CONSTELLATION FURYK & FRIENDS PRESENTED BY CIRCLE K

October 3, 2024

Jim Furyk

Timuquana Country Club

Press Conference

Q. ... finger on why guys want to come here. We could say the course, but then they're going to have to go to another course in a couple years. Beyond that, why do you think they keep coming back here?

JIM FURYK: Well, again, they do love the golf course. It's a great spot for us and we're very appreciative. I think what we wanted to build, played the TOUR for a lot of years, kind of understand. It's been a learning process to see it from the event side and the pro-ams and what needs to go into it from a volunteer standpoint to make a successful event.

As a player, I think Tabitha and I always picked our bits and pieces that we liked from every event. What did they do good in LA? What did they do good in Columbus? What did they do well in Fort Worth, Orlando, Bay Hill? So just take bits and pieces of what we like and try to incorporate all of that into this event.

So a lot of it is really trying to treat the caddies well, players well, the food. Food here is amazing. Just really the service that goes into it, you know, down to transportation. (Indiscernible) for a number of years around the country. He's the best at it.

So trying to make sure that when they fly in, fly out, everyone is treated as good as possible. I think those things go a long way into making the week special for the players.

On top of that, they love the golf course and get to see a different part of Jacksonville that they have never seen before. Always went to Ponte Vedra, go from the airport, drive right through downtown, or you take 295 and miss it. End up at Ponte Vedra all week and on this side of town. People have not seen what our city has to offer.

It's a beautiful part of our city and it's kind of -- living here now, I mean, it's the folks that live on this side of town are folks that grew up here and are from Jacksonville.

It's what our event is all about, showcasing the city and the needs. A lot of our charitable needs are her in this area and kind of revolve around the city of Jacksonville.

Makes a lot of sense, but I just think the players kind of see a different side of Jacksonville, and we try to incorporate our favorite things from the other events we always played.

Q. I know this whole tournament is all about giving. You and Tabitha have made that clear. Can you touch more on what you guys are not only giving as a tournament, but also to the city of Jacksonville by having this tournament here this weekend?

JIM FURYK: Well, I think you can look at -- Mayor Donna Deegan mentioned it, we're creating a lot of business, filling up a lot of hotel rooms. I think there is an economic impact to start with. More importantly, Constellation has giving us an opportunity to grow the platform, to raise more Monday for charity.

We are really proud of the event that we hosted for ten years, Furyk & Friends that we hosted and were raising about $4000, $5000 every year. That was our big fundraiser and were able to do a lot of great work in the community, but we knew we were scratching the surface. We want to grow and we want to partner with more organizations that are doing amazing work in our city.

Constellation and the PGA TOUR, having this event and having the PGA TOUR Champions event allows us to grow that platform. Three years now, $3, $4, $5 million, and having Constellation step up and wanting to renew to go through at least 2030 is just huge for our foundation.

Allows us to keep growing and doing more work and have a big impact. I think we always focus on the charitable side because that's why we exist. That's why our foundation exists. Why the tournament was created. We want our fans to have a great time. Want to provide entertainment.

But at the end of the day we're trying to raise as much money for charity as we possibly can. We are very proud of the economic impact on the city as well.

Q. I wanted to add one more Presidents Cup question. What was your message to the guys in the team room at 5-0, and did that substantially change when it was 5-5 going into the weekend?

JIM FURYK: I think the message on Thursday night was -- and we had some guys step up, hey, high fives and hugs are great, but this isn't over. We played for one sixth of the points. We got a lot of work to do.

We knew they would come out fighting the next day, scratching and clawing. They had to. They put it on us on Friday. Hats off to the international team. They turned it around quickly.

The message there is okay, you know what? We got thumped today. We got to beat. But it's still 5-5. It's back it 0-0 basically. It's time to turn the momentum. The fans are going to be loud, cheering for them.

Our messaging really was very simple. I took the guys, and 17 of us captains, players, we locked ourselves in the room and talked through what we saw that day. Leaders stepped up and had some great messaging.

For me, talking to my assistants, it was hey, today is over with. Let's talk through it and figure out what happened out there today. What can we do tomorrow. Let's talk through it and let's forget about. It is over with and now we are looking at the future and what do we need to do tomorrow to stay in the present on Friday and have a good day to get back there and create some -- I guess show our dominance I guess. Go out there and be the Alpha and set the tone early on Friday morning.

You know, we went back. It was super quiet on the bus on Friday night. To see these guys wake up -- we had to get up the at about 3:30 in the morning, on the bus at 4:15. The guys looked determined. I mean, just the looks on their faces getting off that bus at the golf course, I really felt like we were going to have a good day.

They were super focused and kind of gotten rid of what happened on Friday. They were super focused on getting out there Saturday and getting after it early.

Q. That's an early wake-up call.

JIM FURYK: Yes. Didn't sleep much.

