 --> 01:01:32,919 Speaker 2: I kind of it frightens me that over the next 1152 01:01:32,920 --> 01:01:35,080 Speaker 2: five years, if this does carry on, you're going to 1153 01:01:35,120 --> 01:01:37,800 Speaker 2: give your best fifty players to the PGA Tour. Now, yes, 1154 01:01:38,600 --> 01:01:41,120 Speaker 2: some will come back. Not all fifty players are going 1155 01:01:41,160 --> 01:01:43,960 Speaker 2: to keep their card, but but it's kind of like 1156 01:01:44,000 --> 01:01:47,520 Speaker 2: the way, kind of the way, you know, I would 1157 01:01:47,560 --> 01:01:50,959 Speaker 2: almost go if I was a twenty six, twenty seven 1158 01:01:51,040 --> 01:01:53,200 Speaker 2: year old guy and I've played good on the DP 1159 01:01:53,360 --> 01:01:55,240 Speaker 2: World Tour and I've got my card in America and 1160 01:01:55,280 --> 01:01:58,760 Speaker 2: I go play and I don't keep my card and 1161 01:01:58,800 --> 01:02:01,240 Speaker 2: I maybe just miss out, and I've got full corn 1162 01:02:01,320 --> 01:02:05,200 Speaker 2: Ferry status, I would almost probably go at that age, 1163 01:02:05,240 --> 01:02:09,360 Speaker 2: I'll I'll stay in America and not go back, and 1164 01:02:09,360 --> 01:02:13,520 Speaker 2: not go back, you know, because let's face it, Yeah, 1165 01:02:13,640 --> 01:02:15,280 Speaker 2: you know, I know you can say that they're playing 1166 01:02:15,320 --> 01:02:18,600 Speaker 2: for more money in Europe than they ever have, but 1167 01:02:19,400 --> 01:02:21,520 Speaker 2: you know, I think you know, you read between the lines. 1168 01:02:22,040 --> 01:02:24,720 Speaker 2: You know, PJ tours proping an awful lot of that 1169 01:02:24,840 --> 01:02:31,880 Speaker 2: up that Yeah, I and and it's a sad way 1170 01:02:31,920 --> 01:02:34,240 Speaker 2: to think about it, and it's a sad opinion to 1171 01:02:34,280 --> 01:02:36,080 Speaker 2: have it. It is, and I wish I didn't have it, 1172 01:02:36,120 --> 01:02:40,720 Speaker 2: But I really do hope that, you know, it gets 1173 01:02:40,760 --> 01:02:44,680 Speaker 2: sorted out and and I just somehow I just fear 1174 01:02:44,760 --> 01:02:48,000 Speaker 2: that the deep world could be in some ways left behind. 1175 01:02:48,320 --> 01:02:51,080 Speaker 2: I really do. And I hope Guy comes in and 1176 01:02:51,120 --> 01:02:54,600 Speaker 2: he's stronger maybe in that area than maybe Keith was. 1177 01:02:55,840 --> 01:02:58,000 Speaker 2: Like you say, I think Keith did an awful lot 1178 01:02:58,000 --> 01:03:00,800 Speaker 2: of good for the tour. You know, I don't think 1179 01:03:00,880 --> 01:03:05,040 Speaker 2: probably the last eighteen months two years of his sort 1180 01:03:05,040 --> 01:03:10,080 Speaker 2: of tenure has been you know, his best. But you know, 1181 01:03:10,280 --> 01:03:12,920 Speaker 2: it is what it is, and you know, and I 1182 01:03:12,960 --> 01:03:15,560 Speaker 2: know some people might go that I'm maybe a part 1183 01:03:15,600 --> 01:03:18,440 Speaker 2: of that because I went to live but I can 1184 01:03:18,520 --> 01:03:22,080 Speaker 2: also say that, you know, and Keith knows. He said 1185 01:03:22,120 --> 01:03:23,400 Speaker 2: this to me when I had a meeting with him. 1186 01:03:23,440 --> 01:03:25,480 Speaker 2: He said, Bland, if I was in your position, I 1187 01:03:25,520 --> 01:03:30,160 Speaker 2: would go. And that was our CEO of the DP 1188 01:03:30,320 --> 01:03:31,880 Speaker 2: world at the time. He said to me, he said, 1189 01:03:31,920 --> 01:03:34,840 Speaker 2: if I was in your position, I would go, so 1190 01:03:35,600 --> 01:03:38,280 Speaker 2: and he was right, Yeah, I, like you say, you know, 1191 01:03:38,480 --> 01:03:41,160 Speaker 2: it's it's the best decision I've ever made and I'm 1192 01:03:41,160 --> 01:03:44,680 Speaker 2: a better player for it, and no regret and I'm 1193 01:03:44,760 --> 01:03:46,960 Speaker 2: oh none, none whatsoever. 