[{"_1":2,"_3":-5,"_4":-5},"loaderData",{"_5":6,"_7":8},"actionData","errors","root",{"_137":-5,"_138":-5,"_139":140,"_141":142,"_143":144},"routes/clips.$id.$slug",{"_9":10,"_11":12},"clip",{"_13":14,"_15":16,"_17":-5,"_18":19,"_20":-5,"_21":22,"_23":24,"_25":26,"_27":28,"_29":30,"_31":32,"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":-5,"_42":-5,"_43":-5,"_44":45,"_46":-5,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":-5},"canonicalUrl","https://howleaderslead.com/clips/1282/stay-present-to-play-your-best","id",1282,"title","Stay present to play your best","subtitle","transcript","WEBVTT\n\n1\n00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.600\nFor me, it's staying present, I would say.\n\n2\n00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:10.010\nI think I almost have a little bit of an ADD mind, and I'm just kind of going\n\n3\n00:00:10.010 --> 00:00:10.320\nall over\n\n4\n00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:12.320\nthe place.\n\n5\n00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:17.060\nWhen I'm playing my desk, I only am thinking about what I'm doing at that time,\n\n6\n00:00:17.060 --> 00:00:17.720\nand that\n\n7\n00:00:17.720 --> 00:00:21.320\nshot I'm trying to hit, and I accept things very well.\n\n8\n00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:22.320\nI'm not hard on myself.\n\n9\n00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:28.170\nI don't get down on myself, versus when I'm kind of like Candy Land, where I'm\n\n10\n00:00:28.170 --> 00:00:28.760\njust all\n\n11\n00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:29.760\nover the place.\n\n12\n00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:32.860\nIt's make a couple birdies, and then start thinking about maybe some holes down\n\n13\n00:00:32.860 --> 00:00:33.400\nthe road\n\n14\n00:00:33.400 --> 00:00:36.120\nor start looking at the guys on the leaderboard thinking about what they're\n\n15\n00:00:36.120 --> 00:00:37.000\ndoing, or like,\n\n16\n00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:38.320\n\"Okay, well, tomorrow's it's...\"\n\n17\n00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:41.450\nAnd then as soon as you start thinking about anything that's not what's going\n\n18\n00:00:41.450 --> 00:00:41.920\non at that\n\n19\n00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:43.840\ntime, it never goes well.\n\n20\n00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:48.300\nYou would think I'd stop doing it, but it's obviously easier said than done,\n\n21\n00:00:48.300 --> 00:00:48.880\nbut like\n\n22\n00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:51.840\nanything, it's a work in progress.\n","pretty_transcript","start_time",1488880,"end_time",1538459,"keywords","mindset, presence, ADD, focus","slug","stay-present-to-play-your-best","origin","cms","mux_playback_id","76ZhlM3yk02rxUu00ojB6tfJbUw9QSoXPooCBWWvZNTj8","mux_asset_id","016padwMpLZAMyJFx9rXEUbWlOS3Vduxh97J3aTfGS400","leader_id",9,"episode_id",156,"updated_at","2025-03-07T15:20:25.000000Z","meta_title","meta_description","og_image_media_id","web_url","https://www.howleaderslead.com/clips/1282/stay-present-to-play-your-best","og_image_url","leader",{"_13":36,"_101":102,"_103":104,"_105":106,"_25":107,"_108":109,"_62":110,"_59":110,"_111":112,"_69":113,"_39":114,"_115":-5,"_41":-5,"_42":-5,"_43":-5,"_116":117,"_89":118,"_44":119,"_120":121,"_122":123,"_46":-5,"_124":125,"_126":127,"_93":128,"_51":-5},"episode",{"_13":38,"_15":52,"_27":53,"_17":54,"_55":56,"_18":57,"_20":58,"_59":60,"_61":-5,"_62":60,"_63":-5,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":-5,"_69":-5,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":-5,"_35":36,"_39":75,"_41":-5,"_42":-5,"_43":-5,"_76":77,"_78":79,"_80":81,"_82":83,"_84":-5,"_85":-5,"_86":87,"_88":-5,"_89":-5,"_46":-5,"_90":91,"_92":-5,"_93":-5,"_51":-5},"og_image_media","Manage your mindset","manage-your-mindset","Learn how to be intentional with your mindset – and how managing it better can help you be better at your job. Plus, listen in on the leadership lessons Justin has learned from Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, and more.","summary","

The PGA Championship tees off today at Oak Hill East in Rochester!

And if you were watching this event last year, then you got to see today’s guest, Justin Thomas, make an absolutely epic comeback. He came from seven strokes back to win in a playoff and notch his second win at a Major.

He’s an extraordinary player who knows the importance of managing his own mindset out on the course.

That’s true for great golfers … and it’s just as true for great leaders.

You’ve got to understand how much your mentality affects your performance and your team. If you’re not intentional about what’s going on inside your own head, it can cost you.

Whether you’re a golf fan or not, Justin has so many great insights that will help you manage your own mindset better.

You’ll also learn:

How to stay positive and yet learn from failures
The mentality you need to play from behind – whether on the golf course or at work
How to manage your nerves in pressure-packed situations
Why a results-oriented approach to goal-setting can actually help you achieve more
The powerful advice Justin got from Tom Brady that helped him snap out of a funk
A funny story that shows what it’s like to be Tiger Woods’ partner on the golf course

Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources:

