You're 40 years old, butyou're coming off your bestseason with three wins andthe $10 million FedEx Cuptitle. Do you consideryourself in your prime?
I do. I'm in my 18th season,so I'm on the back end of mycareer, but I still think I'm inmy prime.
Last year you made yourfewest starts (21) since2004 but had your bestyear. Coincidence?
Possibly, but possibly not—I wasin a good frame of mind, I waswell rested. I would have playedone more if I hadn't overslept[at The Barclays] in New Jersey.
Do you feel like the U.S. Openat Oakmont in 2007 was theone that got away?
As far as majors, I've had mychances. I really had a goodopportunity to win at Augustain '98, I had a chance to win at Birkdale,for the British, in '98, and then I had back-to-back U.S. Opens, '06 and '07, where Ilost by a shot. Augusta maybe [wasn't asclose as] the other three, so I don't knowif I would call that one that got away. Youhave your opportunities and sometimesyou take advantage, sometimes you don't.
Where do you keep your FedEx Cup trophy?
Right now it doesn't really have a spot. It'sjust kind of at the house, downstairs. I guessit's sitting in the dining room. It's not in acase. We don't have an official trophy caseat home. It's out for people to take a lookat it and see it. I think that's where it is.
You look pretty serious on the course.Can you recall something, a movie or aplaying partner, that gave you a goodlaugh recently?
Every day. I've got a terrible memory,though. I'm pretty happy-go-lucky andsarcastic and give my buddies at home somecrap. I'm not very serious off the golf course,it's just the way I play my best on the course.
Tour watchers hear a lot from JohnnyMiller, Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo on thegolf telecasts. Who's your favorite?
I watch so little golf, I'm not sure—allthe anchors are pretty darn good. Nantzhas the voice and I like watching NBCtelecasts as well. I think Roger Maltbie'sfunny. I'm more tuned into the interviewaspect of it. I like Steve Sands on the GolfChannel—I like him as a person, I like theinterviews. You tend to give the guys youlike a little more time—by the way, I needto get going soon.
How would you be as a broadcaster?
I've done four days, a couple of days atKapalua and a couple of days at the Players,but it's always been a situation wheresomebody tees me up and it's been very easy.
Were you any good?
I don't know. I sat next to Ian Baker-Finchfor two days and they would ask very easyquestions and make it very easy for me toanswer. I could play the Stadium Courseat TPC Sawgrass and Kapalua in my sleep,so describing the shots was pretty easy.Everyone was kind of taking care of me.I think I could do okay at it, but I'm surethere's a learning curve. Being an anchor—that's a knack that I will never have.
Let's say you win the Masters in your15th try. What's on the menu for theChampions Dinner?
Wow, I can pick anything? I'd have topick some ethnic food. My mom's Czechand Polish and my dad's Ukrainian andHungarian. My mom's favorite dish, andmy favorite that she makes, is chicken anddumplings, so a chicken paprikash. I wouldhave to go with maybe a ham and somepierogi—get a little hunky in there, as wecall it back in the Pittsburgh area.
Hunky?
It's like a mutt—you've got a lot of ethnicbackground in you. That would be me. I'ma mutt.
Where do you think you have thebest shot at winning a major in 2011—Augusta National, Congressional,St. Georges or Atlanta Athletic Club?
If I had to pick one I'd say Congo—Congressional. The U.S. Open's beengood to me, and I like the golf course. I thinkall of the majors set up better for me thanthey did last year. St. Andrews is not mystyle, Pebble's okay, and Whistling Straitsis not much my style.
Tweet
Venezuela’s Chavez says he is no enemy of golfThorrington's “invaluable” Man Utd experience