1194 01:03:51,520 --> 01:03:54,280 Speaker 1: Lastly, twenty twenty four, what are the goals for you? 1195 01:03:54,360 --> 01:03:58,880 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously you know you're setting goals in you know, 1196 01:03:58,960 --> 01:04:01,880 Speaker 1: you're fifty one. What are the goals? Are the goals 1197 01:04:01,880 --> 01:04:06,360 Speaker 1: to keep improving? Are the goals to win? Because obviously 1198 01:04:07,160 --> 01:04:10,200 Speaker 1: we were talking about this yesterday as well. At your 1199 01:04:10,520 --> 01:04:13,160 Speaker 1: stage of your life, your career, your body, your game, 1200 01:04:14,600 --> 01:04:16,440 Speaker 1: you have to pick. I mean, there's courses that are 1201 01:04:16,440 --> 01:04:18,760 Speaker 1: going to set up well for you and courses that 1202 01:04:19,360 --> 01:04:21,440 Speaker 1: are going to set up well for other players. What 1203 01:04:21,520 --> 01:04:22,480 Speaker 1: are the goals for this year? 1204 01:04:22,600 --> 01:04:26,600 Speaker 2: Yeah? You know, I know to be you know, if 1205 01:04:26,640 --> 01:04:28,919 Speaker 2: I wanted to play on live in twenty twenty five, 1206 01:04:29,200 --> 01:04:32,280 Speaker 2: I'm gonna have to play some seriously good goal. You know. 1207 01:04:32,360 --> 01:04:34,960 Speaker 2: I know a lot of people think, oh, it's everybody's 1208 01:04:35,480 --> 01:04:37,240 Speaker 2: live that's washed up and this, that and the other. 1209 01:04:38,920 --> 01:04:41,760 Speaker 2: Let's just bs. You know, you have to even to 1210 01:04:41,760 --> 01:04:43,720 Speaker 2: finish top fifteen on a live event, you have to 1211 01:04:43,720 --> 01:04:45,760 Speaker 2: play some serious goal. You have to and if you 1212 01:04:45,840 --> 01:04:48,800 Speaker 2: finish in the top ten, you have played some unbelievable goal. 1213 01:04:49,120 --> 01:04:52,680 Speaker 2: That's my opinion, and so yeah, So for me, if 1214 01:04:52,720 --> 01:04:55,560 Speaker 2: I can play, I would like to think if I 1215 01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:59,480 Speaker 2: can play two more years, I think that would be 1216 01:04:59,600 --> 01:05:05,120 Speaker 2: me probably riding off into the sunset. You know. You know, 1217 01:05:05,160 --> 01:05:08,800 Speaker 2: my brother's gone through cancer this last sort of twelve months. 1218 01:05:09,480 --> 01:05:11,680 Speaker 2: I want to I want to enjoy the rest of 1219 01:05:11,720 --> 01:05:14,240 Speaker 2: my life. You know. Of course, I'll still be around golf. 1220 01:05:14,280 --> 01:05:16,360 Speaker 2: I'll still play golf. I might even play a few 1221 01:05:17,440 --> 01:05:19,960 Speaker 2: senior events here and there. You know, have I got 1222 01:05:20,000 --> 01:05:24,360 Speaker 2: any ambition to play sort of seniors in Europe? I haven't, 1223 01:05:24,720 --> 01:05:29,200 Speaker 2: to be honest. And then do I want to maybe 1224 01:05:29,240 --> 01:05:32,320 Speaker 2: play champions and start playing twenty five twenty six tournaments again? 1225 01:05:33,160 --> 01:05:35,120 Speaker 2: I don't think I do, you know. So it's a 1226 01:05:35,120 --> 01:05:41,240 Speaker 2: lot of travel. Yeah, I love playing in America, you know, 1227 01:05:41,360 --> 01:05:46,520 Speaker 2: but you know we're happy where we are. So yeah, 1228 01:05:46,560 --> 01:05:49,080 Speaker 2: I think if I could play through twenty twenty five, 1229 01:05:49,880 --> 01:05:52,240 Speaker 2: I think that would be you know, I'd be sort 1230 01:05:52,240 --> 01:05:54,640 Speaker 2: of retiring and very happy man. So you know, but 1231 01:05:54,800 --> 01:05:56,440 Speaker 2: that doesn't mean to say that this year I'm going 1232 01:05:56,480 --> 01:05:58,960 Speaker 2: to give it everything I've possibly got. You know, I'm 1233 01:05:58,960 --> 01:06:01,880 Speaker 2: a I'm a hundred an all in guy. You know, 1234 01:06:01,960 --> 01:06:07,960 Speaker 2: I can't do anything half heartedly you know, I'm behind 1235 01:06:07,960 --> 01:06:10,200 Speaker 2: the eight ball anyway when you're playing against DJ and 1236 01:06:10,240 --> 01:06:12,760 Speaker 2: Brooks every every round. So you know, I've got to 1237 01:06:12,800 --> 01:06:18,000 Speaker 2: be at my best, you know, most of the time. 1238 01:06:18,040 --> 01:06:20,280 Speaker 2: And that's what's made me a better player. That's just 1239 01:06:20,320 --> 01:06:24,080 Speaker 2: it just that has to come out of me. So yeah, 1240 01:06:24,120 --> 01:06:26,120 Speaker 2: I'm going to do everything I can to be playing 1241 01:06:26,120 --> 01:06:29,320 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty five. Of course, i'd love to be 1242 01:06:29,320 --> 01:06:33,160 Speaker 2: coming down the stretch with one of those guys fighting out. 1243 01:06:33,240 --> 01:06:38,240 Speaker 2: I hope it happens, but yeah, you know, it's I'm 1244 01:06:38,280 --> 01:06:42,040 Speaker 2: sort of more also, you know, I can kind of 1245 01:06:42,040 --> 01:06:43,560 Speaker 2: see the end of the road a little bit more now, 1246 01:06:43,560 --> 01:06:46,760 Speaker 2: which I kind of like the look of as well, 1247 01:06:47,480 --> 01:06:50,959 Speaker 2: So you know, but we'll see. You know, I've always 1248 01:06:50,960 --> 01:06:52,440 Speaker 2: sort of said, I, you know, I'll cross that bridge 1249 01:06:52,440 --> 01:06:54,440 Speaker 2: as well when I come to it. My wife says, oh, 1250 01:06:54,520 --> 01:06:57,080 Speaker 2: you'll never retire. But you know, I've had like a 1251 01:06:57,160 --> 01:07:00,240 Speaker 2: nice sort of two three months off and I really 1252 01:07:00,240 --> 01:07:03,680 Speaker 2: miss it too much. So but you know, now I'm 1253 01:07:03,720 --> 01:07:05,840 Speaker 2: back in kind of practice mode, and you know, I'm 1254 01:07:05,840 --> 01:07:08,160 Speaker 2: here at the Floridian with you practicing and for the 1255 01:07:08,160 --> 01:07:10,480 Speaker 2: next couple of weeks, and it's it does kind of 1256 01:07:10,480 --> 01:07:12,840 Speaker 2: get the juices flowing again, I can say that. So, 1257 01:07:13,440 --> 01:07:15,400 Speaker 2: but yeah, you know, I'm excited to play in twenty 1258 01:07:15,440 --> 01:07:18,919 Speaker 2: twenty four. I'm exactly where I want to be. I'm 1259 01:07:18,920 --> 01:07:22,280 Speaker 2: playing on the tour. I want to play on regardless 1260 01:07:22,320 --> 01:07:26,560 Speaker 2: of the financial side of it. I just I just 1261 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:29,800 Speaker 2: love playing live. I think it's great. I really do. 1262 01:07:29,800 --> 01:07:34,200 Speaker 1: Does your football team, Southampton, do they get back to 1263 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:37,920 Speaker 1: the premiership. My father in law, Mike McCleary, I mean, 1264 01:07:38,200 --> 01:07:41,000 Speaker 1: he goes to the games, he sits there in the rain, 1265 01:07:41,600 --> 01:07:45,040 Speaker 1: he's devastated. They're in the Championship. Do they get back 1266 01:07:45,080 --> 01:07:46,440 Speaker 1: to the Premiership playing well? 1267 01:07:46,440 --> 01:07:48,200 Speaker 2: They're on a good run right now. I think they're 1268 01:07:48,200 --> 01:07:50,720 Speaker 2: about eighteen and nineteen unbeaten, and I think we play 1269 01:07:50,840 --> 01:07:55,320 Speaker 2: Sheffield Wednesday tonight, who are like nineteen, So it's know 1270 01:07:55,480 --> 01:07:57,680 Speaker 2: in Southampton, this is probably and we're at home, so 1271 01:07:57,760 --> 01:07:59,960 Speaker 2: this is probably. Now we're going to lose three nol. 1272 01:08:03,120 --> 01:08:04,840 Speaker 2: I think it's tough. It's going to be tough to 1273 01:08:04,880 --> 01:08:08,040 Speaker 2: get an automatic. But