Q & A
Question:
Hunter, I met you today at TP. You signed a ball and hat for me. I just wanted to tell you, “I like how you golf”. I am your fan. Nicholas age 7 (San Diego)
Answer:
Thanks Nicholas! Hope you had fun. Thanks for coming out!
Question:
How did the environment of the Ryder Cup differ from that of a normal tournament?
Answer:
There was just more crazy energy. There’s always pressure in any tournament you play, but like I said, it’s so definitive on one side or the other. When you play a major, there are a ton of guys trying to win. You don’t feel like the fans are cheering for anyone; they just want to see good shots. It was nothing I’ve ever seen or felt before. It’s just different. It’s hard to describe to someone how it’s different from a major, but it is. You’ve got teammates and wives and captains and fans completely cheering against you. But it was a great feeling. That’s what the Ryder Cup is all about. They had a home-field advantage. That’s what helped us succeed in ’08 and that’s what helped them succeed this year.
Question:
What do you do off of the course during tournament weeks?
Answer:
It depends on the city, but as a big basketball fan I like to take in a game anytime I can. At the Northern Trust Open in L.A. I caught a Lakers game. During baseball season I always try to catch a game in cities with teams. The worst thing you can do is sit around and think about your round. You have to give your mind a rest.
Updates
Mon, Jan 12th 2009, 10:55
Hunter re-signs with Ping
Ryder Cup standout Hunter Mahan extended his endorsement agreement with industry leader PING and leads a staff of 16 fully exempt players as the PGA tour kicks off its 2009 season this week, PING Chairman & CEO John Solheim announced today.
“We’re very pleased with the quality and depth of our PGA Tour staff as we begin the 2009 season,” said Solheim. “Continuing our relationship with Hunter was a key objective for us from a tour standpoint. In the last two years, he’s established himself as one of the game’s top young players. He provides us a high-profile, aggressive player who’s fun to watch.”
Mahan, a captain’s pick for the victorious Ryder Cup team, begins his sixth year on the PGA Tour. He joined the PING staff as a rookie following an award-winning career at Oklahoma State University and has one PGA Tour victory to his credit—the 2007 Travelers Championship. In 2008, he finished 30th on the money list and registered five top tens. He played in all five matches at the Ryder Cup where he compiled an undefeated record (2-0-3). At the Kiwi Challenge, a made-for-TV event featuring four of the top young players in the game, he was six-under-par over the final six holes while winning the $1.5 million top prize.
“I’ve been with PING since my college days and I have complete trust in my equipment and the team at PING,” said Mahan, who lives in Plano, Texas. “To extend my relationship with them gives me great confidence going forward. I’m in the prime of my career and I need to play equipment that gives me the best opportunity to become one of the top players in the game.”
He’ll begin the season with several of PING’s newest products, including a Rapture V2® driver, S57® irons and an iWi® D66® putter.
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Caddie's Corner
Hunter’s Caddie, John Wood, gives you the inside scoop on life in the PGA. Find tips, recommendations, and insider info usually reserved for tour pros right here at the Caddie’s Corner.
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