PNC CHAMPIONSHIP

December 19, 2024

Trevor Immelman

Jacob Immelman

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Trevor and Jacob Immelman here at the PNC Championship making their database this week. How great is it to be here?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Oh, yeah. It's an absolute thrill. For me, it's a little bit different. Obviously I'm not used to playing in tournaments nowadays. It's been, shucks, five years since I've actually competed in a tournament.

It's fun to get that going a little bit. But most of all to be able to share this opportunity with my son is, you know, a dream come true. It's always such a cliche, but in this sense, when you've been a golfer your whole life and then you have a child that falls in love with the game, it's -- this is the ultimate.

THE MODERATOR: Jacob, how excited are you to be here this week?

JACOB IMMELMAN: I'm pumped, I'm pumped. Like he said, it's a dream come true. We live close by, so I've been watching this tournament for a while. So just really excited.

THE MODERATOR: For both of you, how do you feel about your games coming into this week?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Oh, my game is horrendous. And I'm probably being kind to myself with that explanation. I don't quite practice as much as what I used to, but still love to get out there.

Scramble format is obviously something that is better, help us get around a little bit. But we got another day and a half to practice, so maybe we can dial something in.

THE MODERATOR: Jacob, how's your game?

JACOB IMMELMAN: I've been practicing a lot. So hopefully that helps. But like he said, scramble, so we'll pick each other up.

Q. You guys have probably played hundreds if not thousands of rounds together. How will you approach this one when now it means something different than whatever you might have played for?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, that's a great question. I was expecting a great question from you. You delivered.

You know, we don't quite know yet because, like you say, we've never really played in any sort of competition like this to where we've been able to test it out and decide what the best strategy may be.

I think we're learning on the fly, kind of has felt like that all day so far, like figuring out how to get here, where to register, what time to be where. I found out ten minutes before my tee time today that we need caddies for the weekend. So that's in the works as well.

We're just going to be figuring it out as we go, but most importantly having a few laughs and enjoy being around these guys and my peers. But the most part, too, they're the players that I grew up trying to be and dreaming about being able to play with in tournaments. I'm talking about obviously Gary and Trevino, and Pricey I've played some with, and Vijay and all these guys, Tiger obviously.

And now for him to be able to say that he's played in a tournament with those guys, that's something you remember for the rest of your life.

JACOB IMMELMAN: I mean, to think that I'm playing in the same tournament as Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Nick Price, it's unbelievable to think about. Never thought I would be able to say that. Just kind of taking it all in. It's pretty fun.

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, just roll with it, see what happens.

Q. Jacob, what are your earliest memories of the game? When do you feel like you fell in love with it?

JACOB IMMELMAN: I've always been around it. I can remember using little plastic clubs when I was two, three years old. Yeah, I just remember always being around it, loving it. Especially when I play with him, always done that.

Yeah, I just, you know -- starting from a young age, love it.

Q. And when did you first beat your dad? Have you beaten your dad at any point?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: There's a very interesting answer to that.

JACOB IMMELMAN: There is.

TREVOR IMMELMAN: So what is your answer, and then I'll explain it.

JACOB IMMELMAN: Yeah. Basically, I've lost by one many times. Many times.

TREVOR IMMELMAN: So what happened was when he was about fifteen and a half and he got his learner's permit, he was starting to learn how to drive, and just like any kid, he wanted to have a car once he got his license.

And so I said to him, okay, you know, started to get a growth spurt and some power, and he was starting to play better. I said, I'll make you a deal. We'll get a car for you, but here's what's going to happen. From here on out, for the rest of your life, I'll take care of your gas, car and all the payments and everything, but whenever anybody asks you if you've beaten me, you've always got to say you lose by one.

So that's the story.

JACOB IMMELMAN: Never beat him.

Q. And then no guarantees that he's going to love this sport that you made a living at.

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah.

