If I’d had the space, the end-of-the-year story on Sean O’Hair in Sunday’s paper could have been twice as long.
So, for O’Hair junkies, here are some left-over quotes from Sean and from Steve Lucas, his caddie and father-in-law.
On momentum…
“Momentum works both ways. Last year it worked for me; this year it worked against me. Last year, at the end of the year, I didn’t feel comfortable with my game but I was still playing great golf because I was confident and I had to momentum going my way. This year I had nothing but negative going my way.” – Sean
On what he learned…
“The main thing I learned this year was to give myself a break. I’m 24 years old and I’ve got a lot to learn, a lot to experience, but I’ve got a lot of time.” – Sean
On Bob Rotella…
“Lot of people helped me out. Gary (Gilchrist), Steve (Lucas) helps me, I worked a ton with Rotella this year starting after the Masters. His message is to keep things in perspective, enjoy the game.
“The funny thing is, we are brought up to expect a lot out of yourself, when its’ not that great a way to think.”
On his caddies…
With Steve, I just needed a change and he agreed.
The first one, Bobby Verwey was great, absolutely awesome. He was a great caddie. Perfect fit. Then all of a sudden, at Hartford, he calls me Friday morning – we’re only three shots behind – and says, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’ve had a nervous breakdown, being away from home.’”
“We were working well together, making money. He didn’t show up Friday. I had to call Steve. Steve hopped a plane and didn’t get there til my second hole. I went from 3 shots back to missing the cut.
“After that I was depressed a little because we had a lot of momentum.”
“So I went with this guy David Brooker, who is now caddieing Lorena Ochoa. He was a great caddie and great guy, but he had never caddied on the PGA Tour. There was something missing there. Nothing personal, just something missing.” – Sean
On fatherhood…
“When you get married, it’s not about you anymore. When you have a kid, nothing’s about you. It’s all about her. That’s kind of what I learned.” – Sean
On going from 23rd on the tour in driving, averaging just under 300 yards, to 71st, averaging 292 yards…
“Hitting more 3-woods and 5-woods off tees. I think I am hitting it just as far, but last year I hit a lot more drivers.” -- Sean
On who he looks up to…
“Tiger, absolutely Tiger. For everything. The way he handles himself, how driven he is, how focused he is, how much knowledge he has of the game. I just think he is a top-notch player and person. And Jim Furyk and Vijay (Singh). I’ve gotten to understand him a little more. He is a complicated guy. He is a Philadelphian almost; he likes to break peoples (stones).” – Sean
On his tournament schedule next year and tournaments he likes and doesn’t like…
“This coming year I have crossed off the first three because of the baby. (Due around the first of the year).
“I am not a huge fan of playing multiple golf courses. Every tournament is a great tournament, don’t get me wrong. I don’t like [playing three golf courses (Bob Hope)
“I don’t like places that are hard to get to. You go to the airport, then have an hour and a half drive. There are certain golf courses that don’t fit my game and courses that do,.
“84 Lumber, I hated that golf course and I won’t miss that tournament. Nice resort but I hate that golf course.” – Sean
On his favorite courses around Philadelphia…
“Here (Concord Country Club). Pine Valley, Merion, Aronimink, Commonwealth. Commonwealth is awesome. I love that course.” – Sean
Quotes from Steve Lucas
On the missed cuts early in the season…
“Obviously it was frustrating. It is like standing on the beach and you can see the wave coming but you can’t get out of the way. We did better last year, why can’t we do it? Is it us? Are we making bad decisions? -- Steve
On Sean’s mental game…
“I personally think he got infinitely better mentally. If you are not successful when you know you can be, you get angry. If you get angry you can’t perform. One bad shot begets another bad shot.
“I think he is and will be much better because of his maturity and mental outlook on golf.” – Steve
On the mental attitude a Tour player needs…
“You’ve got to believe when you are playing good that you are the best. When you are not playing well, you have to pretend you are the best.” – Steve
The difference between Tour players and the rest of us…
“First of all, if I played 3 rounds of golf in three consecutive days, I am mentally incapable of playing at a level I am happy with. I can’t hold it together. These guys, with the amount of time they commit to playing and practicing, they don’t lose their edge.” – Steve
Sean as Tour player vs. Sean as his son-in-law…
“When he gets on that golf course, he is no the kid you see every day, not the kid you have lunch with. It takes somebody special to hit a 3-iron on a line and know he can do it on demand. How to you explain that to somebody who is a scratch player at Meadowlands. That is the ability these guys have.
On their golf trip last week to Hilton Head, where Sean took on five guys…
“I just played golf with him 3 straight days and watched him shot 5 under, 3-under, 4-under. He goes out on PGA Tour and he is not the kid I just played golf with, he’s better.” -- Steve
So, for O’Hair junkies, here are some left-over quotes from Sean and from Steve Lucas, his caddie and father-in-law.