The How Leaders Lead App: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go

Daily Insight Emails: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day

Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

","WEBVTT\n\n1\n00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.470\nWelcome to How Leaders Lead, where every week you get to listen in while I\n\n2\n00:00:07.470 --> 00:00:08.260\ninterview some\n\n3\n00:00:08.260 --> 00:00:10.320\nof the very best leaders in the world.\n\n4\n00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:13.450\nI break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have\n\n5\n00:00:13.450 --> 00:00:14.040\nsomething\n\n6\n00:00:14.040 --> 00:00:17.920\nsimple you can apply as you develop into a better leader.\n\n7\n00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:20.600\nThat's what this podcast is all about.\n\n8\n00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:25.150\nWell as my fellow golf fans know, the PGA Championship tees off today at Oak\n\n9\n00:00:25.150 --> 00:00:25.880\nHills East\n\n10\n00:00:25.880 --> 00:00:27.480\nin Rochester.\n\n11\n00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:32.320\nNow I absolutely love this tournament, and if you were watching it last year,\n\n12\n00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:32.520\nthen you\n\n13\n00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:38.520\ngot to see my guest today, Justin Thomas, make an absolute epic comeback.\n\n14\n00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:43.840\nHe came from seven strokes back to win in a playoff and notches second win in a\n\n15\n00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:44.480\nmajor.\n\n16\n00:00:44.480 --> 00:00:48.900\nHe's an extraordinary player who is so much fun to watch, and you know, he also\n\n17\n00:00:48.900 --> 00:00:49.360\nknows\n\n18\n00:00:49.360 --> 00:00:51.760\na thing or two about leadership.\n\n19\n00:00:51.760 --> 00:00:54.160\nWhen you listen to Justin, it's clear.\n\n20\n00:00:54.160 --> 00:00:57.360\nHe knows how to manage his own mindset.\n\n21\n00:00:57.360 --> 00:01:02.000\nThat's true for great golfers, and it's just as true for great leaders.\n\n22\n00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:06.940\nYou've got to understand how much your mentality affects your performance and\n\n23\n00:01:06.940 --> 00:01:07.560\nyour team.\n\n24\n00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:11.620\nIf you're not intentional about what's going on inside your own head, it can\n\n25\n00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:12.360\nreally cost\n\n26\n00:01:12.360 --> 00:01:13.360\nyou.\n\n27\n00:01:13.360 --> 00:01:17.220\nSo listen up, whether you're a golf fan or not, Justin has so many great\n\n28\n00:01:17.220 --> 00:01:18.080\ninsights that\n\n29\n00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:20.520\nwill help you manage your own mindset better.\n\n30\n00:01:20.520 --> 00:01:23.830\nPlus, I got to tell you, he's got some great stories you're going to want to\n\n31\n00:01:23.830 --> 00:01:24.440\nhear about\n\n32\n00:01:24.440 --> 00:01:27.320\nTiger Woods and Tom Brady too.\n\n33\n00:01:27.320 --> 00:01:29.520\nSo this is going to be a lot of fun.\n\n34\n00:01:29.520 --> 00:01:40.240\nHere's my conversation with my good friend and soon to be yours, Justin Thomas.\n\n35\n00:01:40.240 --> 00:01:43.390\nNow look, JT, we're going to talk about your incredible career that you've had\n\n36\n00:01:43.390 --> 00:01:44.640\nso far.\n\n37\n00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:48.760\nYour 15 victories, your two majors, getting to number one in the world.\n\n38\n00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:51.320\nBut first, I got to ask you this one.\n\n39\n00:01:51.320 --> 00:01:56.150\nTake us back to the 18th tee at St. Andrews during the first round of the Open\n\n40\n00:01:56.150 --> 00:01:57.840\nChampionship.\n\n41\n00:01:57.840 --> 00:01:59.840\nWhat the heck happened?\n\n42\n00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:02.200\nWow, I'm not going to lie.\n\n43\n00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:05.200\nI didn't think I was going to be an Open.\n\n44\n00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:10.280\nYeah, it was right after I made my first bogey the day.\n\n45\n00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:11.640\nI think it was at 17.\n\n46\n00:02:11.640 --> 00:02:12.640\nI made double.\n\n47\n00:02:12.640 --> 00:02:20.220\nI mean, 18 being downwind is about as I don't want to say easy of a birdie as\n\n48\n00:02:20.220 --> 00:02:21.040\nyou can get\n\n49\n00:02:21.040 --> 00:02:24.000\nout there, but it's about as easy of a birdie as you can get out there.\n\n50\n00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:27.130\nI mean, it was to the point where I felt like I could hit five foot on the\n\n51\n00:02:27.130 --> 00:02:27.640\ngreen.\n\n52\n00:02:27.640 --> 00:02:32.440\nI just tried to burn a five wood and I burned it all right.\n\n53\n00:02:32.440 --> 00:02:33.720\nI skipped it over the burn.\n\n54\n00:02:33.720 --> 00:02:34.720\nThat's right in front of the tee.\n\n55\n00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:37.040\nI kind of feel topped it.\n\n56\n00:02:37.040 --> 00:02:42.090\nAnd yeah, I was trying to maybe hit it up the left side to have an angle to\n\n57\n00:02:42.090 --> 00:02:42.840\nchip up the\n\n58\n00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:46.830\ngreen, but I wasn't planning on hitting it the left side and having 120 yards\n\n59\n00:02:46.830 --> 00:02:47.200\nin.\n\n60\n00:02:47.200 --> 00:02:49.280\nSo I'm very lucky.\n\n61\n00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:50.280\nIt didn't go in the burn.\n\n62\n00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:51.280\nI'm lucky.\n\n63\n00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:55.520\nIt didn't go out of bounds and I'm lucky that that video hasn't gone viral.\n\n64\n00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.050\nWell, I got to tell you the reason why I ask you this is that great leaders,\n\n65\n00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:00.600\nyou have\n\n66\n00:03:00.600 --> 00:03:02.560\nto bounce back.\n\n67\n00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.560\nWalk me through your thought process hitting that next shot.\n\n68\n00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:07.720\nYou got to hit the next shot.\n\n69\n00:03:07.720 --> 00:03:12.560\nYou got that 125 wedge and also what was in your head standing on the 18th tee\n\n70\n00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:12.920\nbox the\n\n71\n00:03:12.920 --> 00:03:14.400\nvery next day?\n\n72\n00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:22.090\nWell, the next day was a driver and I felt a little bit better about it being\n\n73\n00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:22.920\non a tee\n\n74\n00:03:22.920 --> 00:03:24.440\nand a little bit bigger face.\n\n75\n00:03:24.440 --> 00:03:28.130\nAnd I mean, I knew I was playing with Shane, Flowery and Victor and I know\n\n76\n00:03:28.130 --> 00:03:28.960\nShane a little\n\n77\n00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:30.120\nbit better than Victor.\n\n78\n00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:33.900\nAnd as soon as I hit it, I mean, instantly when it was going straight and got\n\n79\n00:03:33.900 --> 00:03:34.280\nin the\n\n80\n00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:38.140\nair, Shane just gives me an immediate, most improved award and I knew it was\n\n81\n00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:38.800\ncoming.\n\n82\n00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:40.600\nI had deserved every bit of that.\n\n83\n00:03:40.600 --> 00:03:44.890\nAnd yeah, I mean, on the second shot, you really just have to somehow try to\n\n84\n00:03:44.890 --> 00:03:45.480\nget over\n\n85\n00:03:45.480 --> 00:03:46.480\nthat.\n\n86\n00:03:46.480 --> 00:03:49.260\nI mean, I've never taken a walk of Shane in a Thursday round before, but I felt\n\n87\n00:03:49.260 --> 00:03:49.520\nlike\n\n88\n00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.840\nthat walk to my ball was definitely the walk of Shane.\n\n89\n00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:57.200\nI'd love to see a dispersion of everybody's tee shots that day and it'd be like\n\n90\n00:03:57.200 --> 00:03:57.880\neverybody's\n\n91\n00:03:57.880 --> 00:03:58.880\nwould be here.\n\n92\n00:03:58.880 --> 00:04:02.400\nMine would be the outlier somewhere back in there.\n\n93\n00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.600\nBut it just was like anything.\n\n94\n00:04:03.600 --> 00:04:06.480\nYou know, I couldn't let it get to me and I still had a chance.\n\n95\n00:04:06.480 --> 00:04:09.930\nIt wasn't a very good chance, but I started a chance to make a three and you\n\n96\n00:04:09.930 --> 00:04:10.560\nknow, I couldn't\n\n97\n00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:13.840\ncompound the mistake and ended up making five.\n\n98\n00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:14.840\nThe shot was bad enough.\n\n99\n00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:17.080\nI didn't need to make it worse.\n\n100\n00:04:17.080 --> 00:04:21.890\nHow have you found the balance between learning from your failures and trying\n\n101\n00:04:21.890 --> 00:04:22.880\nto stay focused\n\n102\n00:04:22.880 --> 00:04:24.120\non the positive?\n\n103\n00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:25.960\nHow do you do that?\n\n104\n00:04:25.960 --> 00:04:26.960\nIt's tough.\n\n105\n00:04:26.960 --> 00:04:29.880\nI mean, it's something I think, at least me personally, I just go on waves.\n\n106\n00:04:29.880 --> 00:04:34.060\nYou know, there's times where it seems easy to when you get done maybe from a\n\n107\n00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:35.320\nbad week,\n\n108\n00:04:35.320 --> 00:04:36.320\nit's okay.\n\n109\n00:04:36.320 --> 00:04:39.450\nWell, you know, this week I do a lot of good things, but I maybe just got a\n\n110\n00:04:39.450 --> 00:04:40.280\nlittle bit ahead\n\n111\n00:04:40.280 --> 00:04:44.610\nof myself there in the end of that Friday round and I was too aggressive and\n\n112\n00:04:44.610 --> 00:04:45.200\nstarted\n\n113\n00:04:45.200 --> 00:04:49.680\na back nine on Saturday and you know, I took a couple chances that I shouldn't\n\n114\n00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:50.560\nhave taken.\n\n115\n00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.260\nAnd if I don't do any of those things, I have a chance to win versus there's\n\n116\n00:04:53.260 --> 00:04:54.640\nsome weeks,\n\n117\n00:04:54.640 --> 00:04:58.360\nyou might do the exact same thing and you get done and all you can think about\n\n118\n00:04:58.360 --> 00:04:58.720\nis how\n\n119\n00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:02.720\ndumb those mistakes you made were and why did you do them?\n\n120\n00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.560\nAnd always just looking at the negative side of it.\n\n121\n00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:10.400\nBut the sooner that I realized that I have those opportunities to learn from\n\n122\n00:05:10.400 --> 00:05:11.320\nthe mistakes\n\n123\n00:05:11.320 --> 00:05:15.730\nthat I made, definitely the sooner off I started playing better golf and having\n\n124\n00:05:15.730 --> 00:05:16.800\na lot better\n\n125\n00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:17.880\nthings happen for me.\n\n126\n00:05:17.880 --> 00:05:21.940\nSo it's really just trying to, I mean, it's the same as everything, you know,\n\n127\n00:05:21.940 --> 00:05:22.600\nit doesn't\n\n128\n00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:27.010\nmatter whether you're David Novak, Justin Thomas or Tiger Woods, Rory Mac or\n\n129\n00:05:27.010 --> 00:05:27.640\nwhatever\n\n130\n00:05:27.640 --> 00:05:28.640\nit is.\n\n131\n00:05:28.640 --> 00:05:31.250\nIt's like if you just wake up some days and you're just not in it, you know,\n\n132\n00:05:31.250 --> 00:05:32.520\nyou're just\n\n133\n00:05:32.520 --> 00:05:36.870\nwhether you don't get, you know, good sleep or swing doesn't feel good or you\n\n134\n00:05:36.870 --> 00:05:37.480\nmaybe don't\n\n135\n00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:41.240\nlike the golf course as much as just you're irritable or whatever it is.\n\n136\n00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.830\nBut those are the days I think that separates the good and the great players is\n\n137\n00:05:45.830 --> 00:05:46.480\nmanaging\n\n138\n00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.120\nthose days and weeks the best you can.\n\n139\n00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.960\nWas it harder for you to win your first major championship or your first PGA or\n\n140\n00:05:52.960 --> 00:05:54.640\nyour second?\n\n141\n00:05:54.640 --> 00:05:55.640\nMy second.\n\n142\n00:05:55.640 --> 00:05:57.880\nIt was definitely harder to win my second than my first.\n\n143\n00:05:57.880 --> 00:06:00.920\nI think I don't know why it was.\n\n144\n00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:04.080\nI think I put a lot of pressure on myself to win the first one.\n\n145\n00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:08.830\nYou know, Jordan had already won three at a younger age and you know, I had\n\n146\n00:06:08.830 --> 00:06:09.400\nsome of\n\n147\n00:06:09.400 --> 00:06:12.650\nmy other peers, you know, Brooks was starting to fire some majors off and it\n\n148\n00:06:12.650 --> 00:06:13.320\njust was like,\n\n149\n00:06:13.320 --> 00:06:16.640\nyou know, I didn't want to get left behind and I felt like I was as good as\n\n150\n00:06:16.640 --> 00:06:17.440\nthose guys.\n\n151\n00:06:17.440 --> 00:06:20.180\nBut then it's like you win the first one and then you expect, okay, now the\n\n152\n00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:20.720\nfloodgates\n\n153\n00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.600\nare open and then, you know, I'm going to start winning.\n\n154\n00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:27.120\nBut at the end of the day, you only have four chances every year.\n\n155\n00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:32.430\nAnd I think that's the hardest part about it is that it's taken me a little bit\n\n156\n00:06:32.430 --> 00:06:33.200\nhonestly\n\n157\n00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:38.290\nto kind of figure out what works for me to be as prepared and ready as possible\n\n158\n00:06:38.290 --> 00:06:38.720\nfor the\n\n159\n00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:39.720\nmajors.\n\n160\n00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.580\nYou know, I played before a couple of them last year, taking the weeks off and\n\n161\n00:06:43.580 --> 00:06:44.040\nsometimes\n\n162\n00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:47.480\nin past taking weeks off, I haven't necessarily spent that week properly.\n\n163\n00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:51.090\nI've almost over practiced and burnt myself out before going into it and I've\n\n164\n00:06:51.090 --> 00:06:51.920\ntaken vacations\n\n165\n00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:52.920\nbefore it.\n\n166\n00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:57.520\nThere's a lot of different ways to do it at the end of the day.\n\n167\n00:06:57.520 --> 00:06:59.160\nIt's just what works best for you.\n\n168\n00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:04.290\nAnd for me being in a good mindset and feeling fresh mentally, physically, you\n\n169\n00:07:04.290 --> 00:07:05.160\nknow, going\n\n170\n00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:09.400\nthere feeling like I'm not necessarily trying to maintain a really good game.\n\n171\n00:07:09.400 --> 00:07:13.750\nBut the longer and more years that went by, the more I kind of started thinking\n\n172\n00:07:13.750 --> 00:07:14.240\n, a lot\n\n173\n00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:17.720\nof people have won one major and anybody can win one major.\n\n174\n00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:23.880\nBut you need to win multiple to kind of be in my opinion known as a multiple\n\n175\n00:07:23.880 --> 00:07:24.760\nmajor winner\n\n176\n00:07:24.760 --> 00:07:26.120\nand a great player.\n\n177\n00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:31.600\nNot that great players don't win one major, but you know what I mean.\n\n178\n00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.280\nYou got anybody can win one.\n\n179\n00:07:33.280 --> 00:07:37.120\nWell, not anybody, but you certainly did one and you did two and there'll be\n\n180\n00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:37.640\nmany more\n\n181\n00:07:37.640 --> 00:07:39.320\nin your future, I'm sure.\n\n182\n00:07:39.320 --> 00:07:44.050\nNow whether in golf or in business, leaders need to learn how to play when they\n\n183\n00:07:44.050 --> 00:07:45.000\n're behind.\n\n184\n00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.310\nAnd at Southern Hills last year, you were seven shots back going into the final\n\n185\n00:07:49.310 --> 00:07:50.280\nround.\n\n186\n00:07:50.280 --> 00:07:57.240\nComparing contrast your I'm behind mindset versus your I'm in the lead mindset.\n\n187\n00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:03.590\nI think they're both very situational only in the sense of how many are maybe\n\n188\n00:08:03.590 --> 00:08:04.280\nhow many\n\n189\n00:08:04.280 --> 00:08:06.440\nbehind are you, but how many people are ahead of you.\n\n190\n00:08:06.440 --> 00:08:11.150\nI think there's a huge difference of, you know, going into a Sunday of a major,\n\n191\n00:08:11.150 --> 00:08:11.480\nI'd\n\n192\n00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:18.840\nprobably rather be four back, but only have three or four people in front of me\n\n193\n00:08:18.840 --> 00:08:19.440\nversus\n\n194\n00:08:19.440 --> 00:08:21.520\ntwo back and have eight people in front of me.\n\n195\n00:08:21.520 --> 00:08:23.640\nYou know, that's a big, big difference.\n\n196\n00:08:23.640 --> 00:08:28.440\nAnd that's what I felt like gave me a chance in the PGA on Sunday at Southern\n\n197\n00:08:28.440 --> 00:08:28.760\nHills.\n\n198\n00:08:28.760 --> 00:08:32.390\nIt was like usually when you're seven back, you know, you're in 15th place,\n\n199\n00:08:32.390 --> 00:08:33.360\nmaybe 20th,\n\n200\n00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.320\n25th and I was in seven.\n\n201\n00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.520\nI mean, I had six people ahead of me.\n\n202\n00:08:37.520 --> 00:08:38.880\nNone of them had won on tour.\n\n203\n00:08:38.880 --> 00:08:40.640\nNone of them had won a major, I don't think.\n\n204\n00:08:40.640 --> 00:08:42.720\nSo it was like, I know that they're going to be nervous.\n\n205\n00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:46.400\nI'm going to be nervous, but they're really going to be nervous too.\n\n206\n00:08:46.400 --> 00:08:51.620\nSo I just need to go out and I'm going to have to beat them at the end of the\n\n207\n00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:52.200\nday, but\n\n208\n00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.880\nI'm going to have to rely on a little bit of help as well.\n\n209\n00:08:55.880 --> 00:08:57.640\nAnd you know, that's what I tried to do.\n\n210\n00:08:57.640 --> 00:09:00.980\nI just try to put my head down, not get wrapped up in leaderboards, not worried\n\n211\n00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:01.480\nabout how\n\n212\n00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.000\nfar back I was, but just make as many birdies as I could when I had\n\n213\n00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:06.320\nopportunities and see\n\n214\n00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:07.480\nwhere it put me at the end.\n\n215\n00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:09.280\nUnfortunately, it was enough.\n\n216\n00:09:09.280 --> 00:09:10.280\nHow about when you're ahead?\n\n217\n00:09:10.280 --> 00:09:12.880\nI mean, is that harder for you?\n\n218\n00:09:12.880 --> 00:09:13.880\nI like it.\n\n219\n00:09:13.880 --> 00:09:15.280\nI think it's situational in the golf course.\n\n220\n00:09:15.280 --> 00:09:19.300\nYou know, I've played with leads at places like I call it a Malaysia, you know,\n\n221\n00:09:19.300 --> 00:09:19.680\nwhere\n\n222\n00:09:19.680 --> 00:09:26.960\n25 high 20 under wins and it's not like I played with the lead at Akron before.\n\n223\n00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:30.860\nAnd you know, I just fairway green two pot fairway green two pot fairway green\n\n224\n00:09:30.860 --> 00:09:31.440\ntwo pot\n\n225\n00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:36.340\nand it's just, it's kind of the tiger method of just don't make a bogey and you\n\n226\n00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:36.600\nknow,\n\n227\n00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:41.390\nthree pots, no, no dumb bogeys and they're really going to have to catch you\n\n228\n00:09:41.390 --> 00:09:41.960\nbecause\n\n229\n00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:43.960\nI'm going to be good enough to make a couple birdies.\n\n230\n00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:48.320\nBut when you're playing those easier courses, it's really for me of some lead\n\n231\n00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:48.960\nby two.\n\n232\n00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:50.280\nI need to try to lead by three.\n\n233\n00:09:50.280 --> 00:09:54.660\nI'm leading my three needs before and it just, I don't want to necessarily look\n\n234\n00:09:54.660 --> 00:09:55.280\nbackward\n\n235\n00:09:55.280 --> 00:09:58.720\nof, you know, okay, how close are they getting to me?\n\n236\n00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:03.630\nBut it's a just try to improve and get a little, you know, get one shot more,\n\n237\n00:10:03.630 --> 00:10:04.440\nget one shot\n\n238\n00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:08.660\nmore and really just honestly try to step on their throat kind of thing because\n\n239\n00:10:08.660 --> 00:10:08.720\nthey're\n\n240\n00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.680\nall gunning for you and you need to have the same mentality.\n\n241\n00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:14.910\nYou mentioned nerves a little earlier and I've heard you say if you're not\n\n242\n00:10:14.910 --> 00:10:15.480\nnervous,\n\n243\n00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:17.200\nit doesn't mean anything to you.\n\n244\n00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:21.170\nHow have you learned to manage your emotions in those moments that other\n\n245\n00:10:21.170 --> 00:10:22.240\nleaders can apply\n\n246\n00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.560\nin their pressure packed situations and we all have them?\n\n247\n00:10:26.560 --> 00:10:27.560\nFor sure.\n\n248\n00:10:27.560 --> 00:10:30.440\nI think the first thing that helped me was just embracing it.\n\n249\n00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:33.840\nI think there's a, there's a huge difference of kinds of nerves.\n\n250\n00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:36.900\nYou know, there's a nervous like, I'm really uncomfortable and I don't want to\n\n251\n00:10:36.900 --> 00:10:37.280\nbe here\n\n252\n00:10:37.280 --> 00:10:38.280\nnervous.\n\n253\n00:10:38.280 --> 00:10:39.840\nAnd then there's like a nervous like, wow, this is fun.\n\n254\n00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:40.840\nThis is exciting.\n\n255\n00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:41.840\nThis is new nervous.\n\n256\n00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:46.390\nAnd then there's a nervous of like, this is a big moment, but I'm ready to face\n\n257\n00:10:46.390 --> 00:10:46.720\nthis\n\n258\n00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:48.280\nhead on kind of nervous.\n\n259\n00:10:48.280 --> 00:10:52.580\nAnd I think that's where I've gotten myself to, but that's just really been\n\n260\n00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:53.640\nthrough experience\n\n261\n00:10:53.640 --> 00:10:56.120\nand trial and error.\n\n262\n00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:57.280\nYou know, that's the best.\n\n263\n00:10:57.280 --> 00:11:00.300\nObviously it's a lot easier sending down, especially in golf is like, oh, you\n\n264\n00:11:00.300 --> 00:11:00.560\njust\n\n265\n00:11:00.560 --> 00:11:05.000\nsee to get yourself in contention to win tournaments to learn, but you do, you\n\n266\n00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:05.400\nknow,\n\n267\n00:11:05.400 --> 00:11:06.520\nthere's going to be plenty of times.\n\n268\n00:11:06.520 --> 00:11:10.360\nI mean, I've had plenty of tournaments and plenty of circumstances where I didn\n\n269\n00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:10.880\n't handle\n\n270\n00:11:10.880 --> 00:11:15.490\nthe moment well or I tried to try too much or I tried too hard and it ended up\n\n271\n00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:16.160\ncosting\n\n272\n00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:17.160\nme.\n\n273\n00:11:17.160 --> 00:11:19.760\nBut because I was in that moment, I failed.\n\n274\n00:11:19.760 --> 00:11:24.520\nI was able to go back and learn from it to where it helped me down the road.\n\n275\n00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:28.000\nYou know, you talked about your preparation for the majors earlier.\n\n276\n00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.320\nYou've gone on vacation, you've worked your butt off all week.\n\n277\n00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.040\nYou've done a lot of different things.\n\n278\n00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:38.170\nNow, as you go into this major, do you have a process now that you really want\n\n279\n00:11:38.170 --> 00:11:38.680\nto use\n\n280\n00:11:38.680 --> 00:11:39.680\nfor majors?\n\n281\n00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:41.120\nI've a pretty good idea.\n\n282\n00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:44.800\nI think it's very dependent on if I play the golf course or not.\n\n283\n00:11:44.800 --> 00:11:46.320\nYou know, it's a place like Augusta.\n\n284\n00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.920\nI feel very comfortable around.\n\n285\n00:11:47.920 --> 00:11:50.280\nI feel like I know it very well.\n\n286\n00:11:50.280 --> 00:11:54.300\nAnd you know, that's a pretty good about tweaking one or two things every year,\n\n287\n00:11:54.300 --> 00:11:54.640\nwhich\n\n288\n00:11:54.640 --> 00:11:57.960\nto me is a great excuse to try to go back at some point before the turn.\n\n289\n00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:03.640\nBut then you get a place like Tulsa at Southern Hills last year that I never\n\n290\n00:12:03.640 --> 00:12:04.560\nplayed.\n\n291\n00:12:04.560 --> 00:12:09.680\nAnd I use the Monday of the Byron Nelson week to go play Southern Hills, check\n\n292\n00:12:09.680 --> 00:12:10.440\nit out and\n\n293\n00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:13.720\nthen go back in town and then that helped me with my preparation next week.\n\n294\n00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:15.080\nAnd the same thing with Brookline.\n\n295\n00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:20.120\nI use the Monday of the Canadian Open last year to go to Boston, go play Brook\n\n296\n00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:20.720\nline and\n\n297\n00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:22.080\nthen make my way to Canada.