THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome HyFlyers GC, Brendan Steele, captain Phil Mickelson, Andy Ogletree and Cam Tringale. Welcome, guys.
So I'm going to kick us off by asking the same question I asked the guys yesterday. Tomorrow will be LIV's 100th round of competition golf.
So if you guys can each just take a moment and reflect back on London 2022. Some of you were there, some of you weren't, but just how far we've come, where we came from, where we are now, and also where we're going to be in another hundred rounds.
So I'll start with you, Phil.
PHIL MICKELSON: It's exciting to see how far things have come and the direction that things are heading, and to be a part of it from day one is a very cool feeling.
And I'm more excited about the next hundred rounds. There were a lot more challenges in the first hundred. I just see a lot more growth at a much faster rate in the next hundred rounds.
CAMERON TRINGALE: Although not being in London a hundred rounds ago, I remember vividly watching it on my laptop in the Miami airport. It was really revolutionary to our game.
So to have joined it not too long after that and just seeing how much growth, and how much steam it's picked up is exciting to be a part of, and like Phil, looking forward to the next hundred and just curious and excited to see where we go.
THE MODERATOR: Brendan?
BRENDAN STEELE: On the one hand, it's only been two years, which is crazy to how much we have accomplished in those two years. Really exciting to see how much steam we have, how much traction we have.
Some of these events have just been incredible, and I think like as the schedule gets more and more stable with places that have really good fan interaction and good sponsor support, it's just going to get better and better.
It's amazing to see how far we've come already, and obviously the sky is the limit in the future.
THE MODERATOR: And Andy, you have a unique perspective on this. I would love to hear from you.
ANDY OGLETREE: I was at the first tournament in 2022 in London; that was only my event that year. For me, it was a culture shock of seeing golf in such a new light. Every tournament that I had played up to that point had eight people watching and no music and all the things.
So it was such a fun week and such a fun event, and like Cam said, it was revolutionary to the game of golf, giving it such new life. I think all the new momentum we've gained, how much better the field has gotten, if you look at the first event adversity suss now the field is a lot deeper, and I think it's only going to continue to go that way. Yeah, just all the momentum that LIV has gotten this last hundred rounds has been amazing.
THE MODERATOR: What has been your favorite memory over these last 100 rounds?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think rather than one specific memory, it's more the experience of sharing things with the guys. We had a great day yesterday. We had a great day together at the start of the year. We've had great days where we lift each other up and we are looking to improve, working to get better and doing that together is a unique and special experience from my professional career.
This provides new opportunities to achieve higher levels, and to do it together is what I cherish about this.
THE MODERATOR: And Andy, kind of piggybacking on that, can you talk about what this experience has been like for you this year, like having Phil as a mentor, being part of this team and having like full status on LIV?
ANDY OGLETREE: Yeah, obviously the goal last year was to have full status for me and when the opportunity presented itself to play on Phil's team is just one I couldn't pass up. To be able to pick the brain of one of the greatest golfers of all time and consider myself a close friend of his is the coolest thing.
All of us do a lot together. We all bounce ideas off of each other. For instance, yesterday we had a sports psychologist come in, and we all worked together and talked about things that we want to do better as a team, and teams things we think we can do better individually. And I don't think other teams do that kind of stuff. I think it makes our team super special, and we're all very close and trying to accomplish one goal.
THE MODERATOR: I know giving back is important to all of you guys. You have partnered with Bunkers in Baghdad, which supplies golf balls and golf equipment to troops serving overseas, all over the world. I know you guys have Bunkers in Baghdad drop boxes here this week. So we'd just like to hear from each of you on this partnership and what it means to you to give back to our troops.
BRENDAN STEELE: Yeah, Joe Hanna, the founder, is just an incredible person. Does everything with a full-time job and kids at home, young kids. He's just done such an incredible thing and he's done it for a really long time. And we are really fortunate to be able to jump in and try to give him a little bit of a boost. He's already done so much great work. We're just fortunate to be able to help a little bit.
But yeah, we're having the drop boxes and we would love everybody to come and donate balls, clubs, whatever they can. Be really helpful to us and to him and to everyone serving overseas.
