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RENO-TAHOE OPENJuly 31, 2013J.J. HenryRENO, NEVADA DOUG MILNE: Here at Reno Tahoe Open. J.J., thanks for joining us for a few minutes. Obviously a unique event with the modified Stableford scoring system, and one that suits you well. Just some comments on being back here at Montreux. J.J. HENRY: Well, it's a great feeling when I got off the plane actually Sunday night to kind of be back where everything really took shape last year. As Doug mentioned, this is a really neat event. Not only is this an incredible place to be, but it's a great venue, a great golf course. And as Doug mentioned, the modified Stableford system, I think all the players really have kind of grasped the idea. It was a huge success last year. It just sets up for the perfect golf course, the perfect venue, slot in the schedule where it can only get better and better from here. I'm proud to be last year's winner. My game feels like it's pretty good. I think I'm in a pretty good spot with my game. I've played well the last couple weeks, the last four or five weeks. That being said, knowing the golf course like I do, not only winning last year, I think I've been close a couple other years over the last ten or so years. I love being here. It's one of my favorite events of the year. Honored to be the past champ or defending champ. DOUG MILNE: Questions. Q. I looked this up. You've been here seven times; missed the cut the first time. Since then, never finished worse than 29th. J.J. HENRY: Well, there you go. I like to hear that. Q. That's pretty good. Have you been out on the course yet this week? J.J. HENRY: I have not. I was actually over in Tahoe with a sponsor, an event lat night and this morning, and just kind of came through the gates about an hour ago. As I mentioned, just to kind of reminisce and think of some of the shots, some of the things that happened to me last year. I made three eagles throughout the week that in this format is really what it's all about, to capitalize on the aggressive play, make the occasional eagle or extra birdie, and obviously try to avoid doubles or worse. A birdie and a bogey is better than two pars. Again, it's a great golf course. A lot of risk‑reward. Some reachable par‑5s; a drivable par‑4 too based on the tees and the wind direction. So it's just a great venue. Reminds me a lot of the Stableford event we used to play outside of Denver there at Castle Pines. Just a beautiful place to be. It's one of my favorite places anywhere. Fun to be here. Q. You mentioned the wind. It looks like the forecast is maybe 30‑plus‑mile‑an‑hour winds on Thursday. How much will that effect scoring? J.J. HENRY: Really? I didn't know that. It will be a huge factor. Probably hope you have that early‑morning tee time on Thursday, I would think. But, again, it's the same for everybody. Doesn't really matter. You still got to go out and attack the golf course. It'll make some holes harder, but it might make some maybe easier. You know the par‑5s might play shorter or couple par‑4s you might be able to get close to the greens. That being the case and that being said, it'll definitely play a lot more difficult. But it's the same for everybody, or close to everybody, at least depending on the conditions and when the wind should come in that day for sure. Q. With you being veteran enough to know the International, you can address this: Apparently they've got the milkshake recipe from the International here in the locker room for you guys. J.J. HENRY: Well, the locker room, you know, even the clubhouse reminds me of lot like it. It's beautiful. Sits up. Great views out the back. You work hard walking up down these hills. What are we, about 6000 feet? I was joking, I was doing a little clinic and an outing on the other side of the mountain in Tahoe this morning, and just talking and hitting shots for about a half hour you got winded, so I got to work on my stamina I guess the next couple days. Obviously joking. Again, there are a lot of variables that go in, wether it's altitude, and now you factor in some heavy winds, it can be extremely difficult. The player‑caddie relationship this week is probably as important as any event on TOUR because you're factoring in altitude, wind, whether you play in the morning. The ball doesn't go quite as far in the morning as it does when the weather heats up in the afternoon. There are a lot of variables this week. I think it's imperative that you have a really good kind of flow with your caddie to figure out exactly how far each shot is playing. It's hard with no wind. You factor in some swirly winds, it can be extremely difficult. Q. How special were those milkshakes? That's all I ever hear about. J.J. HENRY: They're pretty good. They were good. They were good. Just a little extra ice cream, that's all. Q. Talking about your caddie, it's always a fine line for a caddie on how much information you offer and how much opinion, and if you're with somebody longer that's easier. What's it like for you guys? Is there any sort of understanding? Unwritten rules? Things you be like or don't? J.J. HENRY: Well, personally, I depend a lot on my caddie‑ maybe too much so sometimes. I think they add an extra level of security, if you will, or maybe kind of back up what you're thinking. Most weeks they give a number, whatever, I got 150 yards to the front and 160 the to hole and you kind of hit your shot. This week 150 yards only plays 135, and then you factor in the wind and then maybe it's ten yards downhill. So