\n\n298\n00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:25.720\nSo the hard part about Oak Hill is being in Rochester.\n\n299\n00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:31.720\nI can't quite predict the weather in advance like I could Tulsa in May.\n\n300\n00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:35.620\nSo the plan as a vow isn't to make any trips up there just because\n\n301\n00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:37.080\ngeographically there\n\n302\n00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:40.600\nisn't a whole lot going on there golf tournament wise.\n\n303\n00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:48.440\nBut it's really just getting rested and getting in a good headspace that week\n\n304\n00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:49.320\noff that I'm\n\n305\n00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:50.320\nhome.\n\n306\n00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:53.740\nYou know, having some really hard good practice days kind of middle of the week\n\n307\n00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:54.600\nand then kind\n\n308\n00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.760\nof tapered off with some rounds with some guys here in Jupiter.\n\n309\n00:12:57.760 --> 00:13:01.940\nAnd then, you know, then from there, just go execute and go out and hit shots\n\n310\n00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:02.480\nand play\n\n311\n00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.520\ngolf and not golf swing.\n\n312\n00:13:04.520 --> 00:13:08.780\nYou had your breakthrough season in 2017 and shortly after you became the\n\n313\n00:13:08.780 --> 00:13:09.840\nnumber one golfer\n\n314\n00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:13.480\nin the world in 2018.\n\n315\n00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:15.160\nDescribe what that's like.\n\n316\n00:13:15.160 --> 00:13:18.360\nDoes anything change for you when you're walking around with that number one\n\n317\n00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:18.800\ntitle?\n\n318\n00:13:18.800 --> 00:13:21.800\nI mean, that's got a that's heady stuff.\n\n319\n00:13:21.800 --> 00:13:22.800\nYeah.\n\n320\n00:13:22.800 --> 00:13:24.200\nIt was really cool.\n\n321\n00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.000\nI'll never forget when I officially saw it.\n\n322\n00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:32.750\nI mean, I knew when I finished my final round at the players championship 2018,\n\n323\n00:13:32.750 --> 00:13:33.120\nI was number\n\n324\n00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.840\nI was going to be number one in the world.\n\n325\n00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:39.350\nBut the rankings don't usually change until, you know, late Sunday night, maybe\n\n326\n00:13:39.350 --> 00:13:40.160\nmidnight,\n\n327\n00:13:40.160 --> 00:13:41.200\nsomething like that.\n\n328\n00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:47.400\nAnd I was flying home and I just I mean, I literally had the World Golf ranking\n\n329\n00:13:47.400 --> 00:13:48.760\napp or\n\n330\n00:13:48.760 --> 00:13:53.800\non Safari and I just refresh, refresh, refresh and I saw it and it was just I'm\n\n331\n00:13:53.800 --> 00:13:54.160\nlike, there's\n\n332\n00:13:54.160 --> 00:13:58.600\nnobody on planet earth that is ahead of me right now in the World Golf ranking.\n\n333\n00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:00.560\nAnd it's one of the coolest things ever.\n\n334\n00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:05.060\nI mean, it's cool just to talk about because that's although we all work to win\n\n335\n00:14:05.060 --> 00:14:06.160\ngolf tournaments,\n\n336\n00:14:06.160 --> 00:14:13.410\nto win majors, to make team events, to have all these great accolades in golf,\n\n337\n00:14:13.410 --> 00:14:13.640\nbut you\n\n338\n00:14:13.640 --> 00:14:17.240\nhave to do so many things well to be the number one player in the world.\n\n339\n00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:20.920\nAnd it is a huge, huge honor for anybody that gets it.\n\n340\n00:14:20.920 --> 00:14:23.760\nAnd I know something that a lot of guys are very hungry for.\n\n341\n00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:27.680\nSo when I did get there, it was a it was a really cool experience.\n\n342\n00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:30.400\nYou know, I know being number one in the world was something that you always\n\n343\n00:14:30.400 --> 00:14:31.360\nwanted to accomplish\n\n344\n00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:33.000\nor at least I think it had to be.\n\n345\n00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:36.940\nAnd now as you think about your personal goals, you know, all of us as leaders,\n\n346\n00:14:36.940 --> 00:14:37.880\nwe've got to\n\n347\n00:14:37.880 --> 00:14:39.440\nset our annual goals.\n\n348\n00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:41.080\nWhat's your goal setting process?\n\n349\n00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.840\nLet's say for for 2023, how did you how did you go through that?\n\n350\n00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:50.170\nI changed it up a little bit this year, just in the sense of, I mean, I still\n\n351\n00:14:50.170 --> 00:14:50.800\nkeep keep\n\n352\n00:14:50.800 --> 00:14:57.340\nmy goals to myself and between my team, just for the sake of I just don't think\n\n353\n00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:57.800\nit's it\n\n354\n00:14:57.800 --> 00:15:00.980\nwould take a rocket scientist to figure out, you know, the majority of my goals\n\n355\n00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:01.560\n, but it's\n\n356\n00:15:01.560 --> 00:15:06.440\njust I don't necessarily like to feel like I'm being reminded of them all year.\n\n357\n00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:09.860\nI did that kind of early in my career of being very specific with the media of\n\n358\n00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:10.320\nlike, you\n\n359\n00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.400\nknow, I want to I want to win a tournament.\n\n360\n00:15:12.400 --> 00:15:14.760\nI want to play in the final, whatever groups of a major.\n\n361\n00:15:14.760 --> 00:15:18.420\nI want to get to this and all of a sudden it comes July and you haven't won one\n\n362\n00:15:18.420 --> 00:15:18.640\nyet\n\n363\n00:15:18.640 --> 00:15:22.090\nand you're getting asked every, you know, interview you have like your goal of\n\n364\n00:15:22.090 --> 00:15:22.520\nyours was\n\n365\n00:15:22.520 --> 00:15:23.520\nto win a tournament.\n\n366\n00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:26.590\nYou're starting to feel pressure and it's like, well, I am and I don't need any\n\n367\n00:15:26.590 --> 00:15:26.880\nmore\n\n368\n00:15:26.880 --> 00:15:28.160\nof you kind of thing.\n\n369\n00:15:28.160 --> 00:15:31.480\nSo that's something that that we've done.\n\n370\n00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:39.870\nBut this year, what I've done is more so tried to make them a lot more almost\n\n371\n00:15:39.870 --> 00:15:41.240\nresult oriented\n\n372\n00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.880\nas opposed to in past.\n\n373\n00:15:42.880 --> 00:15:47.200\nIt's been very, you know, I want my greens and regulation to be this.\n\n374\n00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.120\nI want my putting my strokes game putting to be this.\n\n375\n00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:52.160\nMy stroke scan approach to be this, whatever it is.\n\n376\n00:15:52.160 --> 00:15:55.360\nAnd to me, those are all the things that I'm working on at home.\n\n377\n00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:59.200\nThose are the things that are kind of like falling under the umbrella of what I\n\n378\n00:15:59.200 --> 00:15:59.800\n'm working\n\n379\n00:15:59.800 --> 00:16:01.240\non to be the end goal.\n\n380\n00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:06.900\nSo to me, I goes for the year should be these, whether they're things that are\n\n381\n00:16:06.900 --> 00:16:08.120\nvery achievable.\n\n382\n00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:12.000\nYou know, I try to have a couple that I feel like I can do.\n\n383\n00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.680\nI don't want to say easily, but should.\n\n384\n00:16:13.680 --> 00:16:16.530\nAnd then I kind of have some there at the middle and then I have some that are\n\n385\n00:16:16.530 --> 00:16:17.360\nvery difficult\n\n386\n00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.720\nand very high ceiling.\n\n387\n00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:23.080\nBut I want to have something to go for.\n\n388\n00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.160\nYou know, you've got a team around you for sure.\n\n389\n00:16:25.160 --> 00:16:26.640\nThere's no question about it.\n\n390\n00:16:26.640 --> 00:16:28.920\nWho are the key players on your team, Justin?\n\n391\n00:16:28.920 --> 00:16:33.080\nAnd how do you define expectations for them and motivate them?\n\n392\n00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:37.000\nBecause you know, golf pros, you really, you have a big team.\n\n393\n00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:38.000\nYeah.\n\n394\n00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.000\nYeah.\n\n395\n00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:40.400\nI don't know how long you have to go over the team.\n\n396\n00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:44.470\nBut yeah, obviously bones is out there with me and my caddy and then have my\n\n397\n00:16:44.470 --> 00:16:45.000\ndad, my\n\n398\n00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.710\nswing coach, John Graham, my putting coach, have Colby, my trainer here at home\n\n399\n00:16:49.710 --> 00:16:50.240\n, have\n\n400\n00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.400\nTroy, my physio who I work with on the road.\n\n401\n00:16:53.400 --> 00:16:58.080\nYou know, it's you can go as in depth as you want.\n\n402\n00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.860\nI mean, it's like I have my wife who's obviously my biggest teammate that's\n\n403\n00:17:01.860 --> 00:17:02.960\nwith me everywhere,\n\n404\n00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:08.000\nbut doesn't necessarily do anything on the golf course or anything like that.\n\n405\n00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.800\nSo I mean, you can go as deep as you is you want in that regard.\n\n406\n00:17:10.800 --> 00:17:17.240\nBut I also have bones, my dad, John, you know, physical side.\n\n407\n00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:21.720\nI have them make goals too because I want them to feel like they're working for\n\n408\n00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:22.520\nsomething.\n\n409\n00:17:22.520 --> 00:17:23.960\nI don't want to just go through the motions.\n\n410\n00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:27.680\nI always, you know, want to just get 1% better, want to take an opportunity,\n\n411\n00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:28.320\nget a little\n\n412\n00:17:28.320 --> 00:17:30.520\nbit better each and everywhere I can.\n\n413\n00:17:30.520 --> 00:17:33.120\nBut also we can all hold each other accountable.\n\n414\n00:17:33.120 --> 00:17:37.260\nYou know, if my, if, if John feels like my dad's not doing something that he\n\n415\n00:17:37.260 --> 00:17:37.880\nshould be\n\n416\n00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:42.950\nor maybe that instead he was going to do, then it's on all of us to tell him\n\n417\n00:17:42.950 --> 00:17:43.600\nbecause\n\n418\n00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:45.400\nwe all want the same thing in this team.\n\n419\n00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:49.980\nAnd that's for me and us to succeed as much as possible because if everybody's\n\n420\n00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.640\ndoing what\n\n421\n00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.890\nthey should and I'm more most importantly doing what I feel like I should and\n\n422\n00:17:54.890 --> 00:17:55.560\ncan, then it's\n\n423\n00:17:55.560 --> 00:17:59.750\ngoing to be a very successful, you know, teamwork and partnership amongst all\n\n424\n00:17:59.750 --> 00:18:00.280\nof us.\n\n425\n00:18:00.280 --> 00:18:03.480\nDo you bring them all together or do you do more one on ones?\n\n426\n00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:04.480\nUh, both.\n\n427\n00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:09.120\nI mean, my dad bones and John and I spend a lot of time together in tournaments\n\n428\n00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:09.440\n.\n\n429\n00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:13.550\nI mean, Colby and Troy are working together quite a bit just because, you know,\n\n430\n00:18:13.550 --> 00:18:14.880\nTroy's\n\n431\n00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:18.680\nseeing my body every week in terms of how things are moving one way or the\n\n432\n00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:19.280\nother and\n\n433\n00:18:19.280 --> 00:18:23.060\nthat he's able to relate that to Colby in terms of doing workouts and then\n\n434\n00:18:23.060 --> 00:18:23.360\nmaybe if\n\n435\n00:18:23.360 --> 00:18:26.400\nI'm home with Colby working out, if he sees something one way or the other, he\n\n436\n00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:26.880\ncan tell\n\n437\n00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.120\nTroy when I get on the road.\n\n438\n00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:32.240\nSo it's really just, it's just about getting the understanding amongst\n\n439\n00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.160\neverybody that look,\n\n440\n00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:36.000\nwe're all in the same team here.\n\n441\n00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:39.810\nWe all think, you know, it's very clear that I think that all of them are the\n\n442\n00:18:39.810 --> 00:18:40.560\nbest at what\n\n443\n00:18:40.560 --> 00:18:41.560\nthey do.\n\n444\n00:18:41.560 --> 00:18:45.080\nOtherwise, I would choose elsewhere or something else.\n\n445\n00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:49.960\nAnd so I, you know, I take a lot of, a lot of pride in that and I also really\n\n446\n00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:50.880\nappreciate\n\n447\n00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.560\nall the help that they do.\n\n448\n00:18:52.560 --> 00:18:56.800\nTell me about the hiring process that you went through to bring bones on.\n\n449\n00:18:56.800 --> 00:19:01.910\nI pretty much, I had called Stiny my, you know, the head of Excel and Lance\n\n450\n00:19:01.910 --> 00:19:03.040\ngoing to my agent\n\n451\n00:19:03.040 --> 00:19:07.320\nand just said, what did that, you know, Jimmy had decided to go a different way\n\n452\n00:19:07.320 --> 00:19:08.360\nand I'm trying\n\n453\n00:19:08.360 --> 00:19:09.360\nto figure out what to do.\n\n454\n00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:13.440\nAnd I was like, well, you know, I want to call bones, but I know he's doing TV\n\n455\n00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:13.840\nand Stiny\n\n456\n00:19:13.840 --> 00:19:15.320\nhas a good relationship with bones.\n\n457\n00:19:15.320 --> 00:19:18.240\nAnd he's just like, let me kind of plant to see it a little bit.\n\n458\n00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:23.080\nSo he, he called and he pretty much said bones expecting your call.\n\n459\n00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:27.600\nSo I called bones and kind of told him what was going on and bones like, well,\n\n460\n00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:28.080\nI just,\n\n461\n00:19:28.080 --> 00:19:31.160\njust renegotiated my deal with NBC.\n\n462\n00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:34.640\nSo I need to make a phone call real quick, but let me get back to you.\n\n463\n00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:39.880\nAnd I'm very, very fortunate that he made the decision he did.\n\n464\n00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:43.520\nHe worked so hard and takes what he does so seriously.\n\n465\n00:19:43.520 --> 00:19:48.740\nYou know, he would drop anything at any time to do anything for myself or\n\n466\n00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:49.360\nanybody in my\n\n467\n00:19:49.360 --> 00:19:51.600\nfamily or team, which is really cool.\n\n468\n00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:54.920\nAnd I'm very, very lucky to have him on my back.\n\n469\n00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:58.670\nYou know, your dad has been your coach since childhood at Harmony Landing\n\n470\n00:19:58.670 --> 00:19:59.680\nCountry Club and\n\n471\n00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.320\nthe, you know, which I played a few rounds there.\n\n472\n00:20:02.320 --> 00:20:06.950\nAnd tell me about a time when having your dad as your coach has been the best\n\n473\n00:20:06.950 --> 00:20:07.400\nthing\n\n474\n00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:08.800\never.\n\n475\n00:20:08.800 --> 00:20:12.400\nAnd then when is there has ever been a time when it's been extremely\n\n476\n00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.120\nchallenging?\n\n477\n00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.120\nFor sure.\n\n478\n00:20:15.120 --> 00:20:19.450\nIt took us a couple of years, I think, to get used to the, we're not, we're not\n\n479\n00:20:19.450 --> 00:20:19.960\nfather\n\n480\n00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:24.960\nor son out here on the range of a tour event, you know, we're, we're coach and\n\n481\n00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:26.080\nstudent.\n\n482\n00:20:26.080 --> 00:20:29.720\nAnd it definitely, at least in my opinion, I think you'd say the same.\n\n483\n00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.680\nIt took us a couple of years to get used to that.\n\n484\n00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.390\nBut I mean, he obviously, he knows me better than any coach would in terms of a\n\n485\n00:20:35.390 --> 00:20:36.000\npersonal\n\n486\n00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:37.000\nlevel.\n\n487\n00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:38.320\nAnd he just, he's really good.\n\n488\n00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:40.800\nAlthough I'm stubborn and don't like to admit it sometimes.\n\n489\n00:20:40.800 --> 00:20:46.350\nIt's just, is kind of dumbing down this, the situation or making it smaller\n\n490\n00:20:46.350 --> 00:20:47.280\nthan it is.\n\n491\n00:20:47.280 --> 00:20:50.150\nAnd it's like, Justin, you're not playing that bad, you're not playing as bad\n\n492\n00:20:50.150 --> 00:20:50.480\nas you\n\n493\n00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.480\nthink you are.\n\n494\n00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:55.280\nLike it's just, like, let's not forget your number, whatever in the world here.\n\n495\n00:20:55.280 --> 00:20:57.400\nLike it's not, it's a fine line.\n\n496\n00:20:57.400 --> 00:21:04.740\nSo just keeping me sane, if you will, and obviously being able to share the,\n\n497\n00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.080\nshare the\n\n498\n00:21:05.080 --> 00:21:07.990\nmemories and moments I've had with them, whether it be, you know, the PJ\n\n499\n00:21:07.990 --> 00:21:09.280\nchampionships or tour\n\n500\n00:21:09.280 --> 00:21:11.680\nwins, I've been fortunate to have whatever it is.\n\n501\n00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:15.520\nBut I've gotten in his face a couple of times.\n\n502\n00:21:15.520 --> 00:21:22.720\nI think that same, the same way it can be hard for, I mean, he's very old\n\n503\n00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:24.240\nschool coach,\n\n504\n00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:27.720\nwhich is what I like in the sense of, he's not just going to say something to\n\n505\n00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:28.280\nsay it.\n\n506\n00:21:28.280 --> 00:21:33.800\nHe's not going to, you know, give me all of these technical kind of thoughts.\n\n507\n00:21:33.800 --> 00:21:35.200\nBut he knows that I work like that.\n\n508\n00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:39.500\nSo there's been times when I'm not hitting it good and he doesn't necessarily,\n\n509\n00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.040\nhe's kind\n\n510\n00:21:40.040 --> 00:21:41.920\nof trying to figure out what to say.\n\n511\n00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:44.160\nAnd I'm like, are you going to tell me anything?\n\n512\n00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:46.280\nOr are you just going to let me keep hitting it this bad?\n\n513\n00:21:46.280 --> 00:21:48.280\nLike clearly I'm hitting it God awful.\n\n514\n00:21:48.280 --> 00:21:51.680\nI need something from you and I need something from you quickly.\n\n515\n00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:54.080\nAnd I mean, I've done it.\n\n516\n00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:55.080\nYeah.\n\n517\n00:21:55.080 --> 00:21:59.670\nI had a, probably my first like legitimate blow up at the Atlanta, the tour\n\n518\n00:21:59.670 --> 00:22:00.680\nchampionship\n\n519\n00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:02.400\nto handful of years ago.\n\n520\n00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:06.600\nI got pretty pissed off and made sure that he knew that.\n\n521\n00:22:06.600 --> 00:22:08.560\nBut you know, that's, that's what comes with it.\n\n522\n00:22:08.560 --> 00:22:10.280\nThat's why we're not father, son out there.\n\n523\n00:22:10.280 --> 00:22:12.800\nWe're, we're student and coach.\n\n524\n00:22:12.800 --> 00:22:14.560\nI guess you'd have to say you are the boss.\n\n525\n00:22:14.560 --> 00:22:15.960\nThere's no question about that.\n\n526\n00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:17.360\nYou know, that is true.\n\n527\n00:22:17.360 --> 00:22:18.360\nThat is true.\n\n528\n00:22:18.360 --> 00:22:21.640\nThat's one of the few times I can actually tell him what to do.\n\n529\n00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:25.680\nYou know, like a lot of business leaders, you, you do best practice visits.\n\n530\n00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:29.490\nYou know, I know you've reached out to people like Tom Brady, Michael Jordan,\n\n531\n00:22:29.490 --> 00:22:30.120\nWayne Gretzky\n\n532\n00:22:30.120 --> 00:22:32.640\nand Jack Nicholas to learn from them.\n\n533\n00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:36.780\nTell me about one of your more memorable conversations you've had with one of\n\n534\n00:22:36.780 --> 00:22:37.200\nthese\n\n535\n00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:39.800\nleaders and what it taught you.\n\n536\n00:22:39.800 --> 00:22:43.740\nI mean, they're all very, very similar in the sense of obviously they're the\n\n537\n00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:44.360\ngreatest\n\n538\n00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:49.280\nat the sport that they played, but they have a hard time sometimes explaining\n\n539\n00:22:49.280 --> 00:22:50.640\nwhat they\n\n540\n00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:52.800\ndid or what they're thinking.\n\n541\n00:22:52.800 --> 00:22:56.170\nIt's, it's just as simple as like, look, like this, the shots, the most\n\n542\n00:22:56.170 --> 00:22:56.960\nimportant shot\n\n543\n00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.280\nyou're ever going to hit.\n\n544\n00:22:58.280 --> 00:23:00.560\nYou're not thinking about anything else.\n\n545\n00:23:00.560 --> 00:23:05.400\nAnd as soon as it leaves your club face and, and comes arrest for going to the\n\n546\n00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:06.120\nnext one.\n\n547\n00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:11.870\nIt's kind of the same, the MJ is very processed and, and present oriented and I\n\n548\n00:23:11.870 --> 00:23:13.760\nwould say\n\n549\n00:23:13.760 --> 00:23:19.170\nTom, Tom Brady has been great to me and I've been very, very thankful for his\n\n550\n00:23:19.170 --> 00:23:20.320\nrelationship\n\n551\n00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:21.320\nand friendship.\n\n552\n00:23:21.320 --> 00:23:24.580\nJust, you know, I've reached out to him and times when I've, you know, been\n\n553\n00:23:24.580 --> 00:23:25.280\ndoing well\n\n554\n00:23:25.280 --> 00:23:29.980\nand times when I feel like I'm really in a funk and he's always willing to talk\n\n555\n00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:30.000\nand,\n\n556\n00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:32.960\nyou know, he kind of helped me break down that when things aren't going well,\n\n557\n00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.400\nhe's kind\n\n558\n00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.520\nof waned it down to three things as a physical, mental or emotional.\n\n559\n00:23:37.520 --> 00:23:40.040\nAnd if it's a physical, you don't have the confidence.\n\n560\n00:23:40.040 --> 00:23:43.240\nAnd if you don't have the confidence, then probably some kind of mental.\n\n561\n00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:45.990\nSo it's like one thing can take care of the other, which can take care of the\n\n562\n00:23:45.990 --> 00:23:46.600\nother.\n\n563\n00:23:46.600 --> 00:23:51.590\nAnd something as little as that is something I fall back on sometimes and helps\n\n564\n00:23:51.590 --> 00:23:52.120\nme.\n\n565\n00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:56.870\nHave you really gone to these guys more for how they approach their games\n\n566\n00:23:56.870 --> 00:23:57.720\nmentally or\n\n567\n00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.760\nis that, that's really what you're trying to dig into?\n\n568\n00:24:00.760 --> 00:24:03.880\nI am, yeah. And that's the hardest thing that they have.\n\n569\n00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:08.290\nThey have a hard time explaining that, you know, it's they when they're in\n\n570\n00:24:08.290 --> 00:24:09.400\nthere in the\n\n571\n00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:14.960\narena and they're in the moment, especially in football or basketball.\n\n572\n00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:18.760\nIt's very, you know, you're reacting to the situation versus golf.\n\n573\n00:24:18.760 --> 00:24:20.880\nYou had a long time between shots.\n\n574\n00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:22.160\nYou're sleeping on a lead.\n\n575\n00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:24.800\nYou're, you know, you're over the ball a long time.\n\n576\n00:24:24.800 --> 00:24:28.110\nSo it's, I would say that's a little bit different as opposed to just kind of\n\n577\n00:24:28.110 --> 00:24:28.680\nreacting\n\n578\n00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:31.600\nto whatever the play or the defense or whatever it is giving you.