THE MODERATOR: I understand people get a free grounds pass to attend a LIV event if they come and donate; is that correct? Yeah? Okay. Great.
And Cam, why is giving back to the military important to you?
CAMERON TRINGALE: So many of our freedoms are only really available because of what the sacrifices people make to go serve overseas, and we can't possibly say thank you adequately enough.
But in our space of golf, what we can do is try and pass on the enjoyment that the game has given us. There's lots of people here, back in the States who are rehabbing or coming home from a tour; for them to experience golf, it's just a very small way that we can contribute to their well being as they come back. It's not enough, but it's what little we can do to help.
THE MODERATOR: I know military causes have been very important to you for your whole career. Can you just share a little bit about that?
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, it's very special to me. My father served, and even though I didn't serve in the military, we all have a responsibility to help and support those that have.
And Greenbrier has a great history here of supporting military projects, and I think that what's special about Bunkers in Baghdad is unlike many charities that have a large administration fee, Joe Hanna has 99 percent of all revenues going to get the clubs and balls out to sold years, men and women that have supported this country.
And so that type of support and not -- knowing that all the money is going to the cause is a real big reason why Bunkers in Baghdad and our partnership has been -- why we're so proud of it.
THE MODERATOR: That's amazing.
So shifting gears just a little bit. I know Phil, you just had an epic Break 50 with Bryson that you guys recorded this week. You're big into YouTube now or getting into it. Can you just talk a little bit about your newfound passion and details of your episode with Bryson?
PHIL MICKELSON: So I haven't really dove into it yet but I've dabbled with a match or two.
Bryson has opened a lot of opportunities and kind of shown professional golfers the opportunities that YouTube can bring and social media can bring, and he's doing it in a very engaging way that is bringing a young fan base to follow many of the pros, his teams.
But getting professional golf exposed to younger players and creating this connection; and you're getting to see an inside part of Bryson's life and who he is, and I think he's just kind of the model for what professional golfers can do.
And there are other players that aren't on tour that -- Grant Horvat, a lot of people, great players, who are bringing YouTube golf and making the game cool. I think that's a huge thing as we try to continue supporting the growth of the game nationally and internationally.
And so there's just a lot of great things that can come from it. Bryson is kind of showing the way, and I think it's just a small part of what it can be.
THE MODERATOR: Just to piggyback off of that, can you tell us a little bit about HyFlyers, Pros vs. Schmos in Chicago? Can you share details of that?
PHIL MICKELSON: It looks like Andy and I are going to be representing the HyFlyers and take on two Schmos. And it's a way, again, of connecting with the fans in a way that we haven't done in the past in the game and letting guys at home who enjoy the game, who think they talk a good game and can handle it, we're going to see if they can really handle it.
So we'll find out how great the smack talk is and how great their ability to take it is, and Andy and I, we like to dish it.
So again, it's engaging social media and YouTube and the opportunities that LIV Golf provides to bring together players and fans.
THE MODERATOR: Andy, are you looking forward to this?
ANDY OGLETREE: Yeah, I can't wait. That will be super fun. Obviously it's awesome for people who normally wouldn't get the chance to play with people like Phil. So to submit a video and say why they think they are deserving and obviously show some personality, and I think it's just going to be super exciting and something that those guys will remember forever until and tell all their friends about.
THE MODERATOR: Last question from me.
Yesterday we talked with Bubba, Patrick Reed and Bryson about their love for the Greenbrier and what makes this place so special and why this week is so great for you guys. Would just last week to hear from each you have about your experience at the Greenbrier and why you love with it.
BRENDAN STEELE: Yeah, it's my daughter's favorite place to come of the year. It's like summer camp for her. She starts cool next week so this is like the big last hoorah. There's a million activities for her now. I've been coming here since before she was born.
It always been fun for me as well but really cool to share it with her and have her blow it out here for the last few days of summer that. Just makes it really enjoyable for me.
PHIL MICKELSON: So it's "America's Resort," and there's so much history here that's transpired.
What I love is seeing the old pictures of Sam Snead, one of the greats in the game that spent so much time here. Seeing the pictures and the photographs and understanding a lot of the history of the great players and what's transpired here. Incredible design by C.V. MacDonald is a special place in the game of golf; the way that it's a great golf course, but also brought together some of the greatest to have ever played.