Q. Was there a point on Saturday where you felt comfortable, okay, these guys are playing well and it's only going to take an extraordinary effort by the other team?

JIM FURYK: I did an interview on the 12th tee right in the middle of the matches. Tommy Roy had sent Damon Hack out there. There is three red numbers up on the board. Are you feeling confident about what you see right now? 3-1, U.S.

Again, slow down, those three red numbers are 1, 1, and 1. 1-up in three matches and only on 10, 11, 12. A lot of golf to be played. We focused a little bit on the back nine, focused on the finish.

That's kind of where Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup is won, on the back nine, late holes.

There was a lot of the water. 14 through 18 in Royal Montréal all have water. Very dramatic holes. A lot can happen. What our team did well is won key holes and key matches and did a lot of that work on the back nine.

Hats off to my players. They were gutsy. They were just a tough team down the stretch. So that 3-1 start Saturday morning was key. And then all the matches in the afternoon were important.

But walking up on the last match, I got Pat and X out there, two of the toughest players. We have, and we go into Sunday with a two-point lead. If they lose that hole, we can go in with a three, four point lead. If they halve that hole, four point lead if they win that hole.

And Pat had a good drive. Spun that wedge back. Went into the hole and Pat fashioned a key putt for us.

That's a big difference, two point lead going into Sunday versus a three is huge; four is even bigger.

That was a very key moment in the matches. I think gave our team a big boost.

Q. (Regarding breaking up pairings.) They would take those four or five players and pick other people to put with them and play them until they died on the course.

JIM FURYK: Yeah, I think I only broke up one pairing from Saturday, Sam Burns and Colin Morikawa were a pairing that didn't play on Friday in alternate shot but played Saturday. Other than that, we kept our pairs together. My pairs. They stayed together the whole way. I think we had those pretty early, before we got to Montreal. You make sure the personalities worked out. Make sure the guys were comfortable.

I think you get there, you practice, you really kind of hone that in and see if things are working the way you think they will. There is a lot of truth to what you said about putting some veteran guys together.

Obviously everyone was shocked on Wednesday night when they didn't see Pat and X playing Four-Ball together. I knew we were coming in strong the next day with them. They ran into a buzz saw Friday morning. Played some decent golf and they guys they played were (indiscernible.)

So hats off to that group. But, yeah, we had a pretty good plan going in and I wanted to stick with it. Felt like I wanted everyone to be comfortable. There is a lot of truth in what you said, in why guys played together.

I got a kick -- McInnis and (indiscernible) on their show, I think they called me captain hunch, which made me laugh. Man, you guys know me better than this. There is no hunches on this one. You make a plan. Sometimes it works. Thursday it worked; Friday didn't work so well.

You make a plan. I said that I felt like I was maybe a half a day ahead from 2018 to 2014. What I meant by that was I was already talking about pairings before. I was trying to make sure that when I put that group of 12 together, that there was going to not ever be a surprise for folks.

I was talking to Scottie back at the Tour Championship about whether they worked out or not, so knew well in advance that he was going to be on that team. It was no surprise to him. So trying get ahead of things a little bit was key for our team.

Mike was doing the same thing. He had those six guys in Montreal practicing so he was a week ahead as well making those picks. Really not a lot of hunches. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't.

For me when I look at it, my guys, they just were tough down the stretch and we came up -- a putt here and a putt there in those matches totally changes the scores significantly than what it looked like.

That's kind of how those matches go. My guys came up with the big moments and the big putts.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

JIM FURYK: I mean, I don't remember.

Q. ...said just play your game, I'll take care of everything else.

JIM FURYK: I mentioned to my guys there that I really want them to just be themselves. There's a reason you're on this team. You're one of the best Americans that we can have out here. I'd love it if each one of you -- when I struggled or didn't play my best in a big moment, it was always because I probably over-reached, over-stretched, tried to do things that I normally wouldn't because I was trying to be too perfect.

That's not (indiscernible.) You're out here for a reason. Just be you. That was one of the messages that I kind of had throughout the week. I think that's what Seby was telling Jose Maria. And I love the leadership of that. Like don't worry, I got you. Because he had a knack for coming up in the big moments.

Q. What's gratifying about being a captain now? What do you feel like you did well?

JIM FURYK: Well, I mean, trust me, I remember the feeling from 2018 and I -- that week hurt for a long time. I remember it. Being with my family and the kids and Tab and how much work we put into it. When it doesn't turn out the way you want it is a hollow feeling.

All of us as golfers probably remember the losses a lot more than we remember the wins if that makes sense. It hurts a lot deeper than sometimes the celebrations.

But, you know, kind of to have both kids, I mean, Caleigh is working full time now; Tanner was between two stints in Singapore and Berlin and had four days off and flew into Montreal. To have the kids there and Tab and share that with my family, mom and dad were there, Tab's parents were there, was really cool to share that with the team.