\n\n579\n00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:35.250\nBut it's just anything I can possibly get, you know, if I talk to him for 30\n\n580\n00:24:35.250 --> 00:24:35.880\nminutes,\n\n581\n00:24:35.880 --> 00:24:40.430\nbut I can get one or two things out of the conversation that can help me going\n\n582\n00:24:40.430 --> 00:24:40.960\nforward\n\n583\n00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:43.600\nand that's a success.\n\n584\n00:24:43.600 --> 00:24:48.330\nWhat's the biggest mental challenge you have to deal with on a most regular\n\n585\n00:24:48.330 --> 00:24:49.120\nbasis?\n\n586\n00:24:49.120 --> 00:24:55.200\nFor me, it's staying present. I would say I think I almost have like a little\n\n587\n00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:55.760\nbit of\n\n588\n00:24:55.760 --> 00:24:58.760\nan ADD mind and I just kind of going all over the place.\n\n589\n00:24:58.760 --> 00:25:04.190\nAnd when I'm playing my best, I only am thinking about what I'm doing at that\n\n590\n00:25:04.190 --> 00:25:04.560\ntime.\n\n591\n00:25:04.560 --> 00:25:09.160\nAnd in that shot, I'm trying to hit and I accept things very well.\n\n592\n00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:10.360\nI'm not hard on myself.\n\n593\n00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:15.080\nI don't get down on myself versus when I'm what I'm kind of, I use to call it\n\n594\n00:25:15.080 --> 00:25:15.320\nkind of\n\n595\n00:25:15.320 --> 00:25:17.400\nlike Candyland where I'm just all over the place.\n\n596\n00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:20.410\nIt's, you know, make a couple birdies and then start thinking about maybe some\n\n597\n00:25:20.410 --> 00:25:20.680\nholes\n\n598\n00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:23.600\ndown the road or start looking at the guys on the leaderboard thinking about\n\n599\n00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:23.880\nwhat they're\n\n600\n00:25:23.880 --> 00:25:27.330\ndoing or like, okay, well, tomorrow's it's, and then as soon as you start\n\n601\n00:25:27.330 --> 00:25:27.960\nthinking about\n\n602\n00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:30.880\nanything, that's not what's going on at that time.\n\n603\n00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:31.880\nIt never goes well.\n\n604\n00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:36.160\nSo you would think I'd stop doing it, but it's obviously easier said than done,\n\n605\n00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:36.800\nbut like\n\n606\n00:25:36.800 --> 00:25:38.760\nanything, it's a work in progress.\n\n607\n00:25:38.760 --> 00:25:40.520\nIt's true that we all know what to do.\n\n608\n00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:41.520\nIt's just doing it.\n\n609\n00:25:41.520 --> 00:25:42.520\nThis is a hard thing.\n\n610\n00:25:42.520 --> 00:25:43.520\nI know.\n\n611\n00:25:43.520 --> 00:25:47.250\nI can, I can tell anybody with the best of them what to do, but I, there's\n\n612\n00:25:47.250 --> 00:25:47.920\nplenty of\n\n613\n00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.880\ntimes when I don't, when I don't practice what I preach.\n\n614\n00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:56.200\nBut because you're listening to this, I can tell you're the kind of person who\n\n615\n00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:56.560\nwants\n\n616\n00:25:56.560 --> 00:25:58.800\nto learn how to lead well.\n\n617\n00:25:58.800 --> 00:26:02.340\nBut there's a lot of companies out there who want to take that desire and\n\n618\n00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:02.960\ncharge you\n\n619\n00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:09.840\n$500 or $1,000 or heck, even $20,000 to try and show you how to lead.\n\n620\n00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:11.880\nThat's just not right.\n\n621\n00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:15.020\nIf you want to be a better leader, I believe you deserve to have access to\n\n622\n00:26:15.020 --> 00:26:15.800\nsomething that\n\n623\n00:26:15.800 --> 00:26:19.600\nwill truly help you and it shouldn't cost a fortune.\n\n624\n00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:24.120\nSo I want you to go to howleaderslead.com and start my leadership class.\n\n625\n00:26:24.120 --> 00:26:26.120\nIt's really and truly free.\n\n626\n00:26:26.120 --> 00:26:30.760\nAnd after you take this class, you're going to feel more confident in your role\n\n627\n00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:31.080\nand you'll\n\n628\n00:26:31.080 --> 00:26:34.440\nbe on your way to getting big things done with your team.\n\n629\n00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:44.800\nGo check it out at howleaderslead.com.\n\n630\n00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:48.720\nYou've also spent a lot of time with Tiger, which is amazing.\n\n631\n00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:53.970\nAnd when you think about Tiger Woods and what he's taught you, what part of the\n\n632\n00:26:53.970 --> 00:26:54.480\ngame has\n\n633\n00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:57.800\nhe helped you the most in?\n\n634\n00:26:57.800 --> 00:27:05.280\nI would say imagination, shot making and just bringing out the inner artists.\n\n635\n00:27:05.280 --> 00:27:09.880\nI think I'm a very creative and hands-y field player.\n\n636\n00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:14.000\nAnd I think that's why I play well in some of those rounds.\n\n637\n00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:20.520\nI get very windy and very difficult because you can't be over the ball thinking\n\n638\n00:27:20.520 --> 00:27:21.160\nabout\n\n639\n00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:22.160\nit.\n\n640\n00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:25.840\nI can't have this thing laid off at the top and I can't have it shut coming\n\n641\n00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:26.360\ndown.\n\n642\n00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:30.000\nIt's like, look, I have 140 yards and I somehow have to get the seven iron to\n\n643\n00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.960\nhit the screen.\n\n644\n00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:33.160\nAnd it's got to be hooking against this left-right wind.\n\n645\n00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:35.080\nOtherwise, it's not going to hold the green.\n\n646\n00:27:35.080 --> 00:27:40.080\nSo it's almost like that artistic side of my brain switches on.\n\n647\n00:27:40.080 --> 00:27:45.760\nAnd I'm just so engulfed in what's going on specifically.\n\n648\n00:27:45.760 --> 00:27:49.720\nAnd I think that's something he's really helped a lot with.\n\n649\n00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:54.020\nYou know, I've talked to a few pros and they know you're obviously tight with\n\n650\n00:27:54.020 --> 00:27:54.520\nTiger and\n\n651\n00:27:54.520 --> 00:27:57.120\nthey think your short game is incredible.\n\n652\n00:27:57.120 --> 00:28:00.520\nThey think you've got these secrets that you picked up from Tiger.\n\n653\n00:28:00.520 --> 00:28:02.200\nHave you got some secrets?\n\n654\n00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:05.400\nAnd if you have secrets, would you share it with any of your buddies?\n\n655\n00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:07.520\nWould you share it with Jordan Spieth?\n\n656\n00:28:07.520 --> 00:28:09.600\nAh, definitely not Jordan.\n\n657\n00:28:09.600 --> 00:28:12.320\nI've seen him chip in enough.\n\n658\n00:28:12.320 --> 00:28:15.950\nI would happily share them with you, David, as long as you've sworn the secrecy\n\n659\n00:28:15.950 --> 00:28:16.200\n.\n\n660\n00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:22.360\nBut it's more not necessarily like, okay, do this.\n\n661\n00:28:22.360 --> 00:28:23.880\nIt's really just going out.\n\n662\n00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:25.280\nIt's the same thing as when I was a kid.\n\n663\n00:28:25.280 --> 00:28:29.200\nYou know, I just would go down to the Chipping Green at Harmony and I'd go down\n\n664\n00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.720\nand chip\n\n665\n00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.720\nfor two or three hours.\n\n666\n00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:34.200\nAnd eventually you're just going to learn some shots just from screwing around.\n\n667\n00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:39.960\nAnd I think that's really what he's done more than anything is you just, this\n\n668\n00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:41.040\nfeel resonates\n\n669\n00:28:41.040 --> 00:28:42.040\nto me.\n\n670\n00:28:42.040 --> 00:28:44.320\nAnd when I feel this, it makes the ball do that.\n\n671\n00:28:44.320 --> 00:28:47.080\nAnd it might not work for you or I, but it works for him.\n\n672\n00:28:47.080 --> 00:28:53.200\nAnd that's, I've learned a thing or two from him, but I also know that he has\n\n673\n00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:54.200\nheld many,\n\n674\n00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:55.560\nmany things back for me.\n\n675\n00:28:55.560 --> 00:28:57.840\nI am much more of that.\n\n676\n00:28:57.840 --> 00:29:02.200\nI'd have to imagine building trust and becoming a part of that inner circle\n\n677\n00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:03.120\nwith Tiger has\n\n678\n00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:05.320\nbeen extremely difficult.\n\n679\n00:29:05.320 --> 00:29:08.710\nWhat was it that you did as a leader to build trust so that he does take you\n\n680\n00:29:08.710 --> 00:29:09.440\nunderneath\n\n681\n00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:10.440\nhis wing?\n\n682\n00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:14.200\nI mean, I think first and foremost, I was just myself.\n\n683\n00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:16.080\nI wasn't going to be anybody else.\n\n684\n00:29:16.080 --> 00:29:18.200\nI mean, I'm pretty sarcastic.\n\n685\n00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:23.320\nI like to joke around and I sure wasn't going to act any different around him.\n\n686\n00:29:23.320 --> 00:29:26.990\nThere's definitely times where I almost have to kind of pinch myself when I'm\n\n687\n00:29:26.990 --> 00:29:28.160\nin the moments,\n\n688\n00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:29.560\nif that makes sense.\n\n689\n00:29:29.560 --> 00:29:33.860\nBecause of what's going on or having conversations with him or whatever it may\n\n690\n00:29:33.860 --> 00:29:34.280\nbe.\n\n691\n00:29:34.280 --> 00:29:38.360\nBut it's really, I think he understands and sees how much it means to me.\n\n692\n00:29:38.360 --> 00:29:43.630\nAnd I think he sees some similarities in how we go about some things between\n\n693\n00:29:43.630 --> 00:29:44.320\nhim and I\n\n694\n00:29:44.320 --> 00:29:50.160\nwhen he was my age, obviously, in terms of accomplishments and golf.\n\n695\n00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:55.880\nHe has me and everybody else beat by a mile, but a couple of miles of that.\n\n696\n00:29:55.880 --> 00:30:01.020\nBut he just can see that I think want it and I'm willing to do as much as I\n\n697\n00:30:01.020 --> 00:30:02.160\npossibly can\n\n698\n00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:03.160\nto get it.\n\n699\n00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:09.310\nAnd I think he respects that anybody who's willing to work hard and is kind of\n\n700\n00:30:09.310 --> 00:30:10.080\njust hungry\n\n701\n00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:11.800\nand has a little bit of fire in them.\n\n702\n00:30:11.800 --> 00:30:14.640\nBut more anything, I just want to be a friend.\n\n703\n00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:20.950\nWhen you're in your position as a leader in your field and you're a celebrity,\n\n704\n00:30:20.950 --> 00:30:22.200\nobviously,\n\n705\n00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:24.640\nhow do you make sure you get the truth from everybody?\n\n706\n00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:27.360\nI mean, you know, when you're a leader, people will blow a lot of smoke.\n\n707\n00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:31.320\nHow do you make sure you have truth tellers around you?\n\n708\n00:30:31.320 --> 00:30:34.470\nYou have to make some tough decisions and I'm sure you've been in the same\n\n709\n00:30:34.470 --> 00:30:35.040\nscenarios\n\n710\n00:30:35.040 --> 00:30:36.040\nand situations.\n\n711\n00:30:36.040 --> 00:30:40.960\nBut it's honestly another great piece of advice I got from Tom Brady.\n\n712\n00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.860\nIt's just like, man, it's tough because the more success you have, the more\n\n713\n00:30:44.860 --> 00:30:45.480\npeople are\n\n714\n00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:48.470\ngoing to want to be a part of you and your life and people are going to come\n\n715\n00:30:48.470 --> 00:30:48.880\nout of the\n\n716\n00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:51.560\nwoodworks from high school, middle school, whatever it is.\n\n717\n00:30:51.560 --> 00:30:56.490\nAnd it's one of those things to where it's like if a certain situation or a\n\n718\n00:30:56.490 --> 00:30:58.560\ncertain person\n\n719\n00:30:58.560 --> 00:31:02.720\ndoesn't bring out a better side of you or something positive out of you, then\n\n720\n00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:03.280\nthere's\n\n721\n00:31:03.280 --> 00:31:08.100\nreally life is too short to even associate yourself with that situation or\n\n722\n00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:08.920\nperson.\n\n723\n00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:11.520\nAnd some will say it's harsh.\n\n724\n00:31:11.520 --> 00:31:17.040\nSome will say that that's not necessarily the right thing to do, but it's true.\n\n725\n00:31:17.040 --> 00:31:23.440\nI'm so limited on my time and there's no need for me to waste any opportunities\n\n726\n00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:23.920\nI have\n\n727\n00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:26.920\nto potentially get better or bring out a better side of myself.\n\n728\n00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:31.120\nSo it's really just about associating yourself with the appropriate people and\n\n729\n00:31:31.120 --> 00:31:31.880\nappropriate\n\n730\n00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:32.880\nsituations.\n\n731\n00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:36.590\nI mean, we're all going to make mistakes in that regard of maybe trusting\n\n732\n00:31:36.590 --> 00:31:37.360\nsomeone that\n\n733\n00:31:37.360 --> 00:31:40.040\nyou shouldn't ever telling someone something you shouldn't have.\n\n734\n00:31:40.040 --> 00:31:45.640\nBut especially in today's day and age of social media and everything going on.\n\n735\n00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:48.600\nIt's not nothing's off the record, that's for sure.\n\n736\n00:31:48.600 --> 00:31:53.750\nAnd you really just have to get a very close knit inner circle like I feel like\n\n737\n00:31:53.750 --> 00:31:55.480\nI have and\n\n738\n00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:57.280\nit kind of stick with it.\n\n739\n00:31:57.280 --> 00:31:59.360\nYou seem to thrive in team environments.\n\n740\n00:31:59.360 --> 00:32:03.380\nI know golf is pretty much an individual game, but you took the University of\n\n741\n00:32:03.380 --> 00:32:04.040\nAlabama to\n\n742\n00:32:04.040 --> 00:32:06.440\nhis first national championship.\n\n743\n00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:10.500\nAnd then I don't know if there's anybody that goes more crazy in the Ryder Cup\n\n744\n00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:10.760\nthan\n\n745\n00:32:10.760 --> 00:32:11.760\nyou.\n\n746\n00:32:11.760 --> 00:32:16.520\nHow do you view yourself in your role on the Ryder Cup team?\n\n747\n00:32:16.520 --> 00:32:22.030\nI view it the same as I hope to always view it and it's just I'm there for\n\n748\n00:32:22.030 --> 00:32:22.960\nwhatever I'm\n\n749\n00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.960\nneeded for.\n\n750\n00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:28.320\nI don't want to be going into it telling everybody I'm the team captain.\n\n751\n00:32:28.320 --> 00:32:30.120\nI'm the team leader.\n\n752\n00:32:30.120 --> 00:32:31.200\nI don't care what I am.\n\n753\n00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:37.920\nI just want us to succeed and have our team do as well as possible.\n\n754\n00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:41.150\nAnd if that week the captain comes to me and says, Hey Justin, we need you to\n\n755\n00:32:41.150 --> 00:32:41.320\nplay\n\n756\n00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:45.010\ntwo matches, but we really need you to put your arm around this rookie and play\n\n757\n00:32:45.010 --> 00:32:45.240\nwith\n\n758\n00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.920\nhim in these two matches.\n\n759\n00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:48.480\nAnd it's like, okay, that's great.\n\n760\n00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:51.950\nIf it's, Hey, we need you to go out all five matches and we're going to put you\n\n761\n00:32:51.950 --> 00:32:52.320\nout with\n\n762\n00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:53.320\nJordan first out.\n\n763\n00:32:53.320 --> 00:32:55.160\nI'd say, okay, sounds great.\n\n764\n00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:59.640\nAnd it's just whatever I need to do because that week's a lot bigger than me.\n\n765\n00:32:59.640 --> 00:33:00.640\nIt's not about me.\n\n766\n00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:02.000\nIt's about playing for your country.\n\n767\n00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.960\nIt's about playing for your 11 other teammates.\n\n768\n00:33:03.960 --> 00:33:06.760\nIt's about playing for your three, four captains.\n\n769\n00:33:06.760 --> 00:33:09.240\nIt's about playing for your country.\n\n770\n00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:15.250\nSo I think that's kind of the group and vibe that we have going right now is we\n\n771\n00:33:15.250 --> 00:33:15.800\nhave a\n\n772\n00:33:15.800 --> 00:33:19.320\nlot of guys that are willing to do whatever they need to do.\n\n773\n00:33:19.320 --> 00:33:21.280\nThat's best for the team.\n\n774\n00:33:21.280 --> 00:33:25.280\nAnd I don't care about those winning points and winning the team of that.\n\n775\n00:33:25.280 --> 00:33:27.920\nSo it's a pretty cool group to be a part of.\n\n776\n00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:32.030\nWhat's your favorite story from one of the big moments you've had at the Ryder\n\n777\n00:33:32.030 --> 00:33:32.520\nCup?\n\n778\n00:33:32.520 --> 00:33:38.800\nI would say the Ryder Cup beating Poulter twice in one day is pretty great.\n\n779\n00:33:38.800 --> 00:33:43.480\nI mean, Poulter has been an American killer, a US killer for a long time.\n\n780\n00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:46.920\nIt was in the Ryder Cup in France, which we got absolutely shellacked.\n\n781\n00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:51.650\nBut Jordan and I, we beat Poulter and Ramen in the morning and then Poulter and\n\n782\n00:33:51.650 --> 00:33:52.160\nRory in\n\n783\n00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.160\nthe afternoon.\n\n784\n00:33:53.160 --> 00:33:56.880\nAnd it was actually my old cat named Jimmy Johnson used to always say, \"What's\n\n785\n00:33:56.880 --> 00:33:57.360\nbetter\n\n786\n00:33:57.360 --> 00:33:59.880\nthan beating Poulter in the Ryder Cup?\n\n787\n00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:01.120\nBeat him twice in one day.\"\n\n788\n00:34:01.120 --> 00:34:05.800\nSo that was, you know, I know he takes the Ryder Cup very seriously.\n\n789\n00:34:05.800 --> 00:34:08.480\nAnd that was, I mean, Jordan and I talk about that a lot.\n\n790\n00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:10.360\nThat was a huge accomplishment for us.\n\n791\n00:34:10.360 --> 00:34:16.050\nBut the, the President's Cup, I, when I played with Tiger in Australia, we were\n\n792\n00:34:16.050 --> 00:34:16.440\ngoing to\n\n793\n00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.440\nnumber 16.\n\n794\n00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:23.120\nI just made about an eight, 10 footer for Birdie and we were, I think, all\n\n795\n00:34:23.120 --> 00:34:23.640\nsquare at\n\n796\n00:34:23.640 --> 00:34:25.040\nthat time.\n\n797\n00:34:25.040 --> 00:34:29.680\nAnd 16's a brutal, the routing they have are 16 holes, a brutal driving hole.\n\n798\n00:34:29.680 --> 00:34:33.590\nIt's dog leg like it's a narrow dog leg left and there's a tree right off the\n\n799\n00:34:33.590 --> 00:34:34.160\nleft side\n\n800\n00:34:34.160 --> 00:34:35.160\nof the tee.\n\n801\n00:34:35.160 --> 00:34:36.160\nThe wind's in off the left.\n\n802\n00:34:36.160 --> 00:34:37.920\nI'm a fader of the ball off the tee.\n\n803\n00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:40.520\nAnd I mean, I hate the tee shot.\n\n804\n00:34:40.520 --> 00:34:44.800\nI just, visually it's just not a good looking tee shot to me.\n\n805\n00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:47.180\nAnd I'm kind of walking up there, I'm trying to figure out, you know, what am I\n\n806\n00:34:47.180 --> 00:34:47.600\ngoing to\n\n807\n00:34:47.600 --> 00:34:48.600\nhit off this tee?\n\n808\n00:34:48.600 --> 00:34:51.800\nLike it's a long hole to where I can't necessarily hit three wood or two iron.\n\n809\n00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:55.320\nI mean, Tiger's going to have 220 yards in.\n\n810\n00:34:55.320 --> 00:34:59.790\nBut it was the only, I mean, we, we played our own game, but I, I just, he was\n\n811\n00:34:59.790 --> 00:35:00.200\non the\n\n812\n00:35:00.200 --> 00:35:03.720\ntee box and I was like, \"Hey, what do you, what do you like off this tee?\"\n\n813\n00:35:03.720 --> 00:35:05.000\nAnd he just looked at me.\n\n814\n00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:06.000\nHe goes, \"I don't care.\n\n815\n00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:07.000\nJust put it in the fairway.\"\n\n816\n00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:10.000\nThat was the only thing you said to me.\n\n817\n00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:13.000\nI was like, \"Okay, thanks partner.\n\n818\n00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:15.400\nSounds good.\"\n\n819\n00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:16.400\nAnd I did.\n\n820\n00:35:16.400 --> 00:35:17.400\nI hit the fairway.\n\n821\n00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:21.520\nWe won the match on 18, so it was all good.\n\n822\n00:35:21.520 --> 00:35:25.520\nYou know, the closest thing that could come to the Ryder Cup, at least energy\n\n823\n00:35:25.520 --> 00:35:26.200\nwise during\n\n824\n00:35:26.200 --> 00:35:29.800\nthe regular season is the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open.\n\n825\n00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:33.320\nDo you like that scene and do you wish there was more of that on tour?\n\n826\n00:35:33.320 --> 00:35:36.840\nYeah, it's good once a year, in my opinion.\n\n827\n00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:40.220\nI think some tournaments are trying to emulate it, but I don't think they\n\n828\n00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:40.960\nunderstand the\n\n829\n00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:43.480\namount of people that are on that hole.\n\n830\n00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:44.720\nIt's just wild.\n\n831\n00:35:44.720 --> 00:35:48.990\nSo there's enough to where the noise coming from people just kind of, I mean,\n\n832\n00:35:48.990 --> 00:35:49.640\njust like\n\n833\n00:35:49.640 --> 00:35:53.830\na football or basketball game or baseball game, it just, it all kind of goes\n\n834\n00:35:53.830 --> 00:35:54.680\ntogether.\n\n835\n00:35:54.680 --> 00:35:58.830\nBut you know, when you have a thousand people on a whole and, and 50 people\n\n836\n00:35:58.830 --> 00:35:59.720\nyell, it's,\n\n837\n00:35:59.720 --> 00:36:02.480\nit's pretty apparent and can be distracting.\n\n838\n00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:06.910\nBut when there's 20,000 people on a whole and a thousand of them are saying\n\n839\n00:36:06.910 --> 00:36:07.720\nsomething,\n\n840\n00:36:07.720 --> 00:36:09.040\nit's just kind of all noise.\n\n841\n00:36:09.040 --> 00:36:11.720\nSo it's a wild atmosphere.\n\n842\n00:36:11.720 --> 00:36:12.800\nIt's a lot of fun.\n\n843\n00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:17.210\nIt's the hardest part about it is just trying to hit some little soft finesse\n\n844\n00:36:17.210 --> 00:36:17.760\nshot.\n\n845\n00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:20.560\nAll you want to do is just hit a driver's heart as you can because the amount\n\n846\n00:36:20.560 --> 00:36:21.200\nof adrenaline\n\n847\n00:36:21.200 --> 00:36:22.200\nyou have.\n\n848\n00:36:22.200 --> 00:36:27.400\nBut it's a, it's a very cool experience.\n\n849\n00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:31.800\nWe'll be back with the rest of my conversation with Justin Thomas in a moment.\n\n850\n00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:36.520\nJustin does a fantastic job of seeking out other great athletes to learn from.\n\n851\n00:36:36.520 --> 00:36:40.440\nAnd one of the very greatest is the legendary Jack Nicholas.\n\n852\n00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:44.560\nYou know, I got the honor of sitting down with Jack here on this podcast and I\n\n853\n00:36:44.560 --> 00:36:45.160\nlove what\n\n854\n00:36:45.160 --> 00:36:49.600\nhe had to say about the importance of learning both from your successes and\n\n855\n00:36:49.600 --> 00:36:50.760\nyour failures.\n\n856\n00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:52.640\nI think you have to learn why you lose.\n\n857\n00:36:52.640 --> 00:36:53.640\nYou have to learn why you win.\n\n858\n00:36:53.640 --> 00:36:55.440\nYou have to learn how to do both.\n\n859\n00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:58.040\nAnd I think business is exactly the same thing.\n\n860\n00:36:58.040 --> 00:37:00.790\nYou know, everybody makes mistakes as they're growing up trying to learn to\n\n861\n00:37:00.790 --> 00:37:01.600\ngrow a business.\n\n862\n00:37:01.600 --> 00:37:03.200\nAnd you should learn from those mistakes.\n\n863\n00:37:03.200 --> 00:37:06.840\nBut you also, when you do something well, you learn from that too.\n\n864\n00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:11.380\nGo back and listen to my entire conversation with the great Jack Nicholas,\n\n865\n00:37:11.380 --> 00:37:13.240\nepisode 21 here\n\n866\n00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:21.840\non How Leaders Lead.\n\n867\n00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:26.240\nYou know, I know success for you, Justin isn't just on the golf course.\n\n868\n00:37:26.240 --> 00:37:29.760\nAnd a few years back, you launched the Justin Thomas Foundation.\n\n869\n00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:31.320\nTell us about it.\n\n870\n00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:34.390\nI'm very, very fortunate to be in the position I am and have the opportunity to\n\n871\n00:37:34.390 --> 00:37:35.000\ngive back.\n\n872\n00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:41.090\nAnd yeah, we launched the Justin Thomas Foundation five, six years ago to\n\n873\n00:37:41.090 --> 00:37:42.560\nbenefit junior golf\n\n874\n00:37:42.560 --> 00:37:44.760\nfor children in need and military families.