ANDY OGLETREE: I just love the convenience of this place: Hotel, restaurants, golf course, everything is right here, all that we need. I never have to leave property the whole week, and it's such a fantastic golf course.
I love the golf course setup as well. It's in such great condition. I think the scores are going to be really nice. It's just such a convenient week. You.
CAMERON TRINGALE: Like Brendan, I've been coming here a long time and the golf course is fantastic. I love that aspect of it. But I think what really sets this place apart is sort of the hospitality that you receive when you're here. It's almost like going back in time in a sense when people are really friendly and nice which isn't always the case today.
So I just love it. It's a bit of an escape to sort of another era and you can really feel the history here. They celebrate it and it's cool to step into this place and have a week here.
Q. So how would you construct the perfect Schmo?
PHIL MICKELSON: I think the perfect Schmo is somebody that loves golf; that is fun; that can laugh at himself but can also give somebody a little bit of grief in a fun way. Like so it's not like in your face, but is a little bit more lighthearted. Like has a good delivery. I think that's going to be key.
So these videos are going to be able to tell a lot on how well they are going to be able to different it and how well they are going to be able to take it. Because I think that's what's so fun about the game.
Like we love everything about the game of golf, whether it's competing against each other or playing golf with our friends and just giving each other a hard time which is what a lot of the players at home can identify with. Going out with their local group and giving their buddies a hard time and enjoying everybody he is accompany and that's what it's about. We are trying to create that environment with a huge discrepancy in skill level.
Q. What is the most important rule in Phil's Book of Rules?
PHIL MICKELSON: Is that I can make them up as we golf so there's like a lot of blank pages that we just kind of fill in as we go.
CAMERON TRINGALE: That is most definitely true.
BRENDAN STEELE: It always good to be Phil's partner when Phil's book comes out.
PHIL MICKELSON: That's true.
Q. And this is for the other three guys, something that Jane had mention the earlier, and I remember speaking to Phil in the off-season, you guys had dinner with Sabrage competition, I think, and I asked him what was the perfect kind of a fun moment with the team and he mentioned that. I just wanted to ask the other three guys, what would be a fun memory that you've had in the first two years here with LIV?
BRENDAN STEELE: Yeah, too many to name. Obviously that Sabrage dinner was really fun. That was at the end of last season. We had a great time in Australia. This year we all shared a house together and just a lot of fun there. The dinners and kind of hanging out there was really great.
Just going all over the world with three of your best friends. I mean, how can you beat that? We are doing really cool stuff. We like to do everything together. So we play practise rounds together. We eat dinner together. We travel together. We stay together. We do everything, practise at home and stuff.
So a lot of the great moments are even just when we're around California and playing and working on stuff. Spending time with Phil over the off-season was really great for me. It really pushed me way forward. So a lot of stuff. Every day is good memories and new, really cool things.
CAMERON TRINGALE: Anything that sticks out? Like Steeley said, they are numerous. We have the greater teams, our caddie, our support team we do team dinners every once in a while, and those are always fun. Amy usually has something up her sleeve for us. So you never know what's coming.
But we laugh a lot. We genuinely enjoy being around each other and for me, life's about not what you do but who you're doing it with, and I'm so proud of these guys. I love being on their team. It's really just a fun group.
Q. One thing that sticks out in your mind from this season?
ANDY OGLETREE: From this season, probably celebrating Steeley's win in Australia was super fun. Like he said, we were all staying in a house together and just having everyone over. Everyone was so happy for him and what he accomplished and we also had a good finish that week as a team, third-place finish.
So I think just like Cam said as well, doing everything together. Steeley and I had a joint birthday party in Miami this year, I think is what you're referring to. Seeing Camo's dance moves that Amy made him get up there in front of everyone and do, stuff like that. We have such a good time.
Yeah, I love traveling with these guys and doing all these fun things.
Q. One last question from me. As you look at the individual and team leaderboard this season, is there one surprise either way that you've seen through the first 11 tournaments of the year?
BRENDAN STEELE: One surprise as in like talking about for us or for just in general? I don't know, the league is so deep now. There's so many great players. You do see the best players are rising to the top, you know, over the course of the season.
