You had a stellar rookie year in 2007, banking more than $1.5
million, but seemed to slump down the stretch. What happened?
The last three months I was sleepwalking out there. My body and my mind slowed down and I was just going through the motions. I didn't even give myself a chance to play well. I would keep my clubs in my travel bag until the next week and not play practice rounds. I would eat breakfast right before I teed off and then waddle out there. You can't do that. This is what I do for a living. I can't live like a college kid anymore. I'm done acting that way.
Did your nonchalance irk other pros?
Yeah, probably. Even a lot of the guys who befriended me said, "You better hit some balls. You might want to stretch out, or go hit a couple putts." I didn't really listen. Once I got home (to Dallas) and did all the things I wanted to do — hang out with my friends, walk the dog every day — I realized I should have practiced more. That's why I think this year I'm more prepared.
Some say you're cocky. Is that a fair assessment?
It's really not, and anyone who knows me would tell you it's not. That's the image I got stuck with early on. I think I just talked too much. That's another thing I learned for this year — don't talk, just play the game.
Your father drove you so hard that you stopped speaking to him for nearly two years. How much has that relationship shaped who you are?
Maybe a little bit too much. It made me who I am because he was so tough. He's an aggressive guy. You'll talk to him and he'll be right in your face. There's not a subject that he won't talk about and that's kind of how I am. I feel like that's a little bit of how I got the image I had last year.
Did you feel out of place being the youngest player on Tour in 2007?
There was a little bit of that early on because the other guys are traveling with their families. I was looking for stuff to do, and when you start looking for stuff, you do things you shouldn't be doing, like staying out late. I acted like I was 22.
But you are 22.
(Laughs) Yeah, but now I play on the PGA Tour. I can't do that anymore.
Will you be discouraged if you don't win in 2008?
Not discouraged, but pretty surprised. If it doesn't happen, it'll happen next year.
The last three months I was sleepwalking out there. My body and my mind slowed down and I was just going through the motions. I didn't even give myself a chance to play well. I would keep my clubs in my travel bag until the next week and not play practice rounds. I would eat breakfast right before I teed off and then waddle out there. You can't do that. This is what I do for a living. I can't live like a college kid anymore. I'm done acting that way.
Did your nonchalance irk other pros?
Yeah, probably. Even a lot of the guys who befriended me said, "You better hit some balls. You might want to stretch out, or go hit a couple putts." I didn't really listen. Once I got home (to Dallas) and did all the things I wanted to do — hang out with my friends, walk the dog every day — I realized I should have practiced more. That's why I think this year I'm more prepared.
Some say you're cocky. Is that a fair assessment?
It's really not, and anyone who knows me would tell you it's not. That's the image I got stuck with early on. I think I just talked too much. That's another thing I learned for this year — don't talk, just play the game.
Your father drove you so hard that you stopped speaking to him for nearly two years. How much has that relationship shaped who you are?
Maybe a little bit too much. It made me who I am because he was so tough. He's an aggressive guy. You'll talk to him and he'll be right in your face. There's not a subject that he won't talk about and that's kind of how I am. I feel like that's a little bit of how I got the image I had last year.
Did you feel out of place being the youngest player on Tour in 2007?
There was a little bit of that early on because the other guys are traveling with their families. I was looking for stuff to do, and when you start looking for stuff, you do things you shouldn't be doing, like staying out late. I acted like I was 22.
But you are 22.
(Laughs) Yeah, but now I play on the PGA Tour. I can't do that anymore.
Will you be discouraged if you don't win in 2008?
Not discouraged, but pretty surprised. If it doesn't happen, it'll happen next year.
