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Living Golf
The Best of Golf in 2014
Aired December 07, 2014 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SHANE O'DONOGHUE, CNN HOST (voice-over): 2014: a year in golf which saw Rory rule, Bubba master, Kaymer cruise, Ricky come close and Tiger tail
off.
With the new year upon us, what better time to retrace the footsteps we left this year on LIVING GOLF. In 2014 we visited four continents and
over 40 countries in search of the great and good of the game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): I refocused. I rededicated myself. This is my career and I want to make the most of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): I believe that in the next three years it's going to be the amateur in the country. The next 10 years,
she'll be the best player in the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): I'm scared to see how good they are at such a young age, these new players coming up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Being there in 2010 and coming up short, I want to be on the other side of that (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Take that!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Do you have a girlfriend?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): No. Many. I have many.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE).
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Like any year, 2014 was shaped by the Majors. So was Georgia on our mind. We spent some quality time with the
then one-time Masters champion Bubba Watson to get some essential driving tips.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): We're going to try a few different varieties of drive here. Is there any one that you like more than others?
BUBBA WATSON, 2012 MASTERS CHAMPION (voice-over): The fade's the best, where I started down the right and just hope it goes in the center of
the fairway.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): OK. Let's go and see it.
WATSON (voice-over): OK.
Right down the tree line and drifted back to the center of the fairway.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): You play a fade and you get as far, if not farther than most.
WATSON (voice-over): My talent, luck, whatever you want to call it, I hit it far enough. I'm not trying to get more distance. I'm trying to
just get it in play, get it -- keep it in bounds and hit it in the fairway. And so for me it's about accuracy and consistency.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): What about trying to play a draw shot?
WATSON (voice-over): You know, again, this is -- it's going to be like closing my shoulders and my stance and then it -- really my biggest
thing at impact, we're going to roll the wrist over, even with this wind, we'll just turn it over a little bit.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Amazing. And that's just moved about 10 yards. That's just perfect.
WATSON (voice-over): Yes, because the wind's hurting it a little bit. That probably would have been about 20 yards to roll, but yes. In the dead
center fairway.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): What about trying to hit my driver?
WATSON (voice-over): I can do it.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Oh, be kind.
WATSON (voice-over): Not break it, is that all right?
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): That's OK.
(LAUGHTER)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Bubba Long.
Practice made perfect. Bubba won his second Masters tournament, this time by three shots.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): The U.S. Open was dominated by one man. We caught up with Martin Kaymer a month after his second Major win and found a
very grounded player despite his success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN KAYMER, U.S. OPEN CHAMPION (voice-over): We earn a lot of money for what we do. And my life respected too much money. And I think
it's quite nice to give those things back in a very, very easy way, to play a round of golf in Wentworth, seeing and talking with other celebrities and
the athletes (INAUDIBLE).
Usually I don't even like to play golf if it's not in a golf tournament, you know, because I don't play well. There's no motivation.
There's no adrenaline. I hit the ball shorter, usually, like a club shorter. Usually I play over par.
You know, when I play here today, it's (INAUDIBLE) Wentworth. It's really enjoyable; it's a nice walk and I play with nice people. It's not
about, you know, being in front of 200 yards to a foot or so, hitting high drops around trees. It's not so much about that.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): The German won by an impressive eight shots to become the fourth European winner of the U.S. Open in five years.
Before the Open we played at (INAUDIBLE) with Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman was having a quiet season up to that point. But not for
long.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): The Open championship is around the corner, Rory. Hoylake, have you played it?
RORY MCILROY, TWO-TIME MAJOR CHAMPION (voice-over): Yes, I've played Hoylake back in 2003. Yes, British Boys, I was 14 years old, got beaten in
the first round.
I feel like my record in the Open championship hasn't been great. I finished third at St. Andrews in 2010 and apart from that, I haven't really
done much at the Open.
Golf is my first passion, my first love. And it's just -- it's great to be able to spend days up here and play golf and remember why you started
to play the game.