\n\n875\n00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:47.910\nAnd, you know, we've done a lot of work with the Boys and Girls Club with the\n\n876\n00:37:47.910 --> 00:37:48.320\nFirst Sea\n\n877\n00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:50.920\nAlul goin.\n\n878\n00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:57.370\nIt's just having the opportunity to give back to kids, whether it be, you know,\n\n879\n00:37:57.370 --> 00:37:58.240\nsomething\n\n880\n00:37:58.240 --> 00:38:04.100\nlike an AJGA grant that I'm, you know, that I'm doing or grant that I would,\n\n881\n00:38:04.100 --> 00:38:05.240\nthat I received\n\n882\n00:38:05.240 --> 00:38:08.800\nthrough the Kentucky Junior Golf Association or whatever it might be.\n\n883\n00:38:08.800 --> 00:38:13.530\nAnd seeing these, you know, the kids and, you know, some bad towns in\n\n884\n00:38:13.530 --> 00:38:14.920\nLouisville that,\n\n885\n00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:17.420\nyou know, they don't have the opportunity to get gifts for Christmas or\n\n886\n00:38:17.420 --> 00:38:18.000\nThanksgiving\n\n887\n00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:20.320\nor things like that.\n\n888\n00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:25.910\nAnd being able to first hand go in and see them and see the smiles on their\n\n889\n00:38:25.910 --> 00:38:26.640\nfaces and\n\n890\n00:38:26.640 --> 00:38:30.000\nsee the amount of lives and that you can impact.\n\n891\n00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:34.320\nAnd, you know, we're very fortunate to sort of so much to support the truth.\n\n892\n00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:39.090\nSo being able to see category here or having seems like every week in a program\n\n893\n00:38:39.090 --> 00:38:39.760\n, you know,\n\n894\n00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:42.900\nwe have a veteran that will come caddy force in a hole and just developing\n\n895\n00:38:42.900 --> 00:38:43.560\nthose kind of\n\n896\n00:38:43.560 --> 00:38:44.560\nrelationships.\n\n897\n00:38:44.560 --> 00:38:48.970\nAnd, you know, when you hear that they served, you know, an Iraq for 10 or 12\n\n898\n00:38:48.970 --> 00:38:50.120\nyears, it makes,\n\n899\n00:38:50.120 --> 00:38:52.930\nyou know, that bogey that you make in the middle of your second round really\n\n900\n00:38:52.930 --> 00:38:53.280\nnot seem\n\n901\n00:38:53.280 --> 00:38:54.280\nthat big of a deal.\n\n902\n00:38:54.280 --> 00:38:58.080\nSo we had a great event planned during the COVID year.\n\n903\n00:38:58.080 --> 00:39:02.400\nSo unfortunately had to put that on hold, but we're hoping to have another\n\n904\n00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:02.880\nevent here\n\n905\n00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:07.540\nin the next, you know, year or so to where we can raise some more money and\n\n906\n00:39:07.540 --> 00:39:08.400\nhelp really\n\n907\n00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:09.400\na lot of people.\n\n908\n00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:11.040\nI look forward to being a part of it.\n\n909\n00:39:11.040 --> 00:39:15.390\nAnd thank you for everything you do for our troops and for everything you do\n\n910\n00:39:15.390 --> 00:39:16.560\nfor Louisville.\n\n911\n00:39:16.560 --> 00:39:20.640\nYou know, you, you are seeing as a fine upstanding citizen and everybody really\n\n912\n00:39:20.640 --> 00:39:21.520\nappreciates what\n\n913\n00:39:21.520 --> 00:39:22.520\nyou do.\n\n914\n00:39:22.520 --> 00:39:26.680\nI understand you had a scare with melanoma a few years back.\n\n915\n00:39:26.680 --> 00:39:30.520\nI mean, how has that, how has that impacted you, Justin?\n\n916\n00:39:30.520 --> 00:39:33.280\nYeah, it's, it's a pretty opening experience.\n\n917\n00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:36.080\nIt was, it was the fall of 2019.\n\n918\n00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:43.290\nSo what I was 26 years old, went in for dermatologist checkup and I had a\n\n919\n00:39:43.290 --> 00:39:44.120\ncouple of\n\n920\n00:39:44.120 --> 00:39:48.040\nmoles taken off in high school.\n\n921\n00:39:48.040 --> 00:39:51.400\nOne that was cancerous, but it was early enough to where it was okay.\n\n922\n00:39:51.400 --> 00:39:55.330\nAnd it's never a good, good sign when you get a text from your doctor at, you\n\n923\n00:39:55.330 --> 00:39:55.840\nknow,\n\n924\n00:39:55.840 --> 00:40:00.080\n939 saying, call me and gave him a call and told me he's like, you have some\n\n925\n00:40:00.080 --> 00:40:00.920\nmelanoma.\n\n926\n00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:03.360\nYou know, you're going to have to go back in.\n\n927\n00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:05.680\nThey're going to have to, you know, do surgery.\n\n928\n00:40:05.680 --> 00:40:07.880\nIt's not a very intense surgery at all.\n\n929\n00:40:07.880 --> 00:40:11.670\nI mean, you're awake for it, but you have to take surgery to take it out of\n\n930\n00:40:11.670 --> 00:40:12.280\nyour leg.\n\n931\n00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:15.830\nIt's in my, my left cab and they're going to have to, you know, send it in to\n\n932\n00:40:15.830 --> 00:40:16.480\nget looked\n\n933\n00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:22.040\nat to make sure it's nothing more severe and hasn't spread being very ignorant\n\n934\n00:40:22.040 --> 00:40:22.400\nto that\n\n935\n00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:24.880\ndidn't really understand the severity of it.\n\n936\n00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:30.070\nAnd I was very, very fortunate that I hadn't spread, but he told me I was\n\n937\n00:40:30.070 --> 00:40:31.200\nprobably three\n\n938\n00:40:31.200 --> 00:40:34.280\nor four months away from being a patient in the hospital.\n\n939\n00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:40.390\nAnd that 26 years old, that's a pretty, pretty eye opening and bizarre\n\n940\n00:40:40.390 --> 00:40:41.720\nexperience.\n\n941\n00:40:41.720 --> 00:40:44.200\nAnd I'm very, very fortunate.\n\n942\n00:40:44.200 --> 00:40:47.290\nEverything's been good since, you know, I had to do four checkups the following\n\n943\n00:40:47.290 --> 00:40:47.760\nyear, three\n\n944\n00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:49.320\nof the next, two of the next.\n\n945\n00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:53.700\nAnd, you know, it's, it's, I tried to tell all my friends whether it be on tour\n\n946\n00:40:53.700 --> 00:40:54.240\nor just\n\n947\n00:40:54.240 --> 00:40:57.920\nat home to, you know, go get checked, go to your dermatologist.\n\n948\n00:40:57.920 --> 00:41:02.530\nAnd, you know, it's not like it's a, it's a very intense or hard thing to do,\n\n949\n00:41:02.530 --> 00:41:03.000\nbut it\n\n950\n00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:04.480\nmay have been such a difference.\n\n951\n00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:09.050\nAnd that's why we were able to launch the sunscreen Wear SPF, you know, in the\n\n952\n00:41:09.050 --> 00:41:09.680\nlast last\n\n953\n00:41:09.680 --> 00:41:15.440\nyear, so to hopefully spread the awareness and bring a little bit of attention\n\n954\n00:41:15.440 --> 00:41:16.080\nto that\n\n955\n00:41:16.080 --> 00:41:19.920\nbecause it is a very, very important thing that I think is very overlooked by\n\n956\n00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:20.400\nmany.\n\n957\n00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:21.400\nYeah.\n\n958\n00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:24.350\nWell, thanks for building awareness of that because it's something that affects\n\n959\n00:41:24.350 --> 00:41:24.720\nall of\n\n960\n00:41:24.720 --> 00:41:29.590\nus and especially if we are blessed enough to be out there in the sun, you know\n\n961\n00:41:29.590 --> 00:41:30.080\n, you\n\n962\n00:41:30.080 --> 00:41:32.320\nknow, Justin, it's been so much fun.\n\n963\n00:41:32.320 --> 00:41:34.680\nI want to have a little bit more of my lightning round of questions.\n\n964\n00:41:34.680 --> 00:41:35.960\nAre you ready for this?\n\n965\n00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:37.360\nLet's do it.\n\n966\n00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:40.640\nThat's one word others would use to describe you.\n\n967\n00:41:40.640 --> 00:41:42.200\nSarcastic.\n\n968\n00:41:42.200 --> 00:41:45.680\nWhat would you say is the one word that best describes you?\n\n969\n00:41:45.680 --> 00:41:46.840\nHungry.\n\n970\n00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:48.680\nWhat's your biggest pet peeve?\n\n971\n00:41:48.680 --> 00:41:50.840\nOh, my biggest pet peeve.\n\n972\n00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:54.280\nOh, man, I can't stand when people chew loud.\n\n973\n00:41:54.280 --> 00:41:58.240\nLike that's a, I can't, I can't stand that.\n\n974\n00:41:58.240 --> 00:42:00.000\nThat's a Kentucky stereotype.\n\n975\n00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:01.000\nYeah.\n\n976\n00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:04.080\nImagine it's the final round of a big tournament.\n\n977\n00:42:04.080 --> 00:42:09.330\nYou're on the 18th hole, a par four and you need a birdie to win, but someone\n\n978\n00:42:09.330 --> 00:42:09.840\nhas to\n\n979\n00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:11.560\nhit your shots for you.\n\n980\n00:42:11.560 --> 00:42:14.160\nWho's hitting the drive?\n\n981\n00:42:14.160 --> 00:42:15.320\nRoy McRoy.\n\n982\n00:42:15.320 --> 00:42:17.600\nWho's hitting the approach shot?\n\n983\n00:42:17.600 --> 00:42:19.560\nTiger.\n\n984\n00:42:19.560 --> 00:42:22.120\nWho's making the putt?\n\n985\n00:42:22.120 --> 00:42:23.360\nJordan.\n\n986\n00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:26.520\nWhat's been the most nerve-wracking shot of your career?\n\n987\n00:42:26.520 --> 00:42:31.560\nProbably the most nervous I've ever been was my first tee shot at the Ryder Cup\n\n988\n00:42:31.560 --> 00:42:33.760\nin 2018\n\n989\n00:42:33.760 --> 00:42:35.080\nin France.\n\n990\n00:42:35.080 --> 00:42:39.110\nI still to this day say I hit five-wood off the tee, but when I hit a five-wood\n\n991\n00:42:39.110 --> 00:42:39.560\noff the\n\n992\n00:42:39.560 --> 00:42:41.320\ntee, I don't use an actual tee.\n\n993\n00:42:41.320 --> 00:42:45.320\nI just kind of, you know, hit my club in the ground and put it on the top of\n\n994\n00:42:45.320 --> 00:42:46.160\nthe grass.\n\n995\n00:42:46.160 --> 00:42:48.520\nBut I think if I had to try to put it on the tee, I don't think I would have\n\n996\n00:42:48.520 --> 00:42:49.040\nbeen able\n\n997\n00:42:49.040 --> 00:42:50.040\nto.\n\n998\n00:42:50.040 --> 00:42:51.600\nMy hands are shaking so bad.\n\n999\n00:42:51.600 --> 00:42:54.360\nNow I know you carded the 59 during a tournament.\n\n1000\n00:42:54.360 --> 00:42:57.280\nWhat's your lowest score in a non-tournament round?\n\n1001\n00:42:57.280 --> 00:42:59.560\n60 or 61, I think.\n\n1002\n00:42:59.560 --> 00:43:04.680\nI know I've shot 61 a couple times, but I'll go 61.\n\n1003\n00:43:04.680 --> 00:43:08.640\nWhat's your favorite city to travel to on the PGA Tour?\n\n1004\n00:43:08.640 --> 00:43:10.120\nI love San Diego.\n\n1005\n00:43:10.120 --> 00:43:12.720\nI think San Diego is beautiful.\n\n1006\n00:43:12.720 --> 00:43:19.000\nLast time you were at a top golf, and did you bring your own clubs?\n\n1007\n00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:24.280\nLast time I was at a top golf, it was probably for Jordan's, Jordan's beef, him\n\n1008\n00:43:24.280 --> 00:43:26.040\nand his wife's\n\n1009\n00:43:26.040 --> 00:43:30.710\nfoundation event a couple years ago, and I definitely did not bring my own\n\n1010\n00:43:30.710 --> 00:43:31.000\nclubs.\n\n1011\n00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:32.000\nJust a few more questions.\n\n1012\n00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:33.560\nWe're out of the lightning round now.\n\n1013\n00:43:33.560 --> 00:43:36.370\nYou've mentioned Jordan's beef quite a few times, and you guys have a lot of\n\n1014\n00:43:36.370 --> 00:43:36.800\nfun with\n\n1015\n00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:37.800\neach other.\n\n1016\n00:43:37.800 --> 00:43:40.040\nWhat's the best prank you ever pulled on him?\n\n1017\n00:43:40.040 --> 00:43:41.040\nI haven't done it.\n\n1018\n00:43:41.040 --> 00:43:45.830\nThe hard part about Jordan is you can't do anything too extreme because he'll\n\n1019\n00:43:45.830 --> 00:43:46.240\ngo way\n\n1020\n00:43:46.240 --> 00:43:48.880\nover the top coming back to you.\n\n1021\n00:43:48.880 --> 00:43:50.760\nSo I've had to be very cautious.\n\n1022\n00:43:50.760 --> 00:43:55.360\nHe had my card toad one year at Phoenix.\n\n1023\n00:43:55.360 --> 00:43:59.120\nThat was impressive.\n\n1024\n00:43:59.120 --> 00:44:02.000\nLeaders, we're in the moment all the time.\n\n1025\n00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:05.720\nWhen you're in the moment, you've got national television on you.\n\n1026\n00:44:05.720 --> 00:44:09.960\nYou've got the sounds being picked up.\n\n1027\n00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:11.120\nYou're an emotional guy.\n\n1028\n00:44:11.120 --> 00:44:18.020\nHow do you control your emotions and stay on top of that so that people don't\n\n1029\n00:44:18.020 --> 00:44:18.760\nhear what\n\n1030\n00:44:18.760 --> 00:44:19.920\nyou might be thinking?\n\n1031\n00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:23.040\nOr is that something that you're more aware of now?\n\n1032\n00:44:23.040 --> 00:44:27.760\nA little bit, but I think most importantly is I can't change who I am.\n\n1033\n00:44:27.760 --> 00:44:32.760\nI can definitely try to change my vocabulary because of things that don't need\n\n1034\n00:44:32.760 --> 00:44:33.360\nto be on\n\n1035\n00:44:33.360 --> 00:44:35.200\nnational television.\n\n1036\n00:44:35.200 --> 00:44:39.990\nI don't need to go out there and act like somebody else because it looks like\n\n1037\n00:44:39.990 --> 00:44:40.640\nthey're\n\n1038\n00:44:40.640 --> 00:44:42.240\nplaying better than me.\n\n1039\n00:44:42.240 --> 00:44:47.230\nBut the reason why I am where I am is because of the characteristics and\n\n1040\n00:44:47.230 --> 00:44:48.760\npersonality traits\n\n1041\n00:44:48.760 --> 00:44:50.000\nthat I have.\n\n1042\n00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:51.920\nIf that makes sense.\n\n1043\n00:44:51.920 --> 00:44:56.900\nYou know, the demeanor that Patrick Cantley has in the golf course, a very even\n\n1044\n00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:57.520\nkeel,\n\n1045\n00:44:57.520 --> 00:45:01.040\nvery level, is something that would resonate for me.\n\n1046\n00:45:01.040 --> 00:45:04.480\nNo, yeah, I don't want to be spiking up and down all the time.\n\n1047\n00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:08.620\nBut if I can live in this area a little bit better as opposed to just flat\n\n1048\n00:45:08.620 --> 00:45:09.440\nlining, I'm\n\n1049\n00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:10.800\ngoing to play better golf.\n\n1050\n00:45:10.800 --> 00:45:15.720\nYou use your emotion to fire you up and get done what needs to get done.\n\n1051\n00:45:15.720 --> 00:45:18.880\nWhat do you think golf has to do to improve its popularity?\n\n1052\n00:45:18.880 --> 00:45:20.800\nI think it's on a great trend.\n\n1053\n00:45:20.800 --> 00:45:24.080\nIt's more accessible to kids.\n\n1054\n00:45:24.080 --> 00:45:29.280\nI think we have so much of the middle, older age generation.\n\n1055\n00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:35.870\nI truly think that more high schoolers, college kids, people in their 20s are\n\n1056\n00:45:35.870 --> 00:45:36.880\ngetting in the\n\n1057\n00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:37.880\ngolf.\n\n1058\n00:45:37.880 --> 00:45:40.440\nI think golf is at the best place it's ever been.\n\n1059\n00:45:40.440 --> 00:45:44.370\nI truly think if the product is just going to continue to get better on tour\n\n1060\n00:45:44.370 --> 00:45:45.000\nand I think\n\n1061\n00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:50.200\nit'll have more viewing opportunities for people to get involved in it.\n\n1062\n00:45:50.200 --> 00:45:55.200\nI think just keeping it fun and light and just an opportunity for people to be\n\n1063\n00:45:55.200 --> 00:45:55.560\nable\n\n1064\n00:45:55.560 --> 00:46:00.480\nto hang out with one another is going to continue to have it grow.\n\n1065\n00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:07.480\nYou know, 2024, the PGA site is Valhalla, it'll be in your hometown.\n\n1066\n00:46:07.480 --> 00:46:09.320\nHow do you feel about that?\n\n1067\n00:46:09.320 --> 00:46:11.480\nDo you already feel a little extra pressure there?\n\n1068\n00:46:11.480 --> 00:46:16.040\nDo you feel like, \"Hey, I'm going in my own hometown and look out guys?\"\n\n1069\n00:46:16.040 --> 00:46:17.040\nA little bit of both.\n\n1070\n00:46:17.040 --> 00:46:21.020\nI do think there's a pretty good possibility I changed my number about a week\n\n1071\n00:46:21.020 --> 00:46:21.760\nor two before\n\n1072\n00:46:21.760 --> 00:46:25.280\nthe PGA just to go ahead and make that week a little easier.\n\n1073\n00:46:25.280 --> 00:46:28.680\nIt's growing up in Louisville.\n\n1074\n00:46:28.680 --> 00:46:33.760\nYou know, David, it's such an unbelievable sports town and it's so cool.\n\n1075\n00:46:33.760 --> 00:46:35.760\nLouisville means so much to me.\n\n1076\n00:46:35.760 --> 00:46:40.320\nIt really does and the amount of support that I have gotten and continue to get\n\n1077\n00:46:40.320 --> 00:46:40.560\nfrom not\n\n1078\n00:46:40.560 --> 00:46:44.200\nonly Louisville but just Kentucky in general.\n\n1079\n00:46:44.200 --> 00:46:45.200\nIt just it does.\n\n1080\n00:46:45.200 --> 00:46:46.200\nIt means a lot.\n\n1081\n00:46:46.200 --> 00:46:49.000\nI mean, I live in Florida but I'm always going to be from Louisville, Kentucky\n\n1082\n00:46:49.000 --> 00:46:49.760\nand I'm very,\n\n1083\n00:46:49.760 --> 00:46:51.040\nvery, very proud of that.\n\n1084\n00:46:51.040 --> 00:46:57.430\nSo having the opportunity to play a major championship in my hometown is one of\n\n1085\n00:46:57.430 --> 00:46:57.720\nthe\n\n1086\n00:46:57.720 --> 00:46:59.440\ncoolest things I could ever imagine.\n\n1087\n00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:05.090\nSo I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited and anxious but yeah, I probably\n\n1088\n00:47:05.090 --> 00:47:06.080\ngoing to need\n\n1089\n00:47:06.080 --> 00:47:10.540\nto talk myself off the ledge a little bit that week because it'll be very high\n\n1090\n00:47:10.540 --> 00:47:11.240\nmotion.\n\n1091\n00:47:11.240 --> 00:47:12.560\nWell, we can't wait to have you.\n\n1092\n00:47:12.560 --> 00:47:15.800\nIt'll be awesome to have you there and I can't wait to see it tee it up.\n\n1093\n00:47:15.800 --> 00:47:20.020\nYou know, before 30, you've already got the 15 victories, two major\n\n1094\n00:47:20.020 --> 00:47:21.400\nchampionships, FedEx\n\n1095\n00:47:21.400 --> 00:47:25.440\nCup, the players, you know, what's your unfinished business?\n\n1096\n00:47:25.440 --> 00:47:28.480\nI mean, just one of more tournaments.\n\n1097\n00:47:28.480 --> 00:47:33.040\nI want to win more majors and one of win-win more tournaments.\n\n1098\n00:47:33.040 --> 00:47:36.290\nYou know, you only have one opportunity in your career to make the absolute\n\n1099\n00:47:36.290 --> 00:47:36.720\nmost out\n\n1100\n00:47:36.720 --> 00:47:39.840\nof it and that's what I want to do.\n\n1101\n00:47:39.840 --> 00:47:44.990\nAnd you know, I've had a couple of runs of getting on some good streaks of win-\n\n1102\n00:47:44.990 --> 00:47:45.880\nwin tournaments\n\n1103\n00:47:45.880 --> 00:47:50.200\nand it's been in my eyes quite a while since I've done that.\n\n1104\n00:47:50.200 --> 00:47:55.180\nSo I'm very, very eager and hungry to get back to that but also understand that\n\n1105\n00:47:55.180 --> 00:47:55.440\nI need\n\n1106\n00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:57.280\nto be patient and let it happen.\n\n1107\n00:47:57.280 --> 00:47:59.840\nYou know, you're around all kinds of leaders.\n\n1108\n00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:07.200\nYou've talked about some of the great legends that you've spent time with.\n\n1109\n00:48:07.200 --> 00:48:12.640\nWhat's one piece of advice you'd give to anyone who wants to become a better\n\n1110\n00:48:12.640 --> 00:48:13.200\nleader?\n\n1111\n00:48:13.200 --> 00:48:18.310\nAnd I promise I'm not saying this because I'm talking to you but a book that I\n\n1112\n00:48:18.310 --> 00:48:18.880\nreally\n\n1113\n00:48:18.880 --> 00:48:25.850\ngot a lot out of was your book, a great one and it just was, I think this world\n\n1114\n00:48:25.850 --> 00:48:26.320\nis so,\n\n1115\n00:48:26.320 --> 00:48:30.990\nso used to only saying something to somebody if it's negative or if it's like,\n\n1116\n00:48:30.990 --> 00:48:31.240\nhey, you\n\n1117\n00:48:31.240 --> 00:48:32.240\nneed to do this better.\n\n1118\n00:48:32.240 --> 00:48:35.680\nHey, you're not doing this well versus tell someone when they're doing\n\n1119\n00:48:35.680 --> 00:48:36.640\nsomething right.\n\n1120\n00:48:36.640 --> 00:48:40.520\nI just really try to tell bones like, hey, you did a really, really good job\n\n1121\n00:48:40.520 --> 00:48:41.000\ntoday of\n\n1122\n00:48:41.000 --> 00:48:42.000\nkeeping me at the moment.\n\n1123\n00:48:42.000 --> 00:48:45.160\nI don't need to tell him if he gives me a bad yardage.\n\n1124\n00:48:45.160 --> 00:48:48.720\nIf I'm cussing him out and fly the green when I want to hit another club, he's\n\n1125\n00:48:48.720 --> 00:48:49.360\nprobably\n\n1126\n00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:51.760\ngoing to get the idea already.\n\n1127\n00:48:51.760 --> 00:48:56.520\nBut I don't think there's enough positive reinforcement in our world and just\n\n1128\n00:48:56.520 --> 00:48:57.280\nin general\n\n1129\n00:48:57.280 --> 00:49:02.370\nand that's something I promise I'm not just blown smoke to you but I really,\n\n1130\n00:49:02.370 --> 00:49:03.520\nreally learned\n\n1131\n00:49:03.520 --> 00:49:06.880\na lot from that and I try to use that a lot with my team of just positive\n\n1132\n00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:07.680\nreinforcement\n\n1133\n00:49:07.680 --> 00:49:12.460\nand letting people know when they're doing well because if they look up to you,\n\n1134\n00:49:12.460 --> 00:49:12.720\nthen\n\n1135\n00:49:12.720 --> 00:49:15.200\nthey need to be respectful of them.\n\n1136\n00:49:15.200 --> 00:49:17.200\nWell thank you very much for that, Justin.\n\n1137\n00:49:17.200 --> 00:49:22.410\nI appreciate it and thank you for what you're doing on tour, what you're doing\n\n1138\n00:49:22.410 --> 00:49:24.720\nin the community,\n\n1139\n00:49:24.720 --> 00:49:28.320\nthe leadership that you're projecting and your love for our country.\n\n1140\n00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:32.180\nI love how you make it happen at the Ryder Cup, President's Cup and just what\n\n1141\n00:49:32.180 --> 00:49:32.640\nyou're\n\n1142\n00:49:32.640 --> 00:49:36.860\ndoing with veterans, you know, you're a true American on that front and I\n\n1143\n00:49:36.860 --> 00:49:37.520\nappreciate you\n\n1144\n00:49:37.520 --> 00:49:42.060\nbeing on this show and I want you to know that this is probably the first big\n\n1145\n00:49:42.060 --> 00:49:42.800\ninterview\n\n1146\n00:49:42.800 --> 00:49:45.840\nyou've ever done where somebody didn't ask you about live.\n\n1147\n00:49:45.840 --> 00:49:46.840\nYeah.\n\n1148\n00:49:46.840 --> 00:49:51.640\nIt isn't about what I guess about a year.\n\n1149\n00:49:51.640 --> 00:49:53.960\nSo I'll leave that to golf channel.\n\n1150\n00:49:53.960 --> 00:49:54.960\nAll right.\n\n1151\n00:49:54.960 --> 00:49:55.960\nThanks a lot buddy.\n\n1152\n00:49:55.960 --> 00:49:56.960\nI appreciate it.\n\n1153\n00:49:56.960 --> 00:49:57.960\nThanks David.\n\n1154\n00:49:57.960 --> 00:49:58.960\nYeah, man.\n\n1155\n00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:09.790\nWell, there's no doubt in my mind Justin Thomas is one of Louisville's finest,\n\n1156\n00:50:09.790 --> 00:50:10.560\nboth\n\n1157\n00:50:10.560 --> 00:50:15.220\non and off the golf course and as you can hear in this conversation, Justin is\n\n1158\n00:50:15.220 --> 00:50:15.760\nreally\n\n1159\n00:50:15.760 --> 00:50:19.240\nintentional about the mentality he has on the course.\n\n1160\n00:50:19.240 --> 00:50:20.800\nNow he may not always get it right.\n\n1161\n00:50:20.800 --> 00:50:25.800\nI mean, nobody does, but he understands the power of managing his mindset.\n\n1162\n00:50:25.800 --> 00:50:29.430\nFor him, that means staying present when he plays and not letting his mind go\n\n1163\n00:50:29.430 --> 00:50:30.000\ninto what\n\n1164\n00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:36.240\nhe calls Candyland mode where he gets way ahead of himself and his mind starts\n\n1165\n00:50:36.240 --> 00:50:38.080\nto wander.\n\n1166\n00:50:38.080 --> 00:50:40.560\nIt's true in golf and is true in leadership.\n\n1167\n00:50:40.560 --> 00:50:43.320\nYour success starts with your mindset.\n\n1168\n00:50:43.320 --> 00:50:48.060\nHow you mentally process and respond to what's going on around you matters so\n\n1169\n00:50:48.060 --> 00:50:48.800\nmuch if you\n\n1170\n00:50:48.800 --> 00:50:51.120\nwant to get big things done.\n\n1171\n00:50:51.120 --> 00:50:55.250\nYou've got to be ready to handle whatever responsibilities and challenges come\n\n1172\n00:50:55.250 --> 00:50:56.120\nyour way\n\n1173\n00:50:56.120 --> 00:51:01.160\nand you can't do that well if you aren't in a good frame of mind.\n\n1174\n00:51:01.160 --> 00:51:05.780\nThis week ask yourself, how can you manage your own mentality better?\n\n1175\n00:51:05.780 --> 00:51:10.200\nWhat thoughts come into your head that aren't actually serving you well?\n\n1176\n00:51:10.200 --> 00:51:14.330\nJust by being aware of those tendencies, it'll be easier for you to keep your\n\n1177\n00:51:14.330 --> 00:51:15.000\nmentality\n\n1178\n00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:18.120\nwhere it needs to be to lead your team well.\n\n1179\n00:51:18.120 --> 00:51:20.160\nSo do you want to know how leaders lead?\n\n1180\n00:51:20.160 --> 00:51:24.160\nWhat we learned today is the great leaders manage their mindset.\n\n1181\n00:51:24.160 --> 00:51:28.840\nComing up next on how leaders lead is Nat Turner, he's the CEO of collectors.\n\n1182\n00:51:28.840 --> 00:51:31.120\nIf you're going to start a company, just get started.\n\n1183\n00:51:31.120 --> 00:51:34.320\nThe idea you start with will very likely not be the idea you end with.\n\n1184\n00:51:34.320 --> 00:51:36.640\nSo just getting started is 99% of it.\n\n1185\n00:51:36.640 --> 00:51:39.680\nThe same goes with exercise and anything.\n\n1186\n00:51:39.680 --> 00:51:42.880\nJust make the initial effort, get out there and start.\n\n1187\n00:51:42.880 --> 00:51:46.160\nAnd then pivot, that's the thing, you have strong opinions loosely held.\n\n1188\n00:51:46.160 --> 00:51:52.200\nSo be sure to come back again next week to hear our entire conversation.\n\n1189\n00:51:52.200 --> 00:51:55.680\nThanks again for tuning in to another episode of How leaders lead where every\n\n1190\n00:51:55.680 --> 00:51:56.600\nThursday you\n\n1191\n00:51:56.600 --> 00:52:01.080\nget to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world.\n\n1192\n00:52:01.080 --> 00:52:04.710\nI make it a point to give you something simple on each episode that you can\n\n1193\n00:52:04.710 --> 00:52:05.480\napply to your\n\n1194\n00:52:05.480 --> 00:52:09.040\nbusiness so that you will become the best leader you can be.\n\n1195\n00:52:09.040 --> 00:52:19.040\n[BLANK_AUDIO]\n\n1196\n00:52:19.040 --> 00:52:29.040\n[BLANK_AUDIO]","

