KITCHENAID SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 22, 2024

Paul Broadhurst

Press Conference

Harbor Shores

THE MODERATOR: All right, Paul Broadhurst with us now at the 84th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Paul, got a great history here. When you think back to 2018, what comes to mind?

PAUL BROADHURST: Probably playing some of the best golf I've ever played over a three-day period. First day was a bit of a struggle, 1-over, and thinking I'm probably going to miss the cut and arranging flights home and stuff like that just in case.

But then, you know, not sure really what happened. I think I had 5-under on the Friday, 7-under Saturday, 8-under Sunday; and to be honest, I've never done that since.

It was just my weekend. I putted unbelievable. Obviously played nicely as well tee-to-green. But the putter was on fire that week. I don't think I've ever holed so many 30-, 40-foot putts in a short space of time.

That obviously helps.

Q. How you feeling headed into this one?

PAUL BROADHURST: Pretty good. The game has been pretty good last few weeks. Regions had a bit of a blip on the Saturday. Didn't play so good on the Saturday. Had a poor score. Rebounded on Sunday and got the game back in shape.

Been home for six days, back to the UK. I worked with my son a little bit. Had a game last Friday. Just worked on a couple of things, so hopefully that will engrain itself ready for tomorrow hopefully.

Q. Paul, you've won golf tournaments all over the world. When you think of great performances and the best you've ever been, is this the place you think?

PAUL BROADHURST: Probably. Yeah, I think so. I've said over the three days, the final three rounds, that's as good as I've ever played and scored to be honest.

I did something similar at Carnoustie when I won the Senior Open. Started 1-over par the first three days and then three good rounds together.

So both those were probably as good as I've ever played to be honest.

Q. I remember at the Chubb this year you talked about you had just worked with your son. He's a player, right?

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah, he's playing today. He's not going so good this morning. He's a couple over after 5, so he is in danger of missing the cut. I'll keep my eye on him.

Q. Where is he playing?

PAUL BROADHURST: On the Clutch Tour, which is third tier. It's like one below Korn Ferry TOUR, one below our challenge tour in Europe. Watched him play last week. I went to a few holes with him last week. Just a bit of a spy mission to see where he's going wrong and stuff.

He played all right last week. Finished third. We both work with the same coach, Tim Rouse. Tim's captain of the PGA Cup team coming over here in September and he was captain of the British PGA last year, so he's been quite busy.

Some weeks we've been home that Tim has been away so haven't been able to see him, so Sam's stepped in a little bit. He knows what I work on with Time and he's just given me a couple pointers really.

He came out to Naples for the week and helped me there and I finished third. We've been sort of working a little bit back home, so it's been, yeah, pretty good.

Q. How old is he?

PAUL BROADHURST: He's 27. He needs to -- if he's going to do anything in this game he needs to do it now really, otherwise he's going to be too old. He's aware of that. He's not one of these guys going to play until he's 33, 34 scratching a living. He'll know when it's time to call it quits.

Q. What do you like about this course with the success you've had here? How does it fit your game?

PAUL BROADHURST: I'm not sure it does fit my game to be honest. I think it's fairly generous off the tee, reasonably generous. You miss the fairway this year, the rough is really thick. There is no real like first cut. It goes fairway to two, three inches, and I'm not the most powerful player so I am going to struggle out of the rough.

Driving is important for me round here. My drive has been the best part in the game for a few years, so I guess that's a bonus this week. Greens are tricky, so it's not always easy to hole putts on these greens. A lot of undulation and slopes.

But I think there are birdies out there as well. First year I came here, in '16, I didn't particularly finish that high, but I made an awful a lot of birdies that week.

I guess you cut out the mistakes, there is a few key holes that you need to avoid the trouble. If you do that, then there is holes out there that you can make birdies on.

Q. Are you getting some distance, carry, and stuff like that? Is the ball releasing?

PAUL BROADHURST: Monday it was really firm. Yeah, Monday we played a practice round. The greens were quite firm as well, so tough to get close to the flags. Then we had the big storm Monday night and yesterday morning it was a lot softer to be honest.