I think you remembering all those times with my dad on the Hollywood Golf Club and really remembering the joy and the love that you have for the
game and I feel like I've found that again over the past few weeks or a month, whatever it is, just really enjoying, going out there and competing.
So exciting times ahead.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Rory won at Hoylake by two shots. But his summer was only just beginning. A month later he again triumphed at the
PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. The new dominate World number 1 had emerged on the scene.
I've been charting your progress and your golf for a long time since you were about 13 years of age. But this is something different.
MCILROY (voice-over): I realize this year that we only have one goal with us and we only have a certain timespan that we have as a career in
golf.
I've refocused. I rededicated myself and this is important to me. This is my career and I want to make the most of it.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): In a dramatic finish, Rory triumphed by one shot over Phil Mickelson for his fourth Major title.
Ahead of the Ryder Cup, we covered the intense media scrutiny surrounding the U.S. and European teams. For captains Tom Watson and Paul
McGinley, the spotlight wouldn't dim throughout the competition.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM WATSON, TEAM USA CAPTAIN (voice-over): We go into the Ryder Cup - - on paper the Europeans look better. But there's an underlying American spirit that -- we get the job done. That's the attitude that I have.
That's the attitude I hope we project to the players.
PAUL MCGINLEY, TEAM EUROPE CAPTAIN: I think it's the bonding that you form to different players on the team. I mean, that extra -- that extra
connection that you have with a player. I gravitate towards that.
The sharing a common goal, all pulling in the same direction, team meetings, all wearing the same uniform, all in it together. That passion,
that emotion, all of those things combined just makes it incredibly exciting to me.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): A convincing victory for Europe, their third straight, and much soul searching to be done by the United States.
In September, we traveled to France to profile the biggest stars in the women's game and a tour back on the rise.
The $3.25 million Evian Championship, the fifth and final Major of the year. The influx of Asian players has certainly raised the level of
competition. Since 2008, South Korean players alone have won nearly a quarter of all the Majors. Their work ethic, such an important part of
Korean life, has made players from other continents have to up their games, creating a tour every bit as competitive as the men's.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
INBEE PARK (voice-over): You have so many people that in the competition in the league, only one person's going to win so we've got to
try hard.
SUZANN PETTERSEN (voice-over): Once you're given that score card, it's game face on and may the best player win.
CHARLEY HULL (voice-over): I think everyone wants to win. You've got to be ruthless out there.
SO YEON RYU (voice-over): You know, on the golf course, we are all fire. We change right away.
AZAHARA MUNOZ (voice-over): You know, obviously you want to beat everybody. But at the end of the day, it's not that generally mean to them
or anything like that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Coming up, we travel back to the many destinations from our year on the golfing road.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): We spent time with the Major winners of 2014. Now to take a trip to the Major locations we visited around the
world.
We started the year in Brazil to find out how plans were progressing for golf's debut in the 2015 Rio Olympics. As we found out, it hadn't been
the easiest of journeys up to that point.
Over that fence is where the golf course is being built for the Olympics, but due to local politics, we're not allowed to visit. So there
really is now only one way to check out how things are progressing.
From the outset, the project suffered much publicized delays over who owned the land. But from the air, it's clear just how much work has now
been done, 12 holes and 16 greens complexes are now completely shaped. There is, however, no sign as yet of any grass.
The highly respected Gil Hanse beat off most of the other top golf architects in the world to land the job with Rio 2016.
GIL HANSE, ARCHITECT, RIO 201 OLYMPIC GOLF COURSE (voice-over): The way it's gone is really, I don't think, the way it was depicted to any of
the eight of us who were initially vying for the position. You know, we -- none of us were led to understand how actively involved the ownership, land
owners would be in the process, and sometimes the decision-making processes have not gone the way that we would have liked to have seen them go.
So yes, from that standpoint, it's been -- it's been a little bit more difficult than we'd thought.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Being the Olympic Games, expectations are high.
HANSE (voice-over): I mean, in our minds, if somebody could finish eagle, birdie, eagle, that would be the greatest thing in the world because
all we're doing is setting the stage. At the end of the day the story should all be about the performers, the athletes who play out there.
