“You had it in your hands – after a year of sacrifice and improvement and doubt and trust and loneliness and pride – and two weeks of the same – and in a 45 minute window so quick I’m still not sure it happened and so slow I still feel like I’m living it – you give it back.”
“All those stories – however long or short in the making – only mean exactly and only what you decide to tell yourself over a two week period. Professional golf is about playing well at the right time. However much or little goes into that is the unique part.”
“I believe that, despite knowing that my final month of a year where I’ve learnt more about my formula for success than ever before will be comprised of trips to Q School in the US and in Europe. Golf will throw those ironies in your face with a posturing that threatens to strangle you. The taunts of a reality that you are not where you want to be, that directly contradict your beliefs that you are good enough to be.”
“How would you measure progress in this sport?
Trophies? World ranking? Stroke average? What you consider your best to look like? What you consider your worst to look like? How much you feel you belong?”
“In those moments, the unprompted voice-cracking over a FaceTime call while explaining a final round 75… the dejected pressing of refresh for three hours to see just how close to 60th place you can wind up… they don’t matter anymore.”
“Every single thing you do outside of those split seconds of physical execution can influence the outcome of them… as a sport where competition contains so much time spent not actually ‘doing’, there is a case for almost anything and everything you do in your life being a potential performance help, or hindrance.”
“The moment before whatever degree of chaos this week has in store for you ensues. When all the preparation – be it a reassuring blend of quality ball striking and golf course familiarity, or an anxious blend of golf-swing searching and golf course intimidation – is done. Ready or not, there’s no more you can do.”
“We were spoilt, and we wanted to be rewarded for being golf fans; understanding the dramatics of a sport that other sports fans don’t necessarily comprehend. Understanding that golf doesn’t let anyone other than peak Tiger feel as though they have accomplished it. Understanding that seemingly flawless golfers can be punched in the stomach by the sin of being human.
We wanted Hideki to win, but we wanted him to have to birdie the last to do it.”
