Switching gears. Burberry is pretty high-end for golf togs. How many suits do you own?
(Pause.) Seven? Ten? I've probably only worn two of them. They're not all Burberry — probably only half of them are. I love suits. I buy a couple each year, but I never have the occasion to wear them.
Jeans?
I have a lot of jeans. I wear them all the time. I love jeans.
Anything you'd change about yourself?
I'd like to be, not a little more aggressive, but a little more assertive with people. I kind of bottle my anger or comments. I probably should be a little more straightforward.
Do you lack the killer instinct to win a major?
No. On the golf course that's not a problem. I think the (2004) Players Championship was a good example. I could have just folded after hitting it in the water (on the 18th hole), missed the putt and lost in a playoff. There was no way I was going to miss that putt.
Perilous finish — what's the most dangerous thing you've ever done?
I'm about to go skydiving at home, on the Gold Coast. Hopefully with an instructor who's really good. (Laughs.)
You still live in London?
Yes. And I bought a place back home in Australia a year ago. It's an apartment, but it's bigger than the one in London. You get more for your money there. It's in Surfer's Paradise, a block off the water.
You've hung out at your mentor Greg Norman's place in Florida. What's the best advice he has given you?
He sets a good example with time management. There's a lot going on out here. The one piece of advice he gave me was to start playing in Europe. I was 19 when I turned pro, and at the time I thought I was invincible and ready for everything. I swallowed my pride because I respect his opinion. He thought I'd do really well in Europe, and I did do really well, and it groomed me for the U.S.
And now, groomed and ready for everything, what are your goals?
It's all about winning tournaments, winning as many trophies as I can. I'd like to lift my performances in the majors. I think that's just going to happen with consistency in all events, just playing more consistent every week so that on my bad weeks I'm running 30th or 40th rather than missing the cut and taking the weekend off. And in my good weeks I have a chance to win. If I do that I'll be in a better frame of mind, knowing that if I'm not quite on I should get by, and if I'm on I can give myself a chance to win every week.
What are the benefits of playing in the U.S. versus Europe?
It's the best test of golf week in and week out. Some great courses, tough courses. You really need to challenge yourself. If you're doing well over here then you know you're on the right track because you're playing against some unbelievable fields and also some unbelievable courses, like Sawgrass.
Have you ever played for your own cash?
Yeah, absolutely — it's a lot of pressure because I hate losing. The most I've ever won is $9,000. It started out as just a friendly match, but we made the bet for some incentive so we'd play well and not waste our time on the course. I refused to take the money, and then he insisted. I don't want to say who it was, just a friend of mine. I'm sure he'll win it back.
It wasn't Norman, was it?
No, it was an amateur. I was giving shots away all over the place. He just had an off day.
Did he used to play for the Chicago Bulls?
No, it was no one famous.
(Pause.) Seven? Ten? I've probably only worn two of them. They're not all Burberry — probably only half of them are. I love suits. I buy a couple each year, but I never have the occasion to wear them.
Jeans?
I have a lot of jeans. I wear them all the time. I love jeans.
Anything you'd change about yourself?
I'd like to be, not a little more aggressive, but a little more assertive with people. I kind of bottle my anger or comments. I probably should be a little more straightforward.
Do you lack the killer instinct to win a major?
No. On the golf course that's not a problem. I think the (2004) Players Championship was a good example. I could have just folded after hitting it in the water (on the 18th hole), missed the putt and lost in a playoff. There was no way I was going to miss that putt.
Perilous finish — what's the most dangerous thing you've ever done?
I'm about to go skydiving at home, on the Gold Coast. Hopefully with an instructor who's really good. (Laughs.)
You still live in London?
Yes. And I bought a place back home in Australia a year ago. It's an apartment, but it's bigger than the one in London. You get more for your money there. It's in Surfer's Paradise, a block off the water.
You've hung out at your mentor Greg Norman's place in Florida. What's the best advice he has given you?
He sets a good example with time management. There's a lot going on out here. The one piece of advice he gave me was to start playing in Europe. I was 19 when I turned pro, and at the time I thought I was invincible and ready for everything. I swallowed my pride because I respect his opinion. He thought I'd do really well in Europe, and I did do really well, and it groomed me for the U.S.
And now, groomed and ready for everything, what are your goals?
It's all about winning tournaments, winning as many trophies as I can. I'd like to lift my performances in the majors. I think that's just going to happen with consistency in all events, just playing more consistent every week so that on my bad weeks I'm running 30th or 40th rather than missing the cut and taking the weekend off. And in my good weeks I have a chance to win. If I do that I'll be in a better frame of mind, knowing that if I'm not quite on I should get by, and if I'm on I can give myself a chance to win every week.
What are the benefits of playing in the U.S. versus Europe?
It's the best test of golf week in and week out. Some great courses, tough courses. You really need to challenge yourself. If you're doing well over here then you know you're on the right track because you're playing against some unbelievable fields and also some unbelievable courses, like Sawgrass.
Have you ever played for your own cash?
Yeah, absolutely — it's a lot of pressure because I hate losing. The most I've ever won is $9,000. It started out as just a friendly match, but we made the bet for some incentive so we'd play well and not waste our time on the course. I refused to take the money, and then he insisted. I don't want to say who it was, just a friend of mine. I'm sure he'll win it back.
It wasn't Norman, was it?
No, it was an amateur. I was giving shots away all over the place. He just had an off day.
Did he used to play for the Chicago Bulls?
No, it was no one famous.