And if we can create a stage where those guys and gals at the end of the day can put up some great numbers and get some excitement and think the
leaderboard can change dramatically towards the end, I think that's great theater for golf.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Over 7,000 miles away in Dubai, we found out how the European Tour expanded out to the Middle East. It started with the
Dubai Desert Classic 25 years ago. The tournament now attracts the biggest stars in the game. All came to be part of this incredible success story in
the desert.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOHAMED JUMA BUAMAIM, CEO, GOLF IN DUBAI (voice-over): A lot of companies started coming to this part of the world. Those people played
golf, so they needed a place to play. This was the only green spot. You know, everything around it was just desert.
GEORGE O'GRADY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR: We don't sit here and moan, "Why isn't it always in our backyard?" You have to
sometimes go out and find business, take your business to the world. And Dubai's given us the confidence to do that.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Since 2009, the European Order of Merit has even been renamed the Race to Dubai, with the season reaching its climax
here.
This year, there will be at least 24 European Tour events outside Europe, not counting the Majors. That single golf course in the desert
proved to be an outpost of the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Back in more traditional golfing territory in Scotland we met up with a man who likes to buy or build the odd golf
course or two.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): It's fantastic to be with you, Donald Trump. We're on the back nine. So there's a challenge ahead.
DONALD TRUMP, ENTREPRENEUR (voice-over): Well, challenge, you're a very good golfer.
(LAUGHTER)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): I hear that you're quite a handy golfer yourself.
TRUMP (voice-over): Well, we have a lot of fun, right?
Well, what a nice swing he's got. Wow.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Has this been a bumper period for you, though, as there's been a downturn?
TRUMP (voice-over): Well, it's been great for me because I've been buying things that -- for prices that are unthinkable.
By the way, I don't have a mortgage on Turnberry. I --
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): What's that cost you?
TRUMP (voice-over): Sixty million dollars.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Turnberry Resort?
TRUMP (voice-over): And before that it was 300 million pounds.
And very important is the name Trump. I put the name on it and immediately people start taking notice. So it's been a tremendous asset
for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Later in the year, we took a road trip around Scotland to retrace the origins of the game.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): This is Elie Golf Club. And what makes this place extra special is this, on the first tee, a periscope from a
submarine.
There's nothing like this in any other course in the world, is there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nowhere else. This is the only one.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): That's because it's a blind tee shot, you need to be able to see if it's clear ahead for those to tee off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct. Yes, sir.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Cruden Bay offers incredible views as it hugs the rugged Scottish coastline. This is artisan working class golf at
its best. But back in the day, Cruden Bay was much more glamorous.
With the opening of a grand hotel alongside the course in 1899, this was the place where Britain's high society mixed with the best players in
the game.
We ended our journey at St. Andrews, not only the home of golf, but also the home of golfing legend, Old Tom Morris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN HUGGAN, JOURNALIST (voice-over): He was one of the first professional golfers. He was a course designer. He was a club maker. He
was a green keeper. He was one of the greatest players that's every played. So his influence has not been underestimated.
If you look in all those five threads that we just mentioned, anybody who's making a living from golf in one of those areas can trace it back to
Old Tom Morris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Coming up, we catch up with the young and young at heart in our year in golf.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): One of the great things about golf is that it's a game that you can play practically all your life. This game is
enormous scope, is here to profile players age 9 to 90. In Florida, we met Alexa Pano, potentially the next big name in golf.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXA PANO, PRETEEN GOLFER (voice-over): My goal is to be an LPGA Tour player and win many tournaments such as the U.S. Open like Michelle
Wie, and someday be good enough to be in the Hall of Fame.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Already a five-time world champion and a winner of over 40 national and regional competitions, Pano finishes school
every day at 11:00 to hit up to 1,000 balls on the range at Winston Trails Golf Course.
Coached by Brian Symonds under the watchful gaze of her father, Rick, expectations are high.
