PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN™
Each week, PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN brings you player interviews and tournament insight from the Clubhouse, Media Center, Practice Range, Players Locker Room, and Inside The Ropes...
PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN™
PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN: Inside the Worldwide Technology Championship in Los Cabos
Join us as we explore the thrilling world of the PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN, where I, Frank Bassett, take you on a journey to the Worldwide Technology Championship in the stunning locale of Los Cabos, Mexico. This episode promises an inside look at the tournament's spectacular growth, fueled by a strong partnership between the PGA Tour and Worldwide Technology. We've lined up insightful interviews that highlight not only the competitive spirit on the course but also the unique networking and innovation opportunities that this event fosters. Dive into the captivating stories of community involvement and witness the transformation of the El Cardinal course into a formidable challenge for the world's top golfers.
This is PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN, and welcome into PGA TOUR COUNTDOWN everybody. Frank Bassett joining you. We are back. I've been a little under the weather and so we've been off the air just a little bit, or at least I have. Tim Matthews and the rest of the crew have all been there helping filling in John Ashton and all the boys.
Speaker 1:So, anyway, this is the Worldwide Technology Championship show. Okay, it's in Mexico, las Cabas, mexico to be exact. Oh my God, what a gorgeous place and it's going to be a fun tournament this week. They're kicking in, kicking on and making some birdies out there, but we had a chance to catch up first of the week with some of the folks. Some good interviews talking about where the PGA Tour is, where the Worldwide Technology Championship is, and why they partnered with the PGA Tour and why we're at Los Cabos, mexico. So let's do this, let's get to it, listen to some of the interviews and then after that we'll close this thing out and let you get on to enjoying golf. This is PGA Tour Countdown and we are going to play the interviews.
Speaker 2:Thanks Joe, thanks Joe, thanks everyone. It's great to be back here at Demonte and Los Cabos. It's a special week for us. We are entertaining over 650 of our customers, partners, employees that come down to this area and enjoy the week, not only and be entertained by the professionals, but also have a chance to learn and innovate with worldwide technology and our leadership team. We have various sessions throughout the week and we have plenty of opportunities to socialize and network throughout the evenings and we're excited to be back here and we're very excited to see a little bit of magic again, like we saw from Mr Van Roy last year. So thanks for having us back.
Speaker 3:Thank you, matt, mike, if you would, on behalf of Diamante Sure.
Speaker 4:Good afternoon, certainly on behalf of Ken Jody and all of Diamante. It's a pleasure to have everybody back here as we try to play host to these great companies and particularly worldwide technology, and as we work with our partnership with Wasserman and the PGA Tour to put on really what we think is the best golf tournament on all the PGA Tour. That's why I said all of the PGA Tour. We think we have the greatest hospitality, we think we have a great venue. Certainly the customers that come here it's just an honor to have everybody here. And then you combine that with the way the golf course looks and the condition that we have it in, and then the great magic of these great PGA Tour players and Eric, welcome back.
Speaker 4:This is a defending mushroom Way to go. And I'd just like to say that I just got done with Worldwide and technology's support for our first T program. We just had 100 folks play in our short am or the Oasis course and I will tell you there's some magic coming here with some kids playing golf in Mexico and it's really great to be a part of it all and we're just from a DMonté standpoint, we're just thrilled to be a good host. So thanks.
Speaker 3:Muchas gracias, Mike.
Speaker 5:Thank you very much. Vamos a continuar con palabras del PGA Tour. Ken, por favor.
Speaker 6:Thank you, Joe. It is great to be back here in Mexico, here at Cabo. Just kudos to Ken Jowdy, Mike Abbott and the team here. Year two of being here at the El Cardinal course at the Amante. The golf course is really shaping up to test the best players in the world. So you're going to see, I think, the green speeds and the conditions throughout, even with the wind we expect on Thursday, conditions throughout, even with the wind we expect on Thursday, it's really going to showcase one of the best golf courses we do play on the PGA Tour. So it's nice to hear that. No-transcript.
Speaker 7:I played the front line this afternoon. It's in fantastic shape. Looking forward to this week, Like Ken said, it should be a bit more windy than it was last year, so I think it will be a different taste. Last year we didn't quite have the wind that I think this course needs to really show its teeth. So I think if the wind can be here, it'll definitely taste, like you said, the best players in the world. So really really happy to be back, privileged to be the defending champion, and looking forward to a good week.
