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THE GREENBRIER CLASSICJuly 1, 2014Jimmy WalkerWHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome FedExCup points leader Jimmy Walker to the media center. Jimmy, three top 5s here including a runner‑up last year, maybe just some thoughts about this place? JIMMY WALKER: I've always seemed to like it when I come here even from the first year, like the whole atmosphere. Feels kind of like a throwback with all the proper attire after 7:00 o'clock kind of a deal, so it's always been fun. We've enjoyed it. It's a great place for the family, and we've always come here and really enjoyed the week. It's a golf course that I really like. I like everything about it, so it's been fun. Every time this time of year rolls around, we're excited to come. Q. Can you talk about the course a little bit, and what does it really take to win here, do you feel like? JIMMY WALKER: What does it take to win? It always seems like a couple more shots under par than I've been able to do. You know, it's a golf course where the greens tend to get a little firm. It's playing a little soft right now, but you need to make some birdies out here, and I think that is the key. Getting the putter rolling is big too. I remember Stuart Appleby shot 59 and won on Sunday, it sure seemed that everybody that week was making a lot of putts. But I think putting yourself in the right proportions on the green, making a few putts. Trying not to give too much away out here, and keeping yourself in it with some nice under par rounds is key. Q. How important is it to come in and score on 16 and 17 in particular because you know 18 is pretty much a par finishing hole more or less? Is it really critical to score on 16 or 17 when you're coming down the stretch? JIMMY WALKER: Well, 16 is no gimme. It depends on what the wind is doing. I think normally it's a downwind, right‑to‑left tee ball. So is 17. When they're running fast fairways, you will typically have anywhere between a 7‑iron down into a 16. 17, I think most of the field can get there when it's playing pretty quick. So it's nice that there are some birdie holes to finish on, especially on the back nine. You can get 14, 15 playing downwind. You can try to attack. But they're still long shots and they're tough. You don't want to short side yourself. I've seen guys on the left bunker when they tucked those pins left on the par‑3. It's a really tough up‑and‑down. So there is still some danger out there. Setting yourself up all day and having nice momentum going into those holes is key. Q. What hole have you scored the best on historically, and what is the hole that's given you the most trouble? JIMMY WALKER: I can't think of any hole that really stands out that I just birdie every time I play it. Obviously with some length I'm pretty good with the par‑5s, so you look forward to those opportunities. 16's a tough hole. 15 downwind par‑3 can be a pretty good little test. 8 is a good par‑3. They really fluctuate that tee on where it goes, back and forth. So that's a good par‑3. You need to hit that nice little slinger in there and ride the slope of that green, and that's a really good hole. 5 is a good hole too, so is 6. 6 is a really good par‑4, down the hill with the cross bunker. I think that's one of the better holes on the golf course. Then really, 2 is a really good hole from the back. It's 486, 490. Today you play every bit of that because the ball is just plugging on the fairway a little bit because of all the rain and stuff. But there are some really good holes out here. Some long ones for sure. Q. You played with the state amateur representative in your practice round. How did he do? JIMMY WALKER: He did good. Brian is a nice kid. I think it's really cool that they sent him an invite. He was definitely excited to be here, and he played with Tom Watson and I and that was fun. I think he really enjoyed that. Tom asked him on the first tee. He was there waiting for us, and he said you can go by yourself or we'd love to play with you. He said, yeah, yeah, sounds good. So I think he had a good time. Told him to relax and enjoy the week and don't wear yourself out being your first TOUR event. Q. Interaction with Brian kind of remind you of your first event on TOUR? JIMMY WALKER: It did. I told him my experience, Monday qualifier for the Byron Nelson when I was a senior at Baylor, and just kind of relayed my experience with him and what I experienced that week. I still remember it very vividly, and I think he will too. I told him to soak it up and enjoy it and remember it because it's a very cool deal what he did. Q. If you could speak to the momentum and confidence and how valuable those two things are? Obviously to have a couple wins and be up there on the money list and FedEx standings and Ryder Cup points after grinding out here for sometime, to see those things kind of pay off? JIMMY WALKER: Yeah, momentum is key. It's key in anything you do. So I had two weeks off, played the U.S. Open. I've been on a two‑week break. But the last three or four events I've played, I've played really well and would like to carry that over. It's nice to have those tournaments to draw on and rely on and have in your back pocket, especially coming into here. I've really enjoyed this place, so I'm looking forward to playing here. It's got good history, and I like the golf course. Q. Want to ask about that. Kind of comment on the comfort level you have here, and when you feel good about a course when you come into it, how that helps you through the week? JIMMY WALKER: I think it helps you. A lot of the golf courses for me are tee shots. I like a lot of the tee shots out here. For whatever