BRIAN SYMONDS, PANO'S COACH: That's the way to strike a golf ball, all the way.
RICK PANO, ALEXA'S FATHER: Alexa, you know, has probably had as much as if not more success than anybody that's been under 10 years old ever.
But the bottom line is that means zero.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Concerns are obvious, how normal a childhood is Alexa experiencing?
RICK PANO (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) right here.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): But both coach and father insist the drive, the determination all comes from the player.
SYMONDS (voice-over): It's not her father doing it; it's not me doing it. It's all about her. And when I met her, she said, when I asked her
her goals, "I want to be the best woman player ever."
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Eighty years older than Alexa but still going strong was Roberto Di Vicenzo.
Yes, look at that.
In Argentina, we profiled a remarkable career.
How good were you at golf as an 18-year old?
ROBERTO DE VICENZO (voice-over): Well, I practice all my life. And I have a secret because the first few years I practiced for all the clubs.
All I had was confusion in my head. I said, why you not hit practice for one club?
And this gave me a good feeling, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): That's good. That's very good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Boy, this old guy can putt. He's got a beautiful putt.
DE VICENZO (from captions): Golf balls are like women. You have to know how to maneuver them, know how to work them, know how to drive them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): In between the young and not-so-young, we spent quality time with some of the game's brightest stars.
RICKIE FOWLER (voice-over): And there's -- we do get nervous, but I think a lot of it is kind of a -- you get excited and the adrenaline's
going, it's not like you're scared. You're excited to be in that moment.
JONATHAN SPIETH (voice-over): I'm not a patient person on the course. I'm not at all. So it's very hard because your emotions just get so
heightened.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): Good shot! Unbelievable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): There is it.
(LAUGHTER)
HENRIK STENSON (voice-over): When you're (INAUDIBLE) out a little bit, it's so easy. You want a short-term solution, quick fixes and they
just don't work. You've got to put a plan in place and work towards it and you're going to make slowly but steady progress and eventually you will get
to the point where you want to get to.
CAMILO VILLEGAS, COLOMBIAN PRO GOLFER (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) talent is something where you can go and where you can't go. And you just
push yourself. You work hard. You set goals, trying yourself to a pump.
MICHELLE WIE (voice-over): The only advice would be just do what makes you happy. It doesn't matter what other people think of you. It
doesn't matter what others want you to do. You know, it doesn't matter how many tournaments you win. You've still got to enjoy every since one of
them. You've got to enjoy the downs as well, too. Try your hardest and go with the flow of things.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): We also reflected with a few icons in the sport.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM, 10-TIME MAJOR WINNER: It's always (INAUDIBLE) when the player asks for advice or say you know, how did you do it or what do
you recommend I do. I mean, I've made mistakes scoring at because that's what you learn. It's a little trial and error and that's just how life is.
NICK FALDO: If you hit a golf ball and it's landed on a slope and it's gone kicking A, you can't say that was bad luck. You have to go to
the facts. Well, my ball landed on a 45-degree angle. And guess what? Tough. It's tough when it happens more than once.
(LAUGHTER)
CURTIS STRANGE (voice-over): How do you handle the pressure?
Well, you take a deep breath and sometimes you just got to be a man.
(LAUGHTER)
STRANGE (voice-over): There's no easy way.
SAM TORRANCE (voice-over): There's no easy way. This is where it's going to end up. It's going to run up there and come back around and end
up around about here somewhere.
And how do you putt it? You can't putt it.
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): We also highlighted a new film about the life and career of the great Seve Ballesteros.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Do you have a girlfriend?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): No. Many. I have many. No one steady.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): That's for three and he's just done it. (INAUDIBLE).
O'DONOGHUE (voice-over): From Rory's ascension to Europe's domination, from finding the future of the sport to reminiscing with the
past, from counting down golf's Olympic dreams to honoring the traditions in the game, our journey in 2014 has reaffirmed our passion for the sport.
Let's hope golf in 2015 can be just as exciting and memorable as it was this year. So from all of us here on the LIVING GOLF team, bye-bye.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
END