On momentum…
“Momentum works both ways. Last year it worked for me; this year it worked against me. Last year, at the end of the year, I didn’t feel comfortable with my game but I was still playing great golf because I was confident and I had to momentum going my way. This year I had nothing but negative going my way.” – Sean
On what he learned…
“The main thing I learned this year was to give myself a break. I’m 24 years old and I’ve got a lot to learn, a lot to experience, but I’ve got a lot of time.” – Sean
On Bob Rotella…
“Lot of people helped me out. Gary (Gilchrist), Steve (Lucas) helps me, I worked a ton with Rotella this year starting after the Masters. His message is to keep things in perspective, enjoy the game.
“The funny thing is, we are brought up to expect a lot out of yourself, when its’ not that great a way to think.”
On his caddies…
With Steve, I just needed a change and he agreed.
The first one, Bobby Verwey was great, absolutely awesome. He was a great caddie. Perfect fit. Then all of a sudden, at Hartford, he calls me Friday morning – we’re only three shots behind – and says, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’ve had a nervous breakdown, being away from home.’”
“We were working well together, making money. He didn’t show up Friday. I had to call Steve. Steve hopped a plane and didn’t get there til my second hole. I went from 3 shots back to missing the cut.
“After that I was depressed a little because we had a lot of momentum.”
“So I went with this guy David Brooker, who is now caddieing Lorena Ochoa. He was a great caddie and great guy, but he had never caddied on the PGA Tour. There was something missing there. Nothing personal, just something missing.” – Sean
On fatherhood…
“When you get married, it’s not about you anymore. When you have a kid, nothing’s about you. It’s all about her. That’s kind of what I learned.” – Sean
On going from 23rd on the tour in driving, averaging just under 300 yards, to 71st, averaging 292 yards…
“Hitting more 3-woods and 5-woods off tees. I think I am hitting it just as far, but last year I hit a lot more drivers.” -- Sean
On who he looks up to…
“Tiger, absolutely Tiger. For everything. The way he handles himself, how driven he is, how focused he is, how much knowledge he has of the game. I just think he is a top-notch player and person. And Jim Furyk and Vijay (Singh). I’ve gotten to understand him a little more. He is a complicated guy. He is a Philadelphian almost; he likes to break peoples (stones).” – Sean
On his tournament schedule next year and tournaments he likes and doesn’t like…
“This coming year I have crossed off the first three because of the baby. (Due around the first of the year).
“I am not a huge fan of playing multiple golf courses. Every tournament is a great tournament, don’t get me wrong. I don’t like [playing three golf courses (Bob Hope)
“I don’t like places that are hard to get to. You go to the airport, then have an hour and a half drive. There are certain golf courses that don’t fit my game and courses that do,.
“84 Lumber, I hated that golf course and I won’t miss that tournament. Nice resort but I hate that golf course.” – Sean
On his favorite courses around Philadelphia…
“Here (Concord Country Club). Pine Valley, Merion, Aronimink, Commonwealth. Commonwealth is awesome. I love that course.” – Sean
Quotes from Steve Lucas
On the missed cuts early in the season…
“Obviously it was frustrating. It is like standing on the beach and you can see the wave coming but you can’t get out of the way. We did better last year, why can’t we do it? Is it us? Are we making bad decisions? -- Steve
On Sean’s mental game…
“I personally think he got infinitely better mentally. If you are not successful when you know you can be, you get angry. If you get angry you can’t perform. One bad shot begets another bad shot.
“I think he is and will be much better because of his maturity and mental outlook on golf.” – Steve
On the mental attitude a Tour player needs…
“You’ve got to believe when you are playing good that you are the best. When you are not playing well, you have to pretend you are the best.” – Steve
The difference between Tour players and the rest of us…
“First of all, if I played 3 rounds of golf in three consecutive days, I am mentally incapable of playing at a level I am happy with. I can’t hold it together. These guys, with the amount of time they commit to playing and practicing, they don’t lose their edge.” – Steve
Sean as Tour player vs. Sean as his son-in-law…
“When he gets on that golf course, he is no the kid you see every day, not the kid you have lunch with. It takes somebody special to hit a 3-iron on a line and know he can do it on demand. How to you explain that to somebody who is a scratch player at Meadowlands. That is the ability these guys have.
On their golf trip last week to Hilton Head, where Sean took on five guys…
“I just played golf with him 3 straight days and watched him shot 5 under, 3-under, 4-under. He goes out on PGA Tour and he is not the kid I just played golf with, he’s better.” -- Steve
1 comment:
The article didn't comment on the choke job this sunday. He choked so bad it was pathetic. Does playing against Phil do this to you??
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