Q. When did you I guess -- what was the feeling of relief that you had maybe when he was younger that he actually really did love it and he wasn't just following you to follow along?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: I always wished that my kids would get into in some way. It doesn't have to be at a high level at all. I just think it's such an amazing sport, from a socializing standpoint, from a growth and understanding life standpoint.

My daughter never quite took my advice. She said she'd rather be happy and not play golf.

But for Jake, he was born right after I won the Western Open, and he was 18 months old when I won the Masters. So he really grew up on the PGA TOUR, going to daycare and getting to know all the players and their families and wives and kids.

And I think when you spend enough time around the Tour, as you know, you start to understand how great it is and how special this sport is and how it is has the ability to -- sounds weird at this point, but unify a lot of people together.

And so it's fun that he got into it and wanted to keep playing. And for me, selfishly, it was awesome as well because for the majority of his teenage years I was still somewhat competing, and I was still able to spend a lot of time with him when I was out practicing because he would always tag along and practice and play and what have you.

So we became pretty close through that.

Q. Talk a little bit about Gary Player and Lee Trevino. They're still out there, they're so gracious with the galleries and they give so much of themselves to the fans out here. What does that mean to you and to set such a great example for younger players?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: That's exactly what they're doing. They have always done that. Very thankful to the two of them.

Lee I've met multiple times, but I have a really close relationship with Mr. Player. He really is like a father figure to me. I met him for the first time when I was five years old, and played with him for the first time when I was 13 years old at a golf course he was opening up and designed in my hometown, in Somerset West, South Africa.

And I was pretty good at that point, and I was very fortunate that he decided to take me under his wing and nurture me and teach me as much as he could about the game.

As I was coming through, he was always there for support and advice and encouragement, and sometimes even some tough love, which is needed.

And even things like at the Masters, once I eventually started getting into that, he would always play practice rounds with me and teach me the places where you need to leave your ball and where the best opportunities for you to make birdies are.

So he's been a massive part of my life. I owe a lot of to him for that.

But to get back to your question, what they've done for the sport, the time they've given, how they've given back to the sport, really is amazing. Even now it was impressed on me when he finished right in front of my group, and he spent 20 minutes signing every flag, speaking to everybody, taking photos with all the fans in the crowd.

It's good for the younger generation to see that. They could learn a lot.

Q. What's the best piece of advice Gary Player ever gave you?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: To learn to love adversity. Because nobody is immune. Everybody is going to experience it, and you got to learn a way to fight through it and keep chugging along.

Q. Jacob, what did your friends say when you said this is what I'm doing over the Christmas break?

JACOB IMMELMAN: Well, they all kind of had the same question, was can I caddie for you?

But, no, they were pumped for me. Hopefully they can come out and watch. It will be a lot of fun.

Q. What's your best golf parent advice as a golf parent, someone raising a junior golf, collegiate golfer? What have you learned?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: This might sound weird, but you got to treat them the same no matter the score. Love them the same no matter the score. And it might sound obvious, sometimes that's harder to do, though, especially as they get really good and they're being driven and they've got lofty goals.

The last thing you would ever want is for a child in any sport, any type of athlete to tie their self-worth to the results that are happening out on the field or on the track or on the golf course or on the court.

You want them to work as hard as they can, dedicate themselves, but then go out and play free, regardless of the result, and just keep plugging away.

So love them the same no matter what.

Q. When did you learn that personally?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: As a father?

Q. As a player, to separate your self-worth from your score.

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, I'm still working on it. And really maybe I was so bad at learning that that that's why I got into TV instead. I wasn't succeeding on that side of things.

Q. Jacob, all the bits of advice your dad has given you, what's the one that most resonates with you?

JACOB IMMELMAN: I think what he was just talking about, tying your self-worth to a score. There's been many times after a tournament, after a round, you just feel so bad you kind of almost hate yourself for what you did out there.

So, I mean, just kind of separating the two. It's been hard. Still working on it. But it's been a good piece of advice.