there are a lot more numbers. You feel like more of a mathematician this week probably than any other week or tour, that's for are. Q. You're a student of business and follow investing and. Did you do any analysis of Stableford versus not? Have you crunched the numbers at all? J.J. HENRY: Well, I think somebody mentioned, one of you guys last year mentioned I might have shot 17‑ or 18‑under par if it was a medal play tournament. Still would have been good enough to win if that was the case. This week I don't think about that. All I try and think about is birdie and a bogey is better than two pars. When you have a chance to be aggressive or when you hit a par‑5 and have a chance to make an eagle, you can pass 40 guys making an eagle on one hole. You know, so again, we love it. You talk to any player here, I don't think there will be any player here that doesn't like this format or the change of pace. We play so many tournaments, and you go from week to week and everything seems to be the same. This week, other than maybe the match play event early in the year, this is really the only other event you feel like it stands alone as something that's unique. I think the players and the fans and people watching all over enjoy this kind of golf. I wish we did it more. I think it's great. Q. You've been here for quite a while. Looking at the field this year, how does it stack up compared to past years? J.J. HENRY: Doug could probably answer that better than me, but taking a quick look, we've got a great field this year. I think a lot of it, too, the way our schedule sets up this year, this is really one of the last chances before the playoff. It was the same from a playoff standpoint, but, you know, guys trying to keep their status. Basically the last full‑field event before the playoffs is in two weeks, the week after the PGA Championship in Greensboro. So there are a lot of guys, veteran guys, major champions, playing this week, and guys, too, that maybe, for whatever reason, have not played in the past because, Oh, I have time in the fall or I have different opportunities. This year especially I think adds a little bit of drama to the field because there are not many opportunities left to get yourself in the playoffs and then to really kind of solidify your status for the '14 season that in reality starts in '13. Q. A lot of golf is name recognition. What does it mean to have a guy like Davis Love, III in the field this week? J.J. HENRY: I think it's a credit to the tournament and where we are. I know Davis loves the outdoors. He loves doing fun things. He's probably on a boat or para‑sailing over in Lake Tahoe right now knowing how much Davis likes doing stuff. Obviously he's a great player, a guy I've always looked up to. He has done so much for the game. I think actually I'm playing with Padraig Harrington this week who is obviously a three‑time major champion. I know he played here last year and loved being here. It's good to see him back. So you got some big names, and at the same time, you've some other guys that are maybe not quite household names but people with a lot of talent that this could be their breakthrough week and be the next Davis love of Padraig Harrington or whoever it is. You look at the list of some of past champions here, we've got some great winners. I think as this gets out and people understand what a great venue this is and the format, I think it only gets bigger and better from here. Q. Just one more. Doing something on Charlie Wi who went to college here for a while before he transferred to Cal. How well do you know him and his game? J.J. HENRY: I know Charlie's game very well. I did a lot of work with Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer who worked with Charlie. He works extremely hard at his game. Definitely a grinder. Just done very well out here. I know he's never won a tournament, but he's been in the hunt seems like all the time. Big fan of his game. I think he's out there ‑ I just happened to see him. He's working hard. Eight guys on the range and he's one of them. He's always been a hard worker. Always tried to get better, and really kind of a technical player. Loves the golf swing and learning more about the golf swing. But definitely an asset to the TOUR. His time is definitely coming. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Charlie win a tournament shortly. I don't consider myself, quote, stack and tilt, but I do spend a lot of the time talking with Mike and Andy, and they've helped me a lot over the years for sure. Q. I heard mention of a tweet where you had some rental car difficulty. J.J. HENRY: Yeah, it was actually yesterday afternoon. I had to be up over the mountain for an event last night. My buddy, my manager, and I were kid of, Let's go over kind of early, midday, check out the lake, have some lunch, and relax a little bit. We were heading just past the entrance to Mt. Rose, and unfortunately the car kind of clonked out on us right on the side of Mt. Rose. Probably could have found a better place to break down. Obviously everybody at the tournament was great. Chris Hoff, the tournament director, I know it's his first year. He's done a phenomenal job here. Luckily I wasn't very far from Montreux, so they brought me a car and off I went. But it was kind of an adventurous hour and a half there, that's for sure, on the side of Mt. Rose. DOUG MILNE: All right, J.J., we appreciate your time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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