But if the weather stays like this -- and it's windy now as well; it's going to dry out. Probably be playing pretty fast I would think.

Q. You going to miss not coming back here?

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's always nice to go back to somewhere where you've won. Extra sort of the buzz about the week, a course that you played well on in the past.

So, yeah, it'll be different not coming back. I mean, my plan is perhaps to retire at the end of next year anyway. I'll be 60 then. I am carrying ankle injury now. Unfortunately I'll get a cart this week.

So walking-wise it's not the best. I've got serious arthritis in my right ankle. Going to see how it feels at the end of next year. I don't want to make the numbers up as they say.

Just going to go out -- I wouldn't say at the top, but I don't want to make the numbers up in the field. We'll assess the ankle next year and take it from there.

Q. What's your impressions of 7 as you come up to the green?

PAUL BROADHURST: 7? I mean, depends on the wind. It is a really difficult second shot into 7. We played it couple years ago when the weather was pretty poor and it was playing miles. We went long rescue and 3-woods into there. I mean, yesterday, it was generous yesterday. It was a nice day. Wind was down off the tee and I was only going in with 8-iron and I'm not one the biggest hitters.

It's more than playable in that direction. But if you get it into the wind, 4-iron, 3-iron, yeah it's a tough hole to -- it's tiny green. And, yeah, it's a tough hole.

Q. When you drive up that hill and walk up to the green and here is Lake Michigan...

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah, you got the houses on the right-hand side, which are beautiful. The last couple days the weather has been great so there are people out on the beach and stuff. Yeah, it's a beautiful spot out there.

Nevertheless, it's still a tough hole to play.

Q. You've had such a nice resurgence this year, winning again and couple other Top 3s. You mentioned retirement. Would that be tough if you're playing this well?

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah, if I'm playing this well, then, you know, between you and me, I'll probably carry on. I haven't told my wife that yet though.

Really does depend on the foot. There are certain shots I'm struggling to play. An unkind lie, a lie that's this way or -- then there is a lot of pressure going on on my right ankle and I have to sort of club up a couple clubs and just sort of chip it really.

So there are certain shots that I'm still going with. Like I say, just have to monitor it. I get it strapped up. I'm on medication. It's okay. Walking up hills and stuff like that, it's difficult.

Q. You say you do have a cart this week?

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah, I do have a cart, yeah. I got an ADA last year, so that kicked in the middle of last year. I applied to the PGA for a cart this week and it's been granted.

It's not always easy in a cart, especially with a crowd as well. I'm out with Strick and Cink, so I gather be a few people watching. Not always easy getting through the crowd in a cart. We'll manage.

Q. I was going to ask you, used to be a perception out here at 55 you would hit a wall. A lot of guys would be done with their winning days. You look this year and you've won and Joe Durant, Scott Dunlap, and Bernhard is always in there.

PAUL BROADHURST: Yeah.

Q. Why is the window moving in that direction?

PAUL BROADHURST: I really don't know. I haven't got an explanation. Joe Durant is a good friend of mine. We were both so pleased -- well, me and my wife were so pleased that he won. We both asked for an invite to Hawai'i this year, which is never -- whether you deserve an invite is always debatable. We got an invite and we both sort of said, we don't want to be in this position next year and we've both gone out and won.

But I don't know. I mean, Stephen Ames is 60 now. He won on his 60th birthday. Bernard keeps going; he's 67. Jay Haas is still playing decent golf at 70. I don't think I'm going to be at the stage. I can't envision me playing 67, 70 years of age.

But these guys still want to play. They still are competitive, still working out on the game, so good luck to them. But I really don't know. The top guys at the top of the Order of Merit are all well into their 50s.

Yeah, so I -- maybe it's because the new guys coming through at 50 have had four, five, six years away from playing so their game is not right on it when they turn 50.

You know, it takes them a few -- well, a year or so to get back in the swing of things. Maybe that's the reason. I don't know.

But it's pretty obvious that on the PGA TOUR there is less and less players sort of mid-40s, past mid-40s still competing, so got a gap then to 50 before they become competitive again. If you don't keep playing, these guys will eat you a live out here.

Still ultra competitive. It's friendly, but the guys want to win.