So it doesn't really surprise me with Rahm up there, with Joaquin up there, with Tyrrell up there. Like those guys are incredible players. We all know that. So that doesn't really surprise me a whole lot. And the teams are a lot stronger this year than they were last year or the year before.
The competition is just really deep and really tough. So you have to be on your game. There's no messing around. We haven't quite had the season that we'd like to have, but we can turn that around really quick these last three weeks.
PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I think the biggest surprise that we are not higher up on the leaderboard and we are pursuing a whole different way to get there. We are not complacent. We are working hard and we have a good game plan of how we are going to get there.
We've had a few little setbacks this year but nothing permanent. We're ready to start pursuit up that leaderboard, and I think we are going to have some success here. That, to me, is the biggest surprise, and we're going to change that. We're going to work hard until we do change it.
CAMERON TRINGALE: I'm with Phil as far as maybe our team specifically is not on -- higher up on the list but that's the game of golf; it's got ups and downs.
I think what we are focusing on is the last three events, how can we really be thriving as we finish the year and have a big finish and win the team championships.
Q. Phil had mentioned that once you got over some of the injuries, he thought you were going to be able to flash pretty nicely, and in the U.K. you did. How satisfying is that to get some of those injuries behind you and seeing the results?
ANDY OGLETREE: Super satisfying. Phil had helped me a little bit with my swing that week. I had been working on some stuff to get into my right side a little better and to get the club down in front of me to take some pressure off the list wrist. I was doing a little too much with my upper body and wrist flexion at the top of my backswing to get the club laid off.
Basically I needed to get a little more deeper into my right hip to get the club more in front of me without having to do as much with my wrist, and I was able to keep the angle a little straighter, which definitely alleviated some of that pain. That's something I'll take with me the left rest of the year and hopefully stack up some good tournaments.
THE MODERATOR: Last one. We have to get these guys to the Pro-Am.
Q. Is there anything that you've learned from playing with one of the greatest of all time that you didn't know before? Like for your actual game?
BRENDAN STEELE: For me he's been a great friend for a long time, and he's taught me a ton over the last 15 years. But being able to spend a ton of time with him in the off-season to sharp eastbound up my short game, understand how the wedges work, how they go into different lies. He made my wedge play really simple which was awesome.
But there's been everything from technical stuff with short game and wedges and things like that to strategy to mental game to how to close a tournament. He helped me a ton in Australia getting ready for the last two rounds. We went out and walked out and had coffee both mornings and kind of talked about what I wanted to do for those days.
He's just a huge help to me personally all across the board with everything that I've done.
ANDY OGLETREE: For me, it's more paying attention. It's not necessarily asking a ton of questions. It's just watching the way that he goes about it with all that Phil has accomplished and you know where he's at in his career. It's like he has nothing left to prove, and he still grinds super hard and works harder than anyone out here.
I think that's what impresses me the most and something that I take away is how determined and how invested and how present he still is with all that he's accomplished, and still just striving to get better every single day.
CAMERON TRINGALE: I would say similar. So many things in the game but what I would say that I've most gleaned from Phil is his love from the game and how that has spurred on my own curiosity and ways to get better.
It's so refreshing because so many pros could be -- could not have that attitude and Phil, you know, is like a 15-year-old kid: Loves the game, has so much enthusiasm.
And I think, you know, being a middle-aged pro, like I was starting to get to that point maybe where I could get comfortable, and I think he's just challenged me to keep looking and keep aspiring for more.
THE MODERATOR: Phil, how does that feel to hear all of these nice things all the time from your teammates?
PHIL MICKELSON: I mean, I got chills. It really means a lot to me to hear those words. It's very flattering, and I just think the world of these three guys and I've had so much fun spending time with them. I've gotten so much out of my time with them. It just means a lot to me. It's really a special deal.
I'm very appreciative of the environment that LIV has provided and that this team environment has given me and the joy, the amount of joy and happiness and fulfillment that I've had these last couple of years working, striving and trying to pursue other goals.
THE MODERATOR: Love it. Thank you guys so much. Have a great Pro-Am and good luck this week. Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports