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NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS CHAMPIONSHIPSeptember 14, 2014J.J. HenryCOLUMBUS, OHIO Q. Happy with your finish? J.J. HENRY: Yeah, I really am. It was actually kind of a tough day for me. I had a young boy that got very close to in Fort Worth ‑‑ actually I took him out on a trip this ‑‑ long story short ‑‑ if you want I'll tell you the quick story. This young boy from Fort Worth whose about 19, he acquired kind of an immune disease, he was born with it. And anyway, he was going through a transplant and he loved playing golf. He always wanted to play golf with me. So he was going in there in February and nobody knew if he would come out of this alive. I said, well, I'm going to be out in the West Coast, actually in San Diego that week. Why don't I fly you and your dad out, we'll play golf together on Tuesday in San Diego, and he caddied for me in the pro‑am. Just the fight the young man had is just an inspiration. Unfortunately, he passed away last night. So, I know how difficult this golf course is and I knew how hard he fought and I was kind of proud of the way I fought on a really difficult golf course today. I was thinking about him. So, again, just an inspirational kid that kind of really ‑‑ it's a shame, but he was definitely out there helping me today. Q. What's his name? J.J. HENRY: His name is Briggs Barry. B A R R Y. I took him out in February and he had the time of his life. Met his dad, he got pictures with Tiger and everybody, everybody kind of embraced him. A lot of the TOUR representatives took him in and got him clubs and different things. He fought the last six, eight months and, unfortunately, he passed away last night. So, again, I knew how difficult this golf course was, and for me to go out there‑‑ I didn't have a five on my card today. Not a bogey, not a five on my card. I shot 4‑under par. I'm pretty proud of that. Obviously, more important, hopefully, it gets me kind of to where I know I belong playing, which is on the PGA TOUR. Q. What was the transplant that he had to have? J.J. HENRY: I can't remember the name of the disease. It's like a very rare like auto immune deal that, actually, unfortunately, his older brother actually passed away from it, too. Q. And neither of his parents have this? J.J. HENRY: I don't ‑‑ I didn't really know him real well, I kind of embraced the story of the young man and him and his dad came out, had a great two days, kind of got some pictures with me and him and a few different things. I guess sometimes there's more important things in life. I've been on TOUR the last 14 years and this helps put things in perspective. For somebody like me, on a day like today, where I knew it would be a tough day to play, just because, obviously, how difficult the golf course is, but to be honest with you, this is what we see a lot more out of on TOUR anyway. This course is more kind of suited towards a TOUR golf course the way it was setup, how fast and firm and how hard it played. Obviously, playing on TOUR the last 15 years, I think that was definitely an advantage. Funny story, not funny, but I made about a 15, 20 foot putt on the last hole to make the cut. And then I shot 6‑under this weekend. So it goes to show you, kind of talking about the boy and that. Q. How old was he? J.J. HENRY: I don't know exactly. I'm sure there's stuff on it. It's been a big story around Dallas/Fort Worth. Q. How do you spell his name? J.J. HENRY: B R I G G S. Barry. B A R R Y. I'm sure you can find it out. But a lot of other athletes and stuff kind of embraced the story. A pitcher from the Rangers, a lot of the Dallas Cowboys, he was kind of an inspiration to a lot of us. And I say that because, unfortunately, it was a bad thing, but once you meet the boy and see kind of his enthusiasm for life and kind of who he was, he was just like, you know, it was just kind of inspirational. It's just a shame that he passed away. Q. How did you become aware of his situation? J.J. HENRY: Somebody, actually, a friend of a friend told me about it. I was on West Coast, I think I was playing in Phoenix or wherever it was, the week before San Diego. They said, look, he's going in the hospital in about three weeks or whatever it is, God forbid, even though he had never come out, but one of his things was to be able to play a round of golf with me and I said unfortunately, I'm not playing, but. Q. You flew him out on a charter? J.J. HENRY: Actually, I flew him and his dad out Monday night. We played golf together Tuesday at ‑‑ what's the name of that course near Torrey Pines? And he caddied for me in the pro‑am Wednesday. And then he left and went to dinner and he left Wednesday night. Q. Today it didn't seem like it was as windy as it's been. J.J. HENRY: No, but the pins were tougher. I'll be honest with you I've been on TOUR for a long time, I've never seen pins in more difficult places. I mean that. I knew ‑‑ obviously it's the same for everybody, I knew you had to pick your spots, try to birdie the par‑5s, and that's exactly what I did today. Q. Your thoughts ongoing from nothing to something? J.J. HENRY: I wouldn't say nothing. Q. But I'm saying your standing for the playoffs, you had no points. Coming into this. J.J. HENRY: Well, no, I made, I had some, I made 2,500 bucks or something the first event. Not that it's a lot, but. Q. I saw cut, cut. J.J. HENRY: No, I made ‑‑ I played ‑‑ I made the cut the first week. Q. But were you way down the list. Points‑wise. J.J. HENRY: Is it points or money? I don't even know. Q. Well whatever it is, money, but they didn't even list you among the, when I looked on the PGATOUR.com just now for your scoring, it shows how guys move from ‑‑ J.J. HENRY: I finished like 53rd or something the first week. I don't know what it was. Something like that. Q. So they must have it wrong? J.J. HENRY: I hope the hell it's not wrong. Because that's not the difference between ‑‑ Q. You were way outside and now you're inside. Coming into this though you were like your priority was like in the 120s off this year's Money List? J.J. HENRY: In reality I'm kind of the first guy here from that category. I was 126 and 127 that were in last year. So in reality I'm kind of 126. So regardless of what happened, being on TOUR 15 years, and being in the position ‑‑ I knew I'm going to play somewhere between 15 and 25 tournaments based on how I play. I would like to think I've supported a lot of the different tournaments over the years and I don't necessarily want to go to the well, if you will, yet as far as exemptions and different things, but that's why I came down here. We talked yesterday. This to me in the long run I think is going to make me a better player. I'm only one of three American players that have finished in the top 125 the last 14 straight years. The other being Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk. I'm kind of a trivia question that most people probably wouldn't get. But the bottom line is, I didn't play well, I didn't finish it off this year when I had a chance, and 12 FedExCup points later I'm down here playing these four events. To be honest I'll be honest, the first couple weeks I thought it was tough, because it was kind of tough to swallow knowing the fact that I've been out there as long as I have and I know I can still have the game to play, it's just ‑‑ but I guess what I'm trying to say is it's almost kind of like a wake up call, where I, hey, come down here, get back into it, and regardless of when I play my first event on TOUR, some time this fall, that I'm ready to go and refreshed and kind of a new out look on what I need to do to continue to play at this level. So in the long run I think this is going to make me a better player. Q. Did you figure out that trivia question yourself or did somebody tell you? J.J. HENRY: No, the TOUR told me. There's guys that are exempt, but you have people injured, but I mean to finish in the top 125, 14 straight. That's pretty cool stat. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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