Had I Not Become A Professional Golfer,

From The Beginning It Was Drilled Into Me That A Golf Course Was A Place Where Character Fully Reveals Itself -- Both Its Strengths And Its Flaws. As A Result, I Learned Early Not Only To Fix My Ball Marks But Also To Congratulate An Opponent On A Good Shot, Avoid Walking Ahead Of A Player Preparing To Shoot, Remain Perfectly Still When Someone Else Was Playing, And A Score Of Other Small Courtesies That Revealed, In My Father's Mind, One's Abiding Respect For The Game.

I Can Sum It Up Like This: Thank God For The Game Of Golf.

Swing Your Swing. I Know, I Did.

There's No Question That The Galleries Still Like To See Birdies And Eagles. If You Take Them All Away, It Takes Some Of The Dramatics, The Excitement Of A Golf Tournament And We [people] Don't Want To Do That.

The Game Has Such A Hold On Golfers Because They Compete Not Only Against An Opponent, But Also Against The Course, Against Par, And Most Surely- Against Themselves.