David Novak 0:04

Welcome to How leaders lead where every week you get to listen in while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world, I break down the key learning so that by the end of the episode, you'll have something simple you can apply as you develop into a better leader. That's what this podcast is all about. Well as my fellow golf fans know, the PGA Championship tees off today at Oak Hills east in Rochester. Now I absolutely love this tournament. And if you were watching it last year, then you got to see my guest today, Justin Thomas, make an absolute epic comeback. He came from seven strokes back to win and a playoff and notches, second win and a major. He's an extraordinary player who is so much fun to watch. And you know, he also knows a thing or two about leadership. When you listen to Justin, it's clear, he knows how to manage his own mindset. That's true for great golfers and is just as true for great leaders. You've got to understand how much your mentality affects your performance and your team. If you're not intentional about what's going on inside your own head, it can really cost you so listen up. Whether you're a golf fan or not. Justin has so many great insights that will help you manage your own mindset better. Plus, I gotta tell you, he's got some great stories you're gonna want to hear about Tiger Woods and Tom Brady too. So this is going to be a lot of fun. Here's my conversation with my good friend and soon to be yours. Justin Thomas.

Nello, JT, we're going to talk about your incredible career that you've had so far. Your 15 victories, your two majors getting to number one in the world. But first, I got to ask you this one. Take us back to the 18 T at at St. Andrews during the first round of the Open Championship. What the heck happened?

Justin Thomas 2:00

Wow, I'm not gonna lie. It was gonna be an opening. Yeah, it was right after I made my first bogey that day, I think it was at 17. I made double. I mean, 18. Being downwind is about as I don't want to say easy of a birdie as you can get out there. But it's about as easy of a burden as you can get out there. I mean, it was to the point where I felt like I could hit five on the green, I just tried to burn a five wood. And I burned it. All right, I skipped it over the burn. That's right in front of the tea, I kind of feel topped it. And yeah, I was trying to maybe hit it up the left side to have an angle to chip up the green. But I wasn't planning on hitting it the left side and having 120 yards. And so I'm very lucky, it didn't go in the burn. I'm lucky didn't go to bounce. And I'm lucky that that that video hasn't gone viral?

David Novak 2:55

Well, I gotta tell you, the reason why I asked you this is that, you know, great leaders, you have to bounce back, you know, walk me through your thought process hitting that next shot, you know, you got to hit the next shot, you got that 125 wedge, and also what was in your head, standing on the 18th tee box the very next day.

Justin Thomas 3:15

Or the next day was a driver. And I felt a little bit better about being on a tee and a little bit bigger face. And I mean, I knew I was playing with Shane Lowry and Victor and I know Shane a little better than Victor. And as soon as I hit it, I mean instantly when it was going straight and gotten the air of Shane just gives me an immediate, most improved award. Come and I deserve every bit of that. But yeah, I mean, the second shot, you really just have to somehow try to get over that. I mean, I've never taken a walk of shame and a Thursday round before but I felt like that walk to my ball was definitely the walk of shame. I'd love to see a dispersion of everybody's tee shots that day. And it'd be like everybody's would be here at mine would be the outlier somewhere back in there. So, but it just is like anything, you know, I couldn't let it get to me and I still had a chance. It wasn't a very good chance. But I still had a chance to make a three and you know, I couldn't compound the mistake in end up making five. The shot was bad enough. I don't need that make it worse.