how you're back through the you 1274 01:08:08,040 --> 01:08:12,000 Speaker 2: look at Leicester. Leicester look really strong. It's which, yeah, 1275 01:08:12,040 --> 01:08:16,240 Speaker 2: they kind of I think we can maybe nick a second, 1276 01:08:16,360 --> 01:08:18,640 Speaker 2: but I would probably. I think if someone offered you 1277 01:08:18,680 --> 01:08:20,920 Speaker 2: the playoff spots right now, I think you'd take it. 1278 01:08:21,320 --> 01:08:22,120 Speaker 2: I think you'd take it. 1279 01:08:22,200 --> 01:08:22,360 Speaker 3: You know. 1280 01:08:23,479 --> 01:08:26,679 Speaker 2: I think it's always the same with being a Saints fan, 1281 01:08:26,760 --> 01:08:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, even though even though it's quite good at 1282 01:08:29,200 --> 01:08:31,240 Speaker 2: the minute. Yeah, they did it at the start of 1283 01:08:31,240 --> 01:08:32,600 Speaker 2: the season. They had a good start, and then they 1284 01:08:32,680 --> 01:08:36,640 Speaker 2: lose four in a row, so you know, hopefully they 1285 01:08:36,640 --> 01:08:38,880 Speaker 2: can keep the run going. But you know, it's just 1286 01:08:38,920 --> 01:08:42,840 Speaker 2: whether the squad is strong enough and big enough to 1287 01:08:42,880 --> 01:08:45,759 Speaker 2: get through. You know, Forty six games is an awful 1288 01:08:45,760 --> 01:08:47,760 Speaker 2: lot of a lot of football in the season. So 1289 01:08:48,320 --> 01:08:52,000 Speaker 2: I hope so, I hope so. But there's always that 1290 01:08:52,320 --> 01:08:55,960 Speaker 2: sort of bit of pessimistics view when you're a Saints fan. 1291 01:08:56,160 --> 01:08:58,080 Speaker 2: So we'll see. 1292 01:08:58,200 --> 01:09:02,040 Speaker 1: I am learning. I am learning that well, having a Saints' 1293 01:09:02,439 --> 01:09:03,639 Speaker 1: supporter in the family. 1294 01:09:04,200 --> 01:09:06,240 Speaker 2: I'll ask me that question in about three months and 1295 01:09:06,240 --> 01:09:08,160 Speaker 2: I might be able to give you a better answer. 1296 01:09:08,520 --> 01:09:11,519 Speaker 1: Great stuff, have a great year. Thanks for talking to us, Claude, 1297 01:09:11,520 --> 01:09:12,040 Speaker 1: thank you, bou. 1298 01:09:16,320 --> 01:09:16,400 Speaker 3: So. 1299 01:09:16,479 --> 01:09:19,320 Speaker 1: That was Richard Bland and listen, he's definitely somebody I 1300 01:09:19,400 --> 01:09:23,160 Speaker 1: root for, right. I think that his story how long 1301 01:09:23,240 --> 01:09:25,599 Speaker 1: it took him to find his first win, to find 1302 01:09:25,640 --> 01:09:31,839 Speaker 1: that success Yeah, it's easy to categorize someone like Richard 1303 01:09:31,920 --> 01:09:34,960 Speaker 1: as a journeyman. But if you are a journeyman, it 1304 01:09:35,120 --> 01:09:38,160 Speaker 1: means that you're still seeking, But it also means that 1305 01:09:38,200 --> 01:09:42,519 Speaker 1: you're still on this journey playing professional golf. And there 1306 01:09:42,520 --> 01:09:46,120 Speaker 1: are a lot of people at Richard's age that are 1307 01:09:46,160 --> 01:09:48,960 Speaker 1: packing it in that that aren't playing anymore. He's still playing. 1308 01:09:49,320 --> 01:09:50,840 Speaker 1: I'm excited to see what he can do in twenty 1309 01:09:50,880 --> 01:09:55,280 Speaker 1: twenty four. And I think it's important that we hear 1310 01:09:55,439 --> 01:10:01,080 Speaker 1: from superstars, from regular golfers, and from people that are 1311 01:10:01,160 --> 01:10:04,400 Speaker 1: just making their career playing professional golf. And I think 1312 01:10:04,479 --> 01:10:07,960 Speaker 1: Richard's got a very very good story. Thanks everyone for 1313 01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:10,200 Speaker 1: listening some of it, but which comes to you every Wednesday. 1314 01:10:10,720 --> 01:10:12,160 Speaker 1: We are back next week.