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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPMay 11, 2012Blake AdamsPONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA Q. Thoughts on your round today compared to yesterday. BLAKE ADAMS: Golf's golf; it's like I said yesterday, I play golf for a living, whether I shoot 63 or 83. I mean, I've got a wife and two kids at the house, and it is what it is. I didn't play great today, didn't play awful. Hung in there, battled through it, and we'll try again tomorrow. Q. Between the time you turned pro in 2001 when you got on the Nationwide Tour and like '08, where were you playing for the most part? BLAKE ADAMS: Every mini‑Tour imaginable. I played the Hooters Tour, the Tarheel Tour, which I guess is the eGolf Tour, Gateway Tour and all that. And I think I won on every Tour that I played on. But I had a bulging disk in my back from about 2002 to about 2005 that really kind of bothered me. I'd wake up, I would shoot 68 one day, and I'd wake up the next day and I couldn't even touch my kneecaps. So that was kind of definitely troublesome for three years. But just kept on grinding away, and I guess made it to the Nationwide in '07, something like that. Q. You want to hope for the best and hope you get there sooner than later, but is there something about those years apart from the injuries, something about those years that have made you a better player today? BLAKE ADAMS: Oh, absolutely. I think that if any player could go through the mini‑Tour grind when you're playing for peanuts, you're basically living out of your car or you're eating crackers or fast food for supper every night; there's just something to be said for moving up through the ranks so that when you get here, you do appreciate everything that you have. Nothing against the guys that hopped right out of college. That's awesome for them. But for me I think it just makes me a little more proud of kind of the path that I took, got here, fought through everything. You know, it makes it to where these red carpets that they roll out to you every single week, you appreciate it just a little bit more, I think. Q. During the mini‑Tour days, was there a low point for you? Was there a time you almost gave up the game? BLAKE ADAMS: I never did. I mean, obviously injuries held me back, but that's just part of it. I've always said that that's just the hand I was dealt. I mean, I've never made an excuse. It is what it is. I was rough on my body growing up. I wouldn't change anything for it. But I felt like if I was getting better every single year, then I'd keep on trucking along. It wasn't like a timetable or a money amount or anything like that. If I felt like I was getting better each year, then I kept on going, and I did. I had my ups and downs, but like I said, I fought through it, and I'm doing all right. Q. Did you have to work any part‑time jobs during that span, any work during the winter or anything like that? BLAKE ADAMS: After I turned pro in like 2001, I didn't have to, but I did. I actually went and worked for one of my step daddy's friends. I worked in a warehouse driving a forklift and lifting mirrors all day. Punched a clock. Didn't have to, but I did, just to show myself that if I work hard, there are bigger things out there. Certainly it was an eye‑opener. There's a lot of folks that do that every single day. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it's just not what I wanted. I wanted to make sure that I realized the talent that I had and the God‑given ability I have to‑‑ and use it and move forward and on to bigger and better things. Q.  What year did you get married? BLAKE ADAMS: '05. Q. What part did she have? BLAKE ADAMS: She's huge. She's huge. She's my rock. She's at the house with my two wild monkeys every day. I mean, that's a full‑time job. Anybody that says being a mom is not a full‑time job is sorely mistaken. I've got two wonderful kids. One is almost five and one just turned two. She has her hands full. She keeps the day‑to‑day things at the house running smoothly, and I just go out and I just play golf. There's really something to be said for that, just to go out and play golf. Obviously there's a lot of pressure folks throw on you, whatever you need to do this, need to do that. But I think when things are solid back home and you've got a great support system, I mean, golf is kind of easy. Q. You were all‑state in basketball in high school. Is that something you wanted to pursue in college? BLAKE ADAMS: I did. I had some small basketball offers. Nothing big. I grew up a huge, huge Georgia fan, and the golf thing, I mean, I really just kind of fell into it. They offered me a golf scholarship, and I canceled every visit I had to wherever and signed right there. So I went to Athens, and they actually‑‑ I had an invitation to walk on the year that I was leaving. Obviously I said no because I was going down to Georgia Southern. But I love basketball. I still like to get out and shoot and do all that stuff. It's just‑‑ sports has always been a huge part of my life. Golf was my worst sport growing up, but it happened to work out. I am making a living doing it, so I'm very, very blessed. Q. When you got to where you were making a little money at this game after making some of the Nationwide Tour money, what was the first kind of extravagant gift you got your mom? BLAKE ADAMS: Probably the biggest thing I did was I just put some money in her account just for her to travel, be able to come out and see me. She knew when she tried to do her register and all that stuff, but just threw some money in there, be able to let her travel. Cross‑country, they come every year out west one week, and that's expensive, and I know it is. She's been huge, huge. Q. A lot of guys said they've made sure they can make sure their mothers or whoever can come to these places like Pebble. BLAKE ADAMS: It isn't cheap. The hotel industry knows when the TOUR is coming, I'll just say that. There aren't many cheap hotels around. I want them to be comfortable. They've always been a huge support system for me, my mom and my step dad. My father passed away in '04, but I mean, I always welcome them to come any time they want, no questions asked. And if they're hurting in any way, I'll help them out in any way I can. Q. Was there a trip that really knocked her socks off? BLAKE ADAMS: I think the first time I played at Pebble my rookie year. Just the views there. That atmosphere is still one of my favorite stops. I mean, just‑‑ I'm a country guy with dirt roads and pine trees; but the ocean, there's a lot to be said about Pebble and all of the scenery. It's a week‑long vacation for me. Q. Was she amazed at player dining, family dining, the perks that come with it? BLAKE ADAMS: Absolutely. Every week the red carpet is rolled out for us, and it doesn't matter where we are. If we're at Pebble or Memphis or New Orleans or here; it's amazing what the tournaments do to us and roll out this red carpet. I think that's another reason why I'm grateful that I went through the mini‑Tour battle and all that stuff because it makes things just that much more special. You don't expect people to do things for you. I mean, you're very grateful for everything. And I think that's something that‑‑ I mean, all of us truly, truly are really, really blessed. Q. What's your mom's name? BLAKE ADAMS: Freda, F‑r‑e‑d‑a. Q. Does she work? What does she do? BLAKE ADAMS: She works for my stepfather. They own a grocery store. They live in Edenton. Edenton‑‑ I call Edenton home still. Q. Is it a mom‑and‑pop store? BLAKE ADAMS: It is, it is. It's an IGA. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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