David Novak 4:16

How have you found the balance between learning from your failures and and trying to stay focused on the positive? How do you do that?

Justin Thomas 4:25

It's tough. I mean, it's something I think, at least me personally, I just go in waves. You know, there's times where it seems easy to when you get done maybe from a bad week. It's It's okay. Well, you know, this week, I do a lot of good things, but maybe we just got a little bit ahead of myself there and the end of that Friday round and I I was too aggressive and started the back nine on Saturday. And you know, I took a couple of chances that I shouldn't have taken and if I don't do any of those things, I have a chance to win versus there's some weeks, you might do the exact same thing and you get done and all you can think about was how dumb those mistakes you made. They were and why did you do them and I was just looking at the negative side of it. But the sooner that I realized that I have those opportunities to learn from the mistakes that I made, definitely the sooner off I started playing better golf and, and having a lot better things happened for me. So it's really just trying to, I mean, it's the same as everything. You know, it doesn't matter whether you're David Novak, Justin Thomas, or Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, whatever it is, it's like, if you, you just wake up some days and you're just not in it, you know, you're just whether you don't get, you know, good sleep, or swing doesn't feel good. Or you maybe don't like the golf course, as much as just you're irritable, whatever it is, but those are the days I think that separates the good and the great players is managing those days and weeks best again,

David Novak 5:48

was it harder for you to win your first major championship, your first PGA or your second?

Justin Thomas 5:54

My second, it was definitely harder to win my second my first I think, I don't know why it was, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to win the first one, you know, Jordan had already won three at a younger age. And, you know, I had some, some of my other peers, you know, Brooks was starting to fire some majors off and it just was, like, you know, I didn't want to get left behind. And I felt like I was as good as those guys. But then it's like you in the first one, and then you expect, okay, now the floodgates are open and, and then you know, I'm gonna start winning. But at the end of the day, you only have four chances every year. And I think that's the hardest part about it is that it's, it's, it's taken me a little bit honestly, to kind of figure out what works for me to be as prepared and ready as possible for the majors. You know, I played before a couple of them last year, taking the weeks off. And sometimes in pass, taking weeks off, I haven't necessarily spent that week properly, I've almost over practice and burn myself up before going into it. And I've taken vacations before. So there's, there's a lot of different ways to do it. At the end of the day, it's just what works best for you. And for me being in a good mindset and being you know, feeling fresh mentally, physically, you know, going there feeling like I'm not necessarily trying to maintain a really good game. But the longer and more years that went by the more I kind of started thinking a lot of people have won one major and anybody can win one major but you got to you need to win multiple to kind of be in my opinion known as you know, a multiple major winner and a great player and not that great players don't want to one major but you know what I mean? You got to you got to anybody can win one.

David Novak 7:33

Well, not anybody but you certainly did one and you did too and there'll be many more in your near future I'm sure. Now whether in golf we're in business leaders need to learn how to play when they're behind. And it southern Hills last year, you were seven shots back going into the final round. Compare and contrast your I'm behind mindset versus your I'm in the lead mindset.

Justin Thomas 7:57

I think they're both very situational only in the sense of how many are not maybe how many behind Are you but how many people are ahead of you, I think there's a huge difference of you know, going into a Sunday of a major I'd probably rather be four back but only have three or four people in front of me versus two back and have eight people in front of me, you know that that's a big big difference. And that's what I felt like gave me a chance to the PGA on Sunday at Southern hills. It was like usually when you're seven back you know you're you're in 15th place maybe 20 of 25th and I was in seventh I mean I had six people had to meet none of them had one on tour none of them would want to major I don't think so it was like I know that they're going to be nervous I'm going to be nervous but they're really going to be nervous too. So I just need to go out and I'm gonna have to beat them at the end of the day but I'm gonna have to rely on a little bit of help as well. And you know that's what I've tried to do I try to put my head down not get wrapped up in leaderboards not worry about how far back I was but just make as many birdies as I could when I had opportunities and see where it put me at the end unfortunately it was enough.

David Novak 9:08

How about when you're ahead? I mean, is that harder for you?

Justin Thomas 9:12

I like it I think it's situational on the golf course you know I've played with leads at places like a call out in Malaysia you know where 25 High 20 under winds and it's not like I played with the lead at Akron before and you know, I just fairway green to putt fairway green to putt fairway green to pot and it's just it's kind of the Tiger method of just don't make a bogey and you know no three putts no no dumb bogeys and they're really gonna have to catch you because I'm gonna be good enough to make couple birdies but when you're playing those easier courses, it's really for me of some leaves my to I need to try to leave by three if I'm leaving my three needs before and it just I don't want to necessarily look backward of you know, okay, how close are they getting to me, but it's a bit Just try to improve and get a little, you know, get one shot more, get one shot more and really just honestly try to step on their throat kind of thing, because they're all gunning for you, and you need to have the same mentality.

David Novak 10:11

You mentioned nerves a little earlier. And I've heard you say, if you're not nervous, it doesn't mean anything to you. How have you learned to manage your emotions in those moments that other leaders can apply in their pressure packed situations? And we all have them?

Justin Thomas 10:26

For sure. I think the first thing that helped me was just embracing it. I think there's a there's a huge difference of kinds of nerves. You know, there's a nervous like, I'm really uncomfortable, and I don't want to be here nervous. And then there's like a nervous like, wow, this is fun. This is exciting. This is new, nervous. And then there's a nervous of like, this is a big moment. But I'm, I'm ready to face this head on kind of nervous. And I think that's where I've gotten myself to. But that's just really been through experience and trial and error. You know, that's the best. Obviously, it's a lot easier said than done, especially in golf is like, Oh, you just need to get yourself in contention to win tournaments to learn. But you do you know, there's gonna be plenty of times. I mean, I've had plenty of tournaments and plenty of circumstances where I didn't handle the moment well, or I tried to try too much, or I tried too hard and ended ended up costing me but because I was in that moment, I failed, I was able to go back and learn from it to where it helped me down the road. You know,

David Novak 11:24

you talked about your preparation for the majors earlier, you've gone on vacation, you've worked your butt off all week, you've you've done a lot of different things. Now as you go into this Bajur, do you have a process now that you really want to use for majors,

Justin Thomas 11:39

I have a pretty good idea. I think it's very dependent on if I play the golf course or not, you know, it's a place like Augusta I feel very comfortable around, I feel like I know it very well, then, you know, Dustin is pretty good about tweaking one or two things every year, which to me is a great excuse to to try to go back at some point before the tournament. But then you get a place like Tulsa at Southern Hills last year that I've never played. And I use the Monday of the Byron Nelson week to go play southern hills, check it out, and then go back in town. And then that helped me with my preparation next week. And same thing with Brookline. I used the Monday of the Canadian Open last year to go to Boston, go play Brookline and then make my way to Canada. So the hard part about Oak Hill as being in Rochester, I can't quite predict the weather in advance in advance like I could Tulsa in May. So the plan as of now is to make any trips up there just because geographically there isn't a whole lot going on there. Golf Tournament wise, but it's really just getting getting rested and getting in a good headspace that week off that I'm home, you know, having some really hard good practice days, kind of middle of the week, and then kind of tapered off with some rounds with some guys here in Jupiter. And then, you know, then from there, just go execute and go out and hit shots and play golf and golf swing.

David Novak 13:04

You had your breakthrough season in 2017. And shortly after you became the number one golfer in the world in 2018. Describe what that's like, does anything change for you when you're walking around with that number one title? I mean, that's gotta that's heady stuff.

Justin Thomas 13:21

Yeah, it was it was really cool. I'll never forget when I officially saw it. I mean, I knew when I finished my final round of the Players Championship 2018 I was number I was going to be number one in the world. But the rankings don't usually changed until you know, late Sunday night, maybe midnight, something like that. And I was fine home. And I just sent me an I literally had the World Golf ranking app or on safari and I just refresh, refresh, refresh. And I saw it and it was just, I'm like there's nobody on planet earth that is ahead of me right now in the World Golf ranking. And it's one of the coolest things ever. I mean, it's cool just to talk about because that's although we all work to win golf tournaments, to win majors to make team events to have all these great accolades in golf, but you have to do so many things well to be the number one player in the world and it is a huge, huge honor for anybody that gets it and I know something that a lot of guys are very hungry for so when I did get there it was it was a really cool experience.

David Novak 14:27

You know, I know being number one in the world was something that you always wanted to accomplish or at least I think it had to be and now as you think about your your personal goals, you know, all of us as leaders, we've got to set our annual goals. What's your goal setting process? Let's say for for 2023 How did you how did you go through that?

Justin Thomas 14:45

Um, I changed it up a little bit this year, just in the sense of I mean, I still keep keep my goals to myself in between my team just for the sake of I just don't think it would take a rocket scientist to figure out you know, The majority of my goals but it's just, I don't necessarily like to feel like I'm being reminded of them all year I did that kind of early in my career of being very specific with the media of like, you know, I want to, I want to win the tournament, I want to play in the final whatever groups of a major, I want to get to this. And all of a sudden that comes July and you haven't won one yet, you're getting asked every you know, interview you have, like, your goal of yours was to win a tournament and you're starting to feel pressure. And it's like, well, I am and I don't need any more from you kind of things. That's something that that we've done, but this year, what I've done is more so tried to make them a lot more almost result oriented, as opposed to in past it's been very, you know, I want my greens and regulation to be this I want my putting my strokes gained putting to be this, my strokes gained approach to be this, whatever it is. And to me, those are all the things that I'm working on at home, those are the things that are kind of like falling under the umbrella of what I'm working on to be the end goal. So to me, I goals for the year should be these, whether they're things that are very achievable, you know, I try to have a couple that I feel like I can do. I don't want to say easily but should and then I kind of have some their middle and then I have some that are very difficult and very high ceiling. But I want to have something to go for. You know,

David Novak 16:23

you've got a team around you for sure. There's no question about it. Who are the key players on your team? Justin? How do you define expectations for them and motivate them? Because you know, golf pros? You really you have a you have a big team? Yeah, yeah, I

Justin Thomas 16:38

don't know how long you have to go over the team. But yeah, obviously bones out there with me on my caddy and then have my my dad my Swing Coach John Graham, I put in coach have called me my trainer here at home, have Troy my physio who I've worked with on the road, you know, it's, you can go as in depth as you want. I mean, it's like I have my wife who's obviously my, my biggest teammate that's with me everywhere, but doesn't necessarily do anything on the golf course or anything like that. So I mean, you can go as deep as deep as you want in that regard. But I also have bones, my dad, John, physique, you know, physical side, I have them make goals too, because I want them to feel like they're working for something, I don't want to just go through the motions I was, you know, one, just get 1% Better want to take an opportunity to get a little bit better each and every one I can. But also we can all hold each other accountable. You know, if my if, if John feels like my dad's not doing something that he should be, or maybe that said he was going to do then it's on all of us to tell them because we all want the same thing and this team and that's for me and us to succeed as much as possible. Because if everybody's doing what they should, and I'm more most importantly, doing what I feel like I should and can, then it's going to be very successful, you know, teamwork and partnership amongst all of us.

David Novak 18:00

Do you bring them all together? Or do you do more one on ones

Justin Thomas 18:03

of both. I mean, my dad bones and John and I spend a lot of time together in tournaments. I mean, Kobe and Troy are working together quite a bit just because, you know, tours, seeing my body every week in terms of how things are moving one way or the other. And then he's able to relate that to Kobe in terms of doing workouts and then maybe if I'm home with Kobe working out if he sees something one way or the other, he can tell tre when I get on the road. So it's really just, it's just about getting the understanding amongst everybody that look, we're all on the same team here. We all think, you know, it's very clear that I think that all of them are the best at what they do. Otherwise I would choose elsewhere or something else. And so I you know, I take a lot of a lot of pride in that and I also really appreciate all the help that they do.

David Novak 18:52

Tell me about the hiring process that you went through to bring bones on.

Justin Thomas 18:56

I pretty much I called signing my you know, the head of Excel and Lance young my agent and just said, What did you know Jimmy had started to go a different way and I'm trying to figure out what to do and I was like, Well, you know, I want to call bones but I know he's doing TV and and Stanley has a good relationship with bones and he's just like, let me kind of plant the seed a little bit so he he called and he pretty much said bones expecting your call. So I called bones and kind of told him what was going on. And I was like well, I just just read negotiated my deal with NBC so I need to make a phone call real quick but let me get back to you and I'm very very fortunate that he made the decision he did he he worked so hard and takes what he does so seriously, you know he would drop anything at any time to do anything for myself or or anybody in my family or team which is really cool and I'm very very lucky to have him on my back.

David Novak 19:54

You know your dad has been your coach since childhood. At harmony landing Country Club and You know, which I played a few rounds there and tell me about a time when having your dad as your coach has been the best thing ever. And then when is there ever been a time when it's been extremely challenging? For sure it took

Justin Thomas 20:14

us a couple of years, I think to get used to the we're not, we're not father son out here on the range of a tour event. You know, we're, we're coach and student. And it definitely, at least in my opinion, I think you'd say the same. It took us a couple of years to get used to that. But I mean, he obviously he knows me better than any coach would in terms of a personal level. And he just, he's really good. Although I'm stubborn and don't like to admit it, sometimes it's just is kind of dumbing down this the situation or making it smarter than it is. And it's like Justin, you're not playing that bad. You're not playing as bad as you think you are. Like, it's just like, let's not forget your number, whatever in the world here. Like it's not, it's a fine line. So just keeping me sane, if you will. And obviously, being able to share the share the memories and moments I've had with them, whether it be you know, the PGA championships or tour wins, I've been fortunate to have whatever it is, but I've gotten in his face a couple times, I think that same the same way. It can be hard for I mean, he's very old school coach, which is what I like in the sense of, He's not just going to say something to say he's not going to, you know, give me all these technical kind of thoughts. Anybody knows that? I work like that. So there's been times when I'm not hitting it good. And he doesn't necessarily he's kind of trying to figure out what to say. And I'm like, Are you going to tell me anything? Are you just gonna let me keep hitting it this bad? Like, clearly I'm hitting it God awful. I need something from you. And I need something from you quickly. And I mean, I've done it. Yeah, I've I had probably my first like legitimate blow up but the in Atlanta the Tour Championship a handful years ago, I I got pretty pissed off and, and made sure that he knew that but you know, that's that's what comes with it. That's why we're not father son out there. We're worse. Student and coach,

David Novak 22:12

I guess you'd have to say you are the boss. There's no question about that, you know,

Justin Thomas 22:16

that is true. That's one of the few times I can actually tell him what to do.

David Novak 22:21

You know, like a lot of business leaders, you do best practice visits, you know, I know you've reached out to people like Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Jack Nicklaus to learn from them. Tell me about one of your more memorable conversations you've had with one of these leaders and what it taught you.

Justin Thomas 22:39

I mean, they're all very, very similar in the sense of obviously the greatest the sport that they played, but they have a hard time sometimes explaining what they did, or what they're thinking. It's it's just as simple as like, look like this, the shots the most important shot you're ever gonna hit. You're not thinking about anything else. And as soon as it leaves your clubface and comes arrest her go on to the next one. And it's kind of the same thing. MJ is very process and, and present or oriented. And I would say, Tom, Tom Brady has been great to me. And I've been very, very thankful for his relationship and friendship, just, you know, I've reached out to him and times when I've, you know, been doing well. And times when I feel like I'm really in a funk. And he's always willing to talk. And, you know, he kind of helped me break down that when things aren't going well, he's kind of wind it down to three things Is it physical, mental, or emotional. And if it's a physical, you don't have the confidence and if you don't have the confidence, then probably some kind of mental so it's like one thing can take care of the other which can take care of the other and something as little as that is something I fall back on sometimes and helps me.

David Novak 23:52

Have you really gotten to these guys more for how they approach their games mentally? Or is that that's really what you're trying to dig into.

Justin Thomas 24:00

I am Yeah, and that's the hardest thing that they have. They have a hard time explaining that, you know, it's they, when they're in they're in the in the arena and they're in the moment, especially in football or basketball. It's very you know, you're reacting to the situation versus golf, you have a long time between shots, you're sleeping on a leave you're you know you're over the ball a long time. So it's, I would say that's a little bit different as opposed to just kind of reacting to whatever the play or the defense or whatever it is is giving you but it's just anything I can possibly get, you know if I've talked to him for 30 minutes, but I can get one or two things out of the conversation that can help me going forward and that's a that's a success.

David Novak 24:43

What's the biggest mental challenge you have to deal with on the most regular basis?

Justin Thomas 24:48

For me, it's staying present I would say I think I I almost have like a little bit of an add mind that I just kind of going all over the place and you When I'm playing my best, I only am thinking about what I'm doing at that time. And in that shot I'm trying to hit and I accept things very well. I'm not hard on myself, I don't get down on myself versus when I'm, when I'm kind of a, you could call it kind of like Candyland. Or I'm just all over the place. It's, you know, make a couple of birdies and then start thinking about maybe some holes down the road, or start looking at the guys and leaderboard and thinking about what they're doing or like, Okay, well, tomorrow is it. And then as soon as you start thinking about anything, that's not what's going on at that time. It never goes well. So you would think I'd stopped doing it. But it's obviously easier said than done. But like anything, it's a work in progress.

David Novak 25:39

We all know what to do. It's just doing it. They're just so hard. For now

Justin Thomas 25:42

I can, I can tell. I can tell anybody with the best of them what to do. But there's plenty of times when I don't what I don't practice what I preach.

David Novak 25:52

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You've also spent a lot of time with Tiger, which is Basie. And when you think about Tiger Woods, and what he's taught you what part of the game has he helped you the most in?

Justin Thomas 26:57

I would say imagination, you know, shotmaking and just, you know, bringing out the inner artist, I think I'm a very creative and hansy field player and I think the suit I think that's why I play well on some of those rounds, I get very windy and very difficult. Because it's you can't be you can't be over the ball thinking about is alright, I can't have this thing laid off at the top and I you know, I can't have a chuck come on down. It's like, look, I have 140 yards, and I somehow have to get the seven iron to hit the screen. And it's got to be hooking against this left, right when otherwise it's not going to hold the green and then. So it's almost like that artistic side of my brain switches on and I'm just so in just like in golf and what's going on specifically. And I think that's something he's really helped a lot with.

David Novak 27:49

You know, I've talked to a few pros. They know you're obviously tight with Tiger, they think you've your short game is incredible. They think you've got these secrets that you picked up for Dyer. And you've got some secrets and if you have secrets, would you share it with any of your buddies? Would you share it with Jordan Spaeth?

