Yeah, I was the only one going stag there and I guess they didn't think that was appropriate. So Barbara [Nicklaus] and the Presidents Cup wives — well, at first they were looking at inflatable dolls, and I'm lucky because they didn't find one. So they just found this little doll and called her Monique, I guess because we were in Montreal. So that was the running joke.
How did you two meet?
I think we were in the player room and they said some girl's asking about you down the hallway. Of course it was all the Tour wives waiting by the elevator with Monique.
The Presidents Cup sounds like fun. Has the Ryder Cup become a chore?
Phil Mickelson and Tiger — their time is worth money. And for the PGA of America, the Ryder Cup is a moneymaker like no other. They don't have to pay anything. I think when [Mark] O'Meara said players should get paid for it or some of the money given to their charities, I think [he said that] because the PGA takes so much out of the event that the players don't really get anything. Is it an honor to play? Yes, it is. But their time is valuable. This is a business.
So there's resentment?
I just feel like the players don't have much control over it, and I don't think they like that. I wouldn't like that.
How do you explain the U.S. team's recent woes?
I think Europe really, really takes it seriously. I think the U.S. does, too, but not like Europe. For one, every place they hold a Ryder Cup in Europe is a place on the European Tour schedule. That's really smart because right away they have an advantage. The PGA of America could care less about winning it, honestly. They pick a site where they're going to have the Senior PGA, the PGA and the Ryder Cup, which means less money they have to pay out to get more money. And from what I've heard the whole week is extremely long. You've got dinners every night — not little dinners, but huge, massive dinners. I know, as players, that's the last thing we want to do. We want to prepare ourselves. That's part of the whole thing: you're just a slave that week. At some point the players might say, "You know what — we're not doing this anymore, because this is ridiculous."
Guys might actually refuse to play?
Don't be surprised if it happens. It's just not a fun week like it should be. The Presidents Cup is fun. Jack just makes it fun. We had a great time, we really enjoyed each other's company. From what I've heard, the Ryder Cup just isn't fun. The fun is sucked right out of it. That's the word I hear a lot.
Speaking of fun, why do you have three flat-screen TVs above your fireplace?
So I can watch three different things. I like to watch as much basketball as I can. I got the idea from J.J. Henry. He had a great little office area in his old house. He had three TVs — they weren't as big as these — but it was just the perfect setup to have three TVs with three football games going on. Plus, I have this humongous wall, so I figured I had to do something with it.
With the constant traveling, how does a guy like you find a girlfriend?
Truly it's difficult. It's not a big concern, though. It's the last thing I want to worry about. It's just going to happen. I'm very happy being single and doing whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it, and not have to ask permission to do anything. Golf is still No. 1 to me.