What do I think I did really well? If I can, I mean, I think part of being a captain is when things don't go the way you want, you're going to take a lot of the blame. That's part of it. I think you have to.

I think captain always has to go down with the ship. I think when the team plays really well you really have to take your hat off to the team. I mean, I didn't -- I didn't knock in any 20-footers, hit all those fairways and play well. They were tough. They were just really good.

I think as a captain, just it's a big group of people. Everyone focuses on the 12 players. Everyone focuses, but you got to think about -- I had four assistants that were amazing; 12 amazing players.

Then I had -- you have all the wives and significant others, caddies and a lot of their wives and significant others. Group of at least ten, maybe 12 physios. Our staff on the TOUR, the folks from the PGA TOUR that were assigned to the U.S. was an amazing group that was put together.

Did an incredible job. I think really just trying to get my guys all week, like just trying to get -- create an atmosphere that everyone feels comfortable, everyone feels like they're a part of it, because they are, and trying to get all 75 people headed in the same direction.

That's probably something I focused on for the last six months. How are we going to do that? How are we going to message that? Just had a great bunch. All those parties I just mentioned, and whoever I forget, just amazing to work with. Very gracious. I think they all -- I hope they all know they played a very good, very big role.

Everyone feels like they played a minor role. They played a big role in the fact we all came together and moved in the same direction. The leadership on my team was -- I've already mentioned those guys by name. The leadership on my team and the folks you said I partnered with, were incredible. Just they made a captain's job very, very easy.

Q. To pivot to this week, between Presidents Cup and tournament host, you stay fairly busy. How is your golf game feeling right now? And can you talk a little bit about that.

JIM FURYK: What golf game? I was injured. Hurt my -- I don't know how, but hurt my forearm, kind of wrist area in Flint. I came home. Had it looked at.

It was muscular issue. Received a cortisone shot immediately after Flint and was basically told that I shouldn't hit a golf ball or pick up a club for at least three weeks. It was something that could linger and go on for months.

Thankfully, after three weeks I still -- was still not feeling the best. But once I got through three weeks it was time to focus on the Presidents Cup and that got me to five weeks.

So I played Tuesday for the first time in I think it was 36 days. First time I had a club in my hand. We had an off site pro-am and I was able to play 18 holes and no pain.

Also hadn't played golf in about 36 days and kind of looked like it to be honest with you. Fudged it through a little bit. Kind of looked like it. I was able to come out yesterday and hit some balls and worked on my putting a little bit. Just haven't worked on my game.

I'm going to be extremely -- I'm going to be extremely rusty, and I think I don't have a lot of expectations for the week.

But be nice to go back out there on the golf course. Been a tough year. I really have driven the ball poorly. That's no secret. I've driven it short, and I found that's just a really bad combination in golf.

Like short and straight -- short and crooked doesn't work too well. I need to kind of -- I need to have a little bit of a reset I think end of this year and try to get -- I keep saying this -- but get back to healthy.

I need to kind of gain some confidence again of what I'm doing in my golf swing and in my game. That's not there right now. But I'm going to have a lot of fun this week. A little bit of a victory lap from last week into, like I said, just this is our biggest and most special week of the year. Constellation Furyk & Friends. Having the announcement for the renewal has been amazing. Just excited to see folks, our fans in Jacksonville to watch the event this week. Hopefully raise a bunch of money for charity. It's kind of just -- this week is kind of a dream come true. I'm running on fumes a little bit, but I'm loving every minute of it.

Q. Is it the same wrist?

JIM FURYK: Yeah, same wrist. I don't know, there was two muscles that overlap. They called it intersection syndrome. So one of those muscles got inflamed and then they start rubbing on each other and they both got inflamed. Then my arm was swollen from about here to these knuckles.

It just was painful to play. I got through Flint. The title sponsor there, Ally, is a partner of mine as well, so I wanted to get through the week. But I was struggling.

So right now, I hit balls for two days and got zero pain, which is nice. I'm just rusty.

Q. What are the course conditions looking like for this weekend, especially following storm damage?

JIM FURYK: Yeah, this golf course, kind of low lying golf course. In the renovation a couple years ago, they addressed the drainage a little bit.

I think it's definitely helped. I think over a five week period this area got 24 inches of rain I think it was. That's just a crazy amount of rain.

Fortunate the staff here from the golf shop staff to the superintendant does some amazing work. You wouldn't know it rained that much out there. Yesterday in the pro-am we were cart path only trying to protect it. I think they lifted that today and now we're going to be in the fairways with carts today.

That tells me that the course has come a long way and it's dried up quite a bit. Some rain in the forecast for the rest of the week which - fingers crossed - doesn't hit us.

But I heard the golf course is playing a little long. It's definitely moist out there and wet. Ball not rolling as much as in the past.

But I've also heard it's in very good shape and the greens are incredible from what guys are telling me.