Justin Thomas 28:07

Ah, definitely not Jordan, I've seen him Chip, I see him chip in and off, I would happily share them with you, David, as long as you're sworn to secrecy. More not necessarily like okay, do this. It's, it's, it's really just going out. And it's the same thing as when I was a kid, you know, I just would go down to the chipping grain at Harmony. And I'd go down and chip for two or three hours, and eventually you're just gonna learn some shots just from screwing around. And I think that's really what he's done. More than anything, is you just have this feel resonates to me. And when I feel this, it makes the ball do that. And it might not work for you or I but it works for him. And that's, I've learned a thing or two from him. But I also know that he has held many, many things back for me, I am not sure of that.

David Novak 28:57

I'd have to imagine building trust and becoming a part of that inner circle with Tiger has been extremely difficult, you know, what was it that you did as a leader to build trust so that he does take you underneath his wing?

Justin Thomas 29:10

I mean, I think first and foremost, I was just myself, I wasn't going to be anybody else. I mean, I'm pretty sarcastic I like to joke around and I sure wasn't going to act any different around him. There's definitely times where I almost have to kind of like pinch myself when I'm in the moments, if that makes sense just because of what's going on are are having conversations with him or whatever it may be but it's really I think he he understands it sees how much it means to me and I think he'd see some similarities in how we go about some things between him and I when he you know, he was my age obviously, in terms of accomplishments and golf you know, he has me and everybody else beat by a mile but are a couple of miles with that but but he just concede that I think won it and willing I need to do as much as I possibly can to get it. And I think he respects that anybody is willing to work hard. And in this kind of, you know, just hungry and has a little bit of fire and, um, but more than anything, you know, I just want to be a friend,

David Novak 30:14

when you're in your position as a leader in your field, and you're, you're a celebrity, obviously, how do you make sure you get the truth from everybody? I mean, you know, when you're a leader, people blow a lot of smoke, how do you make sure you you have truth tellers around you,

Justin Thomas 30:31

you have to make some tough decisions. And I'm sure you've been in the same same scenarios and situations. But that's honestly another great piece of advice I got from from Tom Brady is just like, he's like, man, it's tough. Because the more success you have, the more people are going to want to be a part of you and your life, and people are going to come out of the woodworks from high school, middle school, whatever it is, and it just is, it's one of those things to where it's like, if a certain situation or a certain person doesn't bring out a better side of you, or something positive out of you, then there's really, life is too short to even like associate yourself with that situation or person. And it's it is, some will say it's harsh. Some will say that that's not necessarily the right thing to do. But it's true, you know, I'm, I'm so limited on my time, and there's no need for me to waste any opportunities, I have to potentially get better or bring out a better side of myself. So it's really just about associating yourself with the appropriate people and appropriate situations. I mean, we're all going to make mistakes in that regard of, of, you know, maybe trusting someone that you should never telling someone, something they shouldn't have. But especially in today's day and age, with social media and everything going on. And it's not nothing's off the record, that's for sure. And you really just have to, you know, get a very close knit inner circle, like I feel like I have and kind of stick with it.

David Novak 31:56

You know, you seem to thrive in team environments. I know golf is pretty much an individual game. But you know, you took the University of Alabama, there's first national championship, and then you know, I don't know if there's anybody that goes more crazy in the Ryder Cup than you I bet, you know, how do you view yourself in your role on the Ryder Cup team,

Justin Thomas 32:16

I view it the same as I hope to always view it. And it's just I'm there for whatever I'm needed for I don't want to be going into it telling everybody I'm the team captain, I'm the team leader. I don't care what I am, I just want I just want us to succeed and, and have our team do as well as possible. And if that week, the captain comes to me and says, Hey, Justin, we need you to play two matches, but we really need you to put your arm around this rookie and play with him and these two matches. And it's like, Okay, that's great. If it's, Hey, we need you to go out all five matches, and we're going to put you out with Jordan. First out, I'd say, Okay, sounds great. And it just whatever I need to do, because that week's a lot bigger than me. It's not about me, it's about playing for your country. It's about playing for your 11 other teammates. It's about playing for your three, four captains. It's about playing for your country. So I think that's, that's kind of the group and vibe that we have going right now is we have a lot of guys that are willing to do whatever they need to do. That's best for the team. And and all we care about is winning points and winning the team of that. So it's it's a pretty cool group to be a part of,

David Novak 33:27

what's your favorite story from one of the big moments you've had at the Ryder Cup.

Justin Thomas 33:31

I would say the Ryder Cup, beating pulse or twice in one day is is pretty great. I mean Pulitzer has been an American killer, a US killer for a long time. It was it was in the writing clip in France, which we got absolutely shellacked. But Jordan and I, we beat Poulter and ROM in the morning and then Poulter and roar in the afternoon and it was actually my old caddy Jimmie Johnson used to always say what's better than beating Poulter in the Ryder Cup, beat them twice in one day. So that was, you know, I know he takes the Ryder Cup very seriously. And that was, I mean, Jordan and I talked about that a lot. That was a huge accomplishment for us, but the Presidents Cup I when I played with Tiger in Australia, we're going to number 16 I just made a bet an 810 footer for birdie and we were I think all square at that time. And 16 is a brutal the routing they have our 16 calls a brutal driving holds and dogleg. Like it's a Darrow dogleg left and there's a tree right off the left side of the tee the winds and off the left and I'm a failure of the ball off the tee and I mean, I hate the tee shot I just it visually it's just not a good look a tee shot to me. And I'm kind of walking up there I'm trying to figure out you know, what am I going to hit off this tee like it's a long hole to where I can't necessarily hit three wood or two iron I mean Tigers gonna have to enter 20 yards and but it was the only I mean we played our own game but I just he was on the tee box, and I was like, hey, what do you what do you like off this tee or? And he just looked at me, he goes, I don't care, just put it in the fairway. The only thing he said to me was like, Okay, thanks, partner. Sounds good. And I did I hit the fairway. We won the match on 18. So it was all good. You know,

David Novak 35:21

the closest thing that could come to the Ryder Cup, at least energy wise during the regular season is the 16 pole at the Phoenix Open. Do you like that scene? And do you wish there was more of that on tour?

Justin Thomas 35:33

It's yeah, it's good. Once a year, in my opinion, I think some tournaments are trying to emulate it. But I don't think they understand the amount of people that are on that hole. It's, it's just wild. So there's enough to where the noise coming from people just kind of I mean, just like a football or basketball game or baseball game, it's just that it all kind of goes together. But you know, when you have 1000 people on a hole and, and 50 people yell, it's, it's pretty apparent and can be distracting. But when there's 20,000 people in a hole, and 1000 of them are saying something, it's just kind of on noise. So it's a wild atmosphere. It's a lot of fun. It's the hardest part about it is just trying to hit some little soft finesse shot, all you want to do is just hit a driver as hard as you can, because the amount of adrenaline you have, but it's a it's a very cool experience.

David Novak 36:27

We'll be back with the rest of my conversation with Justin Thomas in a moment, Justin does a fantastic job of seeking out other great athletes to learn from. And one of the very greatest is the legendary Jack Nicklaus. You know, I got the honor of sitting down with Jack here on this podcast. And I love what he had to say about the importance of learning both from your successes and your failures.

Speaker 1 36:50

I think you have to learn why you lose. If learn why you win, you have to learn how to do both. And I think businesses exactly the same way. You know, everybody makes mistakes as they're growing up trying to learn to grow a business, and you should learn from those mistakes,

David Novak 37:03

but you also want to do something well, you learn from that to go back and listen to my entire conversation with the great Jack Nicklaus episode 21 here on how leaders lead

you know, I know success for you just isn't just on the golf course. And a few years back, you launched the Justin Thomas Foundation, tell us about it.

Justin Thomas 37:31

I'm very very fortunate to be in the position I haven't had the opportunity to give back and yeah, we launched the Justin Thomas Foundation, five, six years ago to benefit junior golfers children in need and military families. And, you know, we've done a lot of work with the Boys and Girls Club with the First Tee a little boy and it's just having the opportunity to, to give back to kids, whether it be you know, something like an ajga grant that, you know, that I'm doing or grant that I would that I received through the Kentucky Junior Golf Association or whatever it might be and, and seeing these you know, the kids and, and, you know, some bad towns in Louisville that you know, they don't have the opportunity to get gifts for Christmas or Thanksgiving or things like that and being able to firsthand go in and see them and and see the smiles on their faces and see the amount of lives and that you can impact and in you know, we're very fortunate that taught us so much to support the troops and being able to see cat if you're having seems like every week in a program, you know, we have a veteran that'll come caddy for us. And we'll and just developing those kinds of relationships. And, you know, when you hear that they've served, you know, in Iraq for 10 or 12 years, it makes you know, that bogey that you make in the middle of your second round really not seeing that big of a deal. So we had a great event planned during the COVID year so unfortunately had to put that on hold but we're hoping to have another event here in the next year or so to where we can raise some more money and, and help really a lot of people.

David Novak 39:09

I look forward to being a part of it. And thank you for everything you do for our troops and for everything you you do for Louisville. You know you you are seen as a fine upstanding citizen and everybody really appreciates what you do. You know, I understand you had a scare with melanoma a few years back. I mean, how is that how is that impacted you Justin?

Justin Thomas 39:30

Yeah, it's a pretty eye opening experience. It was it was the fall of 2019. So what I was 26 years old. went in for dermatologist checkup and I had a couple of moles taken off in high school. One that was cancerous but it was early enough to where it was okay, and it's never a good good sign when you get a text from your doctor at 930 at night saying call me and gave him a call and told me he's like you have to melanoma, you know, you're gonna have to go back in, they're gonna have to, you know, do surgery, it's not a very intense surgery at all, I mean, you're awake for it, but you have to take surgery to take it out of your leg, it's on my, my left calf, and they're gonna have to, you know, send it in to get looked at to make sure it's nothing more severe and hasn't spread, being very ignorant to that didn't really understand the severity of it. And I was very, very fortunate that I hadn't spread. But he told me, I was probably three or four months away from being a patient in the hospital. And at 26 years old. That's a pretty, pretty eye opening and bizarre experience. And I'm very, very fortunate, everything's been good, since you know how to do four checkups the following year, three, the next to the next. And, um, you know, it's, I tried to tell all my friends, whether it be on tour or just at home to you know, go get checks, go go to your dermatologist, and you know, it's not like it's, it's a very intense or hard thing to do. But it man, it can have such a difference. And that's why we're able to launch the sunscreen wear SPF, you know, in the last last year, so to help, hopefully spread the awareness and bring a little bit of attention to that, because it is a very, very important thing that I think is very overlooked

David Novak 41:19

by many. Yeah, well, thanks for building awareness of that, because it's something that affects all of us, and especially if we are blessed enough to be out there in the sun, you know, you know, Justin, it's been so much fun. I want to have a little bit more of my lightning round of questions. So are you ready for this?

Justin Thomas 41:35

Let's do it.

David Novak 41:37

What's one word others would use to describe you?

Justin Thomas 41:40

sarcastic?

David Novak 41:41

What would you say is the one word that best describes you? Hungry? What's your biggest pet peeve?

Justin Thomas 41:49

My biggest pet peeve. Oh man, I can't stand when people too loud. Like that's a I can't I can't stand that.

David Novak 41:57

That's a Kentucky stereotype. Yeah. Imagine it's the final round of a big tournament. You're on the 18th hole, a par four and you need a birdie to win. But someone has to hit your shots for you. Who's hitting the drive.

Justin Thomas 42:14

roaring back right,

David Novak 42:15

who's hitting the approach shot? Tiger who's making the putt. Jordan, what's been the most nerve wracking shot of your career?

Justin Thomas 42:28

Probably the most nervous I've ever been was my first tee shot at the Ryder Cup and 2018 in France. I still to this day say I hit five wood off the tee but when I hit a five wood off the tee I don't use an actual tee and just kind of you know I hit my club on the ground and put it on on the top of the grass. But I think if I had to try to put it on a tee I don't think I would have been able to my hands are shaking so that

David Novak 42:51

now I know you carded the 59 during the tournament. What's your lowest score the non tournament round?

Justin Thomas 42:57

60 or 61? I think I know shot and I know it sounds 61 A couple of times, but I'll go 61

David Novak 43:04

What's your favorite city to travel to on the PGA Tour?

Justin Thomas 43:08

I love San Diego. I think San Diego is beautiful.

David Novak 43:11

Last time you were at a top golf and did you bring your own clubs.

Justin Thomas 43:18

Last time I was at a Top Golf was probably for Jordans Jordans feed him in his wives foundation event a couple years ago and I definitely did not bring my own golf clubs.

David Novak 43:30

Just a few more questions rather lightning round. Now you've mentioned Jordan Spieth quite a few times. And you guys have a lot of fun with each other. What's the best prank you ever pulled on him?

Justin Thomas 43:39

I haven't done it. But the hard part about Jordan is you can't do anything too extreme because he he'll go way over the top coming back to you. So I've had to be very cautious. He he told me he had my car towed one year at Phoenix. That was that was oppressive.

David Novak 43:58

You know, leaders, you know, we're in the moment all the time. When you're in the moment, you've got national television on you. You've got you know, the sounds being picked up, you know? And you're an emotional guy, how do you control your emotions? And stay on top of that so that you don't people don't hear what you might be thinking? Or is that something that you're more aware of now?

Justin Thomas 44:23

A little bit, but I think most importantly is I can't change who I am. I mean, I can definitely try to change my vocabulary because of things that you know, don't need to be on national television. But, you know, I don't need to go out there and act like somebody else because it looks like they're playing better than me. But the reason why I am where I am is because of the characteristics and personality traits that I have, if that makes sense. So it's, you know what, the demeanor that you know, Patrick Cantlay has on the golf course a very even keel very level is something that would resonate For me that now Yeah, I don't want to be spiking up and down all the time. But if I can live in this area a little bit better, as opposed to just flatlining, I'm going to play better golf,

David Novak 45:10

you use your emotion to fire you up and get done, what needs to get done, you know, what do you think Golf has to do to improve its popularity?

Justin Thomas 45:18

I think it's on a great trend that's more accessible to, you know, to kids to I think, you know, we have so much of the middle older age generation, I truly think that more high schoolers, college kids, you know, people in their 20s are getting into golf. And it's, I think golf isn't the best place it's ever been. And I truly think if the product is just going to continue to get better on tour, and I think it'll have more viewing opportunities for people to get involved in it. So I think just keeping it fun and light and just an opportunity for, you know, people to be able to hang out with one another as is going to continue to have it grow.

David Novak 45:59

You know, 2024, the PGA site is Valhalla, it'll be in your hometown. How do you feel about that? And do you already feel a little extra pressure there? Or do you feel like hey, I'm going in my own hometown and look out guys,

Justin Thomas 46:15

a little bit of both, I do think there's a pretty good possibility I changed my number about a week or two before the PGA just to go ahead and make that week a little easier. But it's gonna I mean, growing up in Louisville, and you know, David is such an unbelievable sports town. And it's so cool. The I mean, Louisville means so much to me, it really does and the amount of support that I have gotten and continue to get from not only Louisville, but just Kentucky in general. It just It does. It means a lot. I mean, the I live in Florida, but I'm always going to be from Louisville, Kentucky, and I'm very, very, very proud of that. So having the opportunity to play a major championship in my hometown is one of the coolest things I could ever imagine. So I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited and anxious. But yeah, I needed I knew probably going to need to talk myself off the ledge a little bit that week, because it'll be very high, high emotion.

David Novak 47:11

Well, we can't wait to have you that'll be awesome to have you there. And I can't wait to see a tee it up. You know, the 430 You've already you got the 15 victories, two major championships, FedEx Cup, the players, you know, what's your unfinished business?

Justin Thomas 47:26

I mean, just one or more tournaments, I It's I want to win more majors, I want to win win more tournaments. You know, you only have one opportunity in your career to make the absolute most out of it. And, and that's what I want to do. And, you know, I've I've had a couple rungs of getting on some, some good streaks of winning some tournaments. And it's been in my, in my eyes quite a while since I've done that. So I'm very, very eager and hungry to get back to that. But also understand that I need to be patient and let it happen.

David Novak 47:57

You know, you you're around all kinds of leaders, you're a leader, you talked about some of the great legends that you've you've spent time with. What's one piece of advice you'd give to anyone who wants to become a better leader?

Justin Thomas 48:13

And I promise I'm not saying this, because I'm talking to you. But it's a book that I really got a lot out of was your book a great one. And it just was, I think this world is so so used to only saying something to somebody if it's negative, or if it's like, hey, you need to do this better, hey, you're not doing this well versus tell someone when they're doing something, right, I'd really try to tell bones like, Hey, you did it, you did a really, really good job today of keeping me at the moment, I don't need to tell him, if it gives me a bad yardage. If if I'm cussing them out and fly the green when I wanted to hit another club, he's probably going to get the idea already. But I don't think there's enough positive reinforcement in our world and, and just in general, and that's something I promise I'm not just blowing smoke to you. But I really, really learned a lot from that. And I've tried to use that a lot with my team of just positive reinforcement and letting people know when they're doing well, because if they look up to you, then then they need to you need to be respectful of him.

David Novak 49:15

Well, thank you very much for that. Justin. I appreciate it. And thank you for what you're doing on tour. What you're doing in the community, the leadership that you're you're projecting and your love for our country. I love how you you make it happen at the Ryder Cup Presidents Cup and just what you're doing with veterans. You know, you're you're a true American on that front. And I appreciate you being at being on this show. And I want you to know that this is probably the first big interview you've ever done where somebody didn't ask you about live.

Justin Thomas 49:45

Yeah. It isn't about well, I guess about a year.

David Novak 49:51

So I'll leave that the Golf Channel. Thanks a lot, buddy. I appreciate it.

Justin Thomas 49:56

Thanks, David. Yeah, man.

David Novak 50:05

Well, there's no doubt in my mind, Justin Thomas is one of Louisville's finest both on and off the golf course. And as you can hear in this conversation, Justin is really intentional about the mentality he has on the course. Now, he may not always get it, right. I mean, nobody does. But he understands the power of managing his mindset. For him. That means staying present when he plays and not letting his mind go into what he calls Candyland mode, where it gets way ahead of himself. And his mind starts to wonder. It's true in golf and is true and leadership. Your success starts with your mindset, how you mentally process and respond to what's going on around you matters so much. If you want to get big things done. You've got to be ready to handle whatever responsibilities and challenges come your way. And you can't do that. Well. If you aren't in a good frame of mind. This week, ask yourself, How can you manage your own mentality better? What thoughts come into your head that aren't actually serving you? Well, just by being aware of those tendencies, it'll be easier for you to keep your mentality where it needs to be to lead your team well. So do you want to know how leaders lead? What we learned today is the great leaders manage their mindset. Coming up next on how leaders lead is Nat Turner, he's the CEO of collectors.

Nat Turner 51:29

If you're going to start a company just get started. The idea you start with will very likely not be the idea you end with so just getting started is 99% of it. You know you same goes with exercise and anything just make the initial effort, you know, get out there and start and then pivot that's the thing you have strong opinions loosely held.

David Novak 51:45

So be sure to come back again next week to hear our entire conversation. Thanks again for tuning in to another episode of how leaders lead where every Thursday you get to listen and while I interview some of the very best leaders in the world. I make it a point to give you something simple on each episode that you can apply to your business so that you will become the best leader you can be

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