AUGUSTA, Ga. — One of many nice debates in latest months has revolved round knowledgeable golfer’s relationship with the media and whether or not it’s their responsibility to talk to the press after the spherical.
This all began after Rory McIlroy’s agonizing defeat on the 2024 U.S. Open, when he bolted out of Pinehurst No. 2 quicker than he might say goodbye. McIlroy didn’t publicly talk about what occurred till the Scottish Open the next month.
The dialog exploded this previous March at The Gamers Championship, the place Collin Morikawa stated he ‘doesn’t owe anybody something.’ He then doubled down on that remark later within the week after taking an onslaught of criticism from many pundits, notably Brandel Chamblee and Paul McGinley. The week earlier than, on the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Morikawa held a three-shot lead on the again 9. However after coughing it as much as Russell Henley, he dodged out of Bay Hill, saying later that he wished to get out of Orlando as rapidly as attainable.
Naturally, this subject emerged on Thursday morning at Augusta Nationwide.
Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Gary Participant — who’ve 35 majors mixed — opened The Masters by hitting the ceremonial opening tee photographs. After that, Nicklaus, Watson, and Participant spoke to reporters.
I requested them about what a participant’s relationship with the media ought to be and the way they carried out themselves with the press all through their careers.
“I feel it’s our obligation, and truly it’s been a pleasure,” Nicklaus stated.
“I’ve loved my relationship with the press, and I feel the press is — I feel if we deal with you pretty, I’ve at all times anticipated you to deal with us pretty, and thru the years I feel for 99 % of the time I’ve been handled very pretty.”
Participant took a unique method.
“That’s a vital query,” Participant, the primary Worldwide winner at The Masters, stated.
“No one likes to have a foul spherical, however that’s a part of life, ups and downs, and you must have to come back to the press and reply questions, as a result of with out you guys — I disagree with Jack, I don’t assume you at all times deal with us pretty. I’ve seen a variety of issues written that aren’t true and never honest, however that’s additionally a part of the sport, the great and unhealthy of life. However we’ve got to go to the press each time we end the spherical.”
Participant additionally shared an anecdote about his father, who labored tirelessly within the South African mines 8,000 toes beneath the bottom daily.
“He cherished golf,” Participant stated of his father.
“He stated, ‘With out the press, you’ll not have the tournaments that you simply’d wish to have.’ Sure, we might have a Tour, and I feel there ought to be a PGA rule that when you’re requested to go after a spherical, it’s our obligation to do that. In case you ask for anyone to go to the pressroom, whether or not you shoot 90 otherwise you shoot 60, you must need to go there.”
The sport of golf is emblematic of the sport of life. You get good breaks from unhealthy photographs, unhealthy breaks from good ones. Everybody has their downs, whereas many others really feel loads of highs. In the identical vein, golf is a sport of emotion. No different sport has extra of a psychological toll on oneself than golf. And that’s the reason speaking about your emotions, ideas, and hopes is crucial, even in probably the most troublesome circumstances. Folks can relate extra to shedding than successful, too; that’s simply the way in which of the world. You additionally be taught far more in defeat, and golf followers recognize and respect that.
“It’s a duty — truly, it’s a two-way road,” Watson added.
“We’ve a social media component now that’s completely different than the written press or the radio press, TV press, that provides to the period of time that’s vital to talk.”
Nicklaus provided a really empathetic method as effectively.
“I feel that you simply all have a job to do, and I feel that you simply want entry to us, and I feel that we have to — so long as you’re respectful to what we’re doing, I feel we’ve got an obligation to have the ability to reply your questions and do what must be. Do I perceive the place anyone is basically irritated and so forth and so forth they usually may say, hey, I can’t discuss proper now? I can perceive that. I don’t consider I’ve ever completed that, and I don’t consider both of these two ever have. That’s form of my feeling,” the 6-time Masters champion stated.
“However everyone is completely different. You’ll be able to’t actually choose an individual — I suppose you possibly can in some methods, you choose them, however you most likely shouldn’t in a fleeting second. We’re right here since you’re right here. We obtained up early this morning, as you probably did, to exit and hit a golf ball on the primary tee after which are available in right here and discuss it. Do I’ve any curiosity in speaking about the way in which I hit a golf ball off the primary tee in the present day? No, however you guys had some curiosity; you’re all sitting right here.”
Talking of fleeting moments, Watson dropped at mild a hilarious story concerning the late, nice Seve Ballesteros, the primary European to win a Inexperienced Jacket.
“One of many traditional responses to considered one of your questions was made by Seve Ballesteros when he was requested, ‘Seve, how did you four-putt the sixteenth gap?’ He stated, ‘I miss, I miss, I miss, I make,’” Watson stated all whereas attempting to impersonate Ballesteros, which drew a mighty chuckle from everybody in attendance.
“Not too a few years after that, I five-putted the sixteenth gap. So I stated, ‘I miss, I miss, I miss, I miss, I make.’”
However after offering that humorous anecdote, Watson reduce to the chase.
“I at all times favored what Jack needed to say,” Watson added.
“He stated, ‘You’ve a job to do, and it’s our duty that will help you together with your job.’ That’s the way in which I really feel about it.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Observe him on X @jack_milko.
