In this segment from Inside GOLF Magazine TV we meet PGA Tour player and the recent winner of the Verizon Heritage Classic, Brian Gay. He talks about his experience, learning how to win and hold a lead on the final day of a tour event. Here is the transcript: LET?S MEET THE
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2009 VERIZON HERITAGE WINNER, BRIAN GAY AND FIND OUT HOW HE GOT STARTED IN GOLF WHILE LEARNING TO HANDLE THE PRESSURE THAT COMES WITH LEADING A PGA EVENT. MY DAD GOT ME STARTED. HE WAS A SCRATCH GOLFER AND HE PLAYED ON THE ALL-ARMY TEAM. WE MOVED TO ALABAMA IN FOURTH GRADE AND THEN, WE STAYED THERE. HE RETIRED NOT LONG AFTER THAT, AT A RANGE AND A PRACTICE AREA WHERE YOU COULD HIT YOUR OWN BALLS. SO I WAS ABLE TO GO OUT THERE WITH MY BUDDIES AND WE JUST DID A LOT OF WEDGE SHOTS, CHIPPING AND PICKING UP THE BALLS, SHAG BAG AFTER SHAG BAG. IT?S ONE OF MY FAVORITE GOLF COURSES, IT SUITS MY GAME WELL. I?VE BEEN PLAYING WELL, NOT REALLY GETTING GREAT RESULTS THE MONTH BEFORE THAT. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT EVENT BUT, IT WAS A STRANGE WEEK BECAUSE ON WEDNESDAY IN THE PRO-AM, I'M NOT USUALLY THAT FOCUSED ON THE PRO-AM, I WAS REALLY DIALED IN ON WEDNESDAY, WHICH IS UNUSUAL. THAT MAY NOT MEAN ANYTHING BUT, IT CARRIED OVER AND GOT OFF TO A GOOD START, THURSDAY, AND WAS REALLY FOCUSED ALL WEEK. HAVING THE THREE-SHOT LEAD ON SUNDAY ? HAVING THE LEAD, LAST YEAR, IN MEXICO, ON SUNDAY BY FIVE WHEN I WON. WENT OUT AND PLAYED CAUTIOUS THAT DAY, TRYING NOT TO SCREW UP, THAT HELPED ME A BUNCH AT HILTON HEAD, THIS YEAR, BECAUSE I KNEW I COULDN?T AFFORD TO DO THAT WITH A THREE-SHOT LEAD. I WANTED TO KEEP THE PEDAL DOWN AND STAY FOCUSED. I DIDN?T PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING ELSE, DIDN?T LOOK AT ANY BOARDS. JUST KEPT MOVING FORWARD; TRIED TO PUSH FORWARD AND PULL AWAY. I KNEW I HAD A PRETTY GOOD LEAD. I DIDN?T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS 6 OR 8, OR WHATEVER BUT, I KNEW I WAS PRETTY FAR AHEAD. I DIDN?T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN IT AND I DIDN?T WANT TO LOOK AT THE BOARDS AND START THINKING ABOUT IT. I DIDN?T RELAX UNTIL THE LAST TWO HOLES WHERE I SAID, IT?S OVER, NOW. I'M GOING TO GET IT IN NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS NOW. I RAN INTO MR. PALMER AT BAY HILL A FEW DAYS LATER. HE CONGRATULATED ME AND TOLD ME HE WON THE VERY FIRST TOURNAMENT THERE. HE SAID, WHEN I WON THERE, IT WAS SO TIGHT WE HAD TO WALK SINGLE FILE DOWN THE FAIRWAY. LIKE IT?S NOT TIGHT NOW. IT?S PRETTY SPECIAL. INSIDE THE CLUB HOUSE WE WERE HAVING A CELEBRATION THAT EVENING AND I SAW THE PLAQUE ON THE WALL WITH ALL THE NAMES. I DIDN?T REALIZE ALL THE GREATS THAT WON THAT TOURNAMENT.
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