Thorbjornsen: Sniper mentality won Rocket Classic
Michael Thorbjornsen explains how he managed to stay calm and confident navigating a packed leaderboard to emerge with his first PGA Tour win at the final edition of the Rocket Classic.
Video Transcript
Thank you.
Well, what a way to get your first PGA Tour win, draining a 25-footer at the 18th.
This was a jam-packed leaderboard today, Michael.
How were you able to separate yourself as well as you did five under on the back nine and get it done out there?
I just took it one shot at a time.
I didn't really I realized I was five under on the back nine until after the round.
I mean, Xander was playing great.
Chris was playing great as well.
So- Yeah I mean, I, I know I had to make some birdies.
There was, there was a lot of people up there.
So just do the best that you can and see what happens.
You looked really confident and fully in control when you stepped over that putt at the 18th.
What were you thinking in that moment?
It was good speed, that's it.
I feel like I had a pretty good line, and then my speed for the most part today has been pretty spot on or even the whole week.
So I just trusted my feels and just, just saw it going.
You had about five, six players, right on your heels that entire back nine.
How much were you looking at the leaderboard?
How much were you thinking about things?
What was your mentality?
I just tried to fully embrace it.
I, I was looking, at every single, every single leaderboard that there was.
I had to kinda make sure to know where I was at, and feel like you at a certain point in your life you're gonna have to leaderboard watch, and, y- I think you just have to fully embrace it and not get scared about it.
You've been grinding out here on the PGA Tour for a few years now.
How close have you felt that you were coming up to get this first PGA Tour win?
I've, I've been very close a few times.
Did I think that this was gonna be the week even last night?
I don't know.
I, I've kinda stopped thinking about that and just thinking about first, when I'm over, a shot, everything that I need to do in my swing, like full sniper mentality.
And then in between shots, I just watch the clouds and just enjoy the weather.
Well, speaking of the sniper mentality, you hit quite a few snipes this week as well.
You mentioned a new swing coach.
You guys have been working a lot on, your face awareness, your ball striking, especially in the wind.
How much did that work pay off the results here today?
Oh, so much.
I, I think whether it's windy or it's not windy, being able to hit shots and have control over where the ball goes is obviously the most important thing in golf.
Mm-hmm.
And I feel like I was just lacking that, a- and it wasn't consistent enough.
So yeah, working with Foles has been amazing, and I feel like it's, it's allowed me to kind of fully commit to shots.
I mean, those last three holes, having three different winds, having to hit three different types of shots, I, was just proud of myself for being able to do it.
It all looked great out there.
You now move yourself from 69 to 38 in the FedEx Cup standings.
We talked about you being right in the playoff bubble.
You're certainly going to the postseason now, your first postseason.
How much are you looking forward to that?
Yeah, very excited.
I mean, the further you get, the better players there are, and that's why I love playing golf out here on the PGA Tour, is you're playing with the best players in the world, and I just wanna see how you stack up against them.
You, my friend, have a lot to celebrate.
How are you planning to celebrate here in Detroit?
I have no idea.
I- My girlfriend Charlie's here.
So we, we got some ramen last night.
I think we might go and get some more ramen tonight, but, yeah- Ooh I gotta play that tomorrow morning to win them, so we'll, we'll, we'll see.
Oh, win and some ramen.
I love it.
Michael, thanks so much for the time.
Congratulations.
Thank you