reason, I haven't figured it out because I try to make the golf courses I don't see really well work. But like a lot of guys will tell you, they see the shots better at a certain place. You feel more comfortable, and that is just kind of the way I've always felt here. Doesn't mean you're going to play good at all, but being comfortable is huge. It feels good. It's those weeks where you don't feel comfortable and golf sure feels a lot harder. But that doesn't mean you can't go play well. I've had good tournaments in places you historically don't like or just don't fit your eye, and weeks where they don't, so it goes both ways. But you definitely want to feel better about it than not. Q. How has life on the golf course changed for you? Do you see the galleries getting bigger and stuff when you play out there, and does that affect you at all? JIMMY WALKER: I'm playing in a different tee time category now. So I'm playing with winners or people that have won. So playing with bigger names in golf, I guess you could say Guys that have been winning on TOUR. So the galleries are a little bigger. I'm not going to say they're bigger for me. But playing in more marquee pairing groups, I know the TOUR gets to do stuff like that, so it's been fun. I'm not going to say it's more gallery for me, but I get more congratulations, way to go, pulling for you that type of thing than there ever has been. Q. How does that impact your game and your own performance on the course when you have those galleries and you're getting that extra attention? JIMMY WALKER: I'm not real sure yet. I think the longer you've been out here, the gallery and crowds just become a part of the landscape that you see when you're out there playing and the buzz and the people. But it's definitely more electric when you play well, because there are more people cheering and that type of thing. So it's more of a bigger environment. But I don't think it's affected the way I play golf or go about playing golf. Q. (Indiscernible)? JIMMY WALKER: You try not to think about that too much. I think you can play off the crowd when things are going well. But I try not to think about it that way. I just try to keep everything nice and steady and very even keeled. So not too much. Q. Along those same lines, do you see guys like Bubba that are chasing you? He's going to be coming in right after you here today. Is it fun to talk to guys that are near you on the leaderboard? Do you even talk about the standings at all or do you just play your own game out there? JIMMY WALKER: I get more teased than anything about being on top. Even my caddie, they've got the [orange] bib going on this year, so if you lead the FedExCup, you get to wear the orange bib. So they call him orange bib and superstar, and that kind of thing, so more teasing than anything. Q. You know there is a Radio Astronomy Observatory about 60 miles away. Are you thinking about going there at all? JIMMY WALKER: No, I haven't looked. I would figure there is something around here because it's pretty far out and pretty dark skies. But I haven't looked at anything like that around here. Q. Can a place like this be compared to other stops on TOUR as far as the amenities and offerings for families and maybe the distractions because there are so many things to do? Do you tend to get into the family thing at all? JIMMY WALKER: Yeah, we do. My boys are getting older. They're 4 and 16 months, so I think a lot of the stuff down the road will be even more fun. They love‑‑ it's just the little things. It's the big long Giant hallways, and they love anything with carpet and long run ways. I have two boys, so running is fun. Last night we were down at the little candy maker, and it was a nice little hallway that nobody walks down, and we do it every year. Just go down there and run back and forth with the boys. So it's the little things like that that are fun. They get a piece of chocolate, and there is the toy store there, and we hit the pool. But falconry and my 16‑month‑old, I'm not sure quite fit right now. Maybe down the road. Q. As a TOUR pro you're so busy and you're a parent too, how do you find time to do that? And mentally for you, how important is it to have something that interests you off the course? JIMMY WALKER: Finding time is tough. I'm trying to learn a little more to do it at home. But it feels therapeutic on the road, so I try to squeeze in and I've learned to be very efficient at that part of it of getting it, doing it quickly. If I've got 30 minutes here, I try to work at that if I get 30 minutes here. But at home getting up a little early, getting a cup of coffee and just relaxing and kind of waking up and doing it there before the boys get up, and doing a little bit at night kind of thing especially at home. But it's tough. It's a balancing act for sure. My wife's awesome at keeping everything in line and in check. I think all of us out here could probably say the same thing for the wives that travel. Q. When you do it in the morning, is it light out or do you do it in the dark before the sun comes up? JIMMY WALKER: Oh, well, my stuff is in NewMexico, so I'm not even with it. I do it remotely. It just runs all night while I sleep, so I don't have to do any of the hard work of staying up. It's nice that I can have it done remotely like that and I can function the next morning or the whole day and not be a zombie. Q. (Indiscernible)? JIMMY WALKER: Yeah, it's great. I think everybody's excited. I mean, it's a cool place. I like everything about it. The food is amazing. Everybody's so nice. I'm going to just enjoy it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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