Golf Monthly UK – August 2019

THE GAME WINNERS’ CIRCLE

What’s in the bag?

1

ThiswasthefirsttimeWoodlandhad

convertedafinal-roundleadinto victory

80

Heledthefieldinscramblingwith80%.

Entering the week he was ranked 169th

Driver

PingG410,9°

with7°ofactual

loft,AccraRPG

472 M5+ shaft

3-wood

PingG410

LST,15°,Accra

Tour Z M5 shaft

Utility

WilsonStaff

Prototype,18°,

KBSTourC-Taper

130X shaft

Irons

WilsonStaff

ForgedPrototype

Blades,KBSTour

C-Taper130X

shafts

Wedges

TitleistVokeySM7raw

finish,53°and58°,

TaylorMadeMilledGrind

Hi-Toe,64°,KBSHi-Rev

2.0 125X shafts

Putter

Scotty

Cameron

Prototype

Ball

Titleist

Pro V1

Whatdoesitmeantohave
yournameonthetrophy
alongsidesomanygreats?
I’veworkedhardmywholelife.
I’vebeensurroundedby
amazingpeopleandI always
justwantedtobesuccessful.I
didn’tknowwhatitwas,whatI
wasgoingtodo.I fellinlove
withgolf,andit’stranscended
tothis.Anditallcameoutofme.
I neverletmyselfgetahead,just
toldmyselfit’sneverover,and
whenthelastputtwentin,itall came
out. I’m glad it’s over with.

WhenBrooksKoepkawonthe
USPGAatBelleriveandoutlasted
Tiger,helatersaidheenjoyed
stoppinghistory.Whatwasitlike
whenyoustoppedhishistory?
ObviouslyBrooksgotofftoagreatstart.
Andyouknewhewasgoingtocomeout.
Theconditions,thewindwasdowna
littlebitearlyintheround.Youcouldplay
moreaggressively.Thefirstcoupleof
holeshecouldattack,andhedidthat.It
wasniceformetomakethatbirdieon 2
togivemyselfconfidencetoslowdown
everything.Andobviouslyexecutingthe
birdieon3,aswell.ButBrooks,he’s
unbelievable.Helivesforthismoment.
Andobviouslywhathe’sdonethelast
couple of years is phenomenal.

Whatareyoumostproudofwhen
youlookbackontheweek?
IthinkfromamentalstandpointI wasas
good as I’ve ever been. I never got

aheadofmyself.I neverthought

aboutwhatwouldhappenifI

won,whatcomeswithit.I

wantedtoexecuteeveryshot.

Iwantedtostayinthe

moment.I wantedtostay

withinmyself.I knewI was

playingwellgoingin,butI’ve

beenplayingwellgoingintoa

lotoftournamentsbeforeand

haven’t had the results I’d like.

Tellusaboutyour journey to get

tothispoint?

I’vejustalwaysbelievedinmyself.No

matterwhatI’vedone,fromwhenI was

ayoungkid,I alwaysbelievedI wouldbe

successful.I believedI wouldplay

professionalsports.I alwaysbelieved I

wouldbeinthismoment.Andthe

questionaboutifI everdreamedof

makingtheputtonthelastholeofaUS

OpenwhenI wasakid,no,I didn’t,butI

hitalotofgame-winningshotsonthe

basketballcourtwhenI wasakid.And

that’swhatI did.I’vealwaysbelievedin

myself.Andit’snicethatwhenyoudo

that,andyousurroundyourselfwith

great people, good things happen.

Howmuchpressuredidyoufeel?

Ithinkthebigdealistoenjoythe

pressure.Obviouslyit’san

uncomfortablesituationleadingina

Majorafter 36 holes,after 54 holes.ButI

kepttellingmyselftoenjoythismoment.

Enjoythepressure.Enjoythestress.

Enjoybeinguncomfortable.And don’t

shy away from it, embrace it.

“I kept telling myself to

enjoy this moment, enjoy

the pressure”

USOpenchampionGaryWoodlandheldoffchallengesfromBrooks

Koepka and Justin Rose to win his first Major at Pebble Beach

Winningscore:-1 3

Newworldranking: 12

Prizemoney:$2,250,000

PGA Tour victories: 4