Sean O'Hair interview...

From this week's media day interview with Sean O'Hair, winner of last year's John Deere Classic.

On struggling this year...
SEAN O'HAIR: For me right now it's learning how to deal with the expectations, not so much of everybody else but of myself. I had a good year, and I've got a certain, I guess, image or a certain thing that I see for myself for the future, and I'm trying to achieve that. I don't want to be just a good player on the PGA TOUR; I want to be one of the best players of all time. That's pretty high obviously because you've got some pretty phenomenal players.

On his father-in-law and former caddie, Steve Lucas...
SEAN O'HAIR: You know, with Steve -- Steve is my best friend, always will be.

Him and I have got a very special relationship. He's kind of like my dad and my mentor and my best friend all wrapped up in that big body of his....

Last year was supposed to be a temporary deal. He just wanted to help me get comfortable out here until I found somebody, a proper guy to carry my bag. Last year we just had a breakout year, and it was one of those things that you just didn't want to mess with.

We just decided to ride it out, and then we kind of had the same mentality going into this year, just kind of like let's do whatever until we find somebody. To be honest with you, I never really found anybody.

And then Steve came up to me the other day and said, you know, we kind of need to think this thing out because I think it's time for you to move on, and we've delayed this long enough. It never really was a long-term thing.

I actually was fortunate enough to run into a guy who carries for Gary Player on the Champions Tour, and we've kind of hit it off the last couple weeks, and hopefully we continue improving. I think it's going to be a good team.

Steve's and my separation business-wise on the golf course was a mutual thing. He's got his own business that he kind of put on hold for me, and I think it was time for him to kind of go back and do what he does. I mean, he left the bag saying, "Any time you need me to caddie, I will be there."

I talk to him every day; I live five minutes from him; I have dinner with him every day I'm home. We're as close as it gets. There was nothing there, it just was time to move on.

On his new caddie...
SEAN O'HAIR: Bobby Verwey. He's South African, so it's like a French-Dutch thing...It's actually Player's nephew, believe it or not.

On Verwey replacing Lucas as a pep-talker and butt-kicker...
SEAN O'HAIR: Not yet. Hopefully he will as time goes on. Hopefully he'll learn about me. Steve was a very good motivator, still is a very good motivator. I talk to him every night, and he still motivates me. Just sometimes he can say something that can kind of clarify things for you or he can say something that kind of just pumps you up a little bit.

No, that's what Steve was good with. He was good with kind of making it light out there, he was good with if I needed a kick in the pants, he was there. If I was getting down on myself, he was there. You know, he was more of an inspirational type of figure out there for me.

You know, Bobby kind of brings that professionalism, I guess, to the bag, the fact that with his experience, being a caddie for I don't know how many years, he's played professional golf and things like that.

Steve did an awesome job, and he could have been my caddie for my career, but I don't think him or I wanted that. I think it was a good move for us to do it when we did it, and I think we made the right move as far as Bobby is concerned. I think things will start coming around.