Speaker 5:Thank you, eric. Gracias, antes de abrirlo a preguntas de todos ustedes, de los medios, para cualquier integrante de nuestro panel, un par de comentarios por parte del torneo. Hemos visto un crecimiento especial del año uno a año número dos. A member of our panel, a couple of comments from the tournament. We have seen a special growth from year one to year two in all the different elements of the event, especially the response of the community of Los Cabos, being the capital of golf in Latin America as it is, and also of the community of Diamante. Thanks to this combined withazgo de Worldwide Technology, el evento está posicionado para un éxito aún más fuerte que lo que podríamos imaginar.
Speaker 3:También, el campo de golf, como ya se comentó, y el complejo en general igual han avanzado bastante, como verán en todo lo que ustedes pueden experimentar este año con los diferentes elementos del evento, con eso, just sharing how the year one to year two of the event, thanks to worldwide leadership and everything that Diamante has done to the venue, the event has seen significant growth and improvements and we've seen that from the community of the golf community in Los Cabos Con eso ahora, encantados de abrir con preguntas que creo que Veronica me dice que por acá vamos a empezar of the golf community in Los Cabos.
Speaker 5:With that, now, I'm delighted to open with questions which I think Veronica tells me that's important to you guys also.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks for asking. It's absolutely a critical component of how we mobilize the tournament Again one in starting things off, is just really taking care of our customers, creating an exceptional experience for them and being able to showcase Los Cabos in, hopefully, its greatest kind of perspective and I think it will draw more people to come down. But from a community aspect, as Mike alluded, we had a great morning with the First Tee students and it's just great to see them and their manners and wanting to enjoy the game and playing with professionals. So wherever we are around the globe, we make sure that we try to uplift the community and do more for others, since we've been so fortunate as a business and you know it just obviously is something that we feel a high sense of responsibility to give back to the communities that we operate our business and this is now part of our business in Los Cabos. So we're really happy to be here and we appreciate everybody's support.
Speaker 5:Vamos aquí enfrente con Azteca Deportes.
Speaker 10:Let's go ahead with Azteca Deportes, Matt. I know Worldwide Technology likes to talk about how this is more than just a golf tournament. What do you mean by that and why is that important?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean the PGA Tour and why we selected them as a partner, when there's plenty of different options in sporting and other events, and really their philosophy is not only to create a great opportunity for its professional players but also to give back from a charitable cause perspective, and literally billions of dollars have been given back through the PGA Tour and how it operates, and that is very much in alignment with our core values.
Speaker 2:And we see that teamwork coming together and just how we've been able to bring a PGA Tour here to Los Cabos, which it wasn't in just a couple of years ago, and so we like the idea that they're willing to innovate and be flexible with us and create a whole new experience. And the partners with Diamante have been excellent and introduced us to the first T program, which is absolutely highly successful. And then you again, you know, have really the top technology partners that are our partners coming down to experience Los Cabos, the tournament and our business session. So all of that is kind of an ecosystem of goodness happening and we think it creates a contagious effect of one wanting to come to Los Cabos, of all those that have been exposed and then two just kind of spreading goodwill much more broadly than maybe we do individually and do it as a tournament.
Speaker 5:Aquí enfrente the Multimedios y Milenio, here in front, the Multimedios y Milenio. Eric, what is it like for you to go to a tournament as a defending champion in a tournament? Is that a different?
Speaker 10:mentality for you? How do you?
Speaker 7:approach this week? Great question. It's actually the first time I'm able to defend of this tournament that I've won as a professional, so it's pretty cool for me. It's the first time I've experienced this. Yeah, I think it comes with a sense of responsibility. You know I've got a partner with Worldwide Technology as well, so I'm an ambassador for them.
Speaker 7:So coming back where last year I wasn't is a privilege and at the same time, from a golf perspective, hoping to showcase the same skills I did last year. Last year I was in a different position. I was on the cusp of keeping my tour card it was 125th coming into this week and then everything that happened with my friend John on the Wednesday of the tournament affected the way I sort of approached the event. So now this year I'm a bit of a different boat, a lot more comfortable, I guess, with where I'm at on the FedEx Cup. I think I'd love to sneak in to the spots 51 to 60.
Speaker 7:This is going to be my last tournament on the PGA Tour this season, so, yeah, if I can defend this title, I think that would be a nice cherry on the top of the cake. Yeah, I think that comes with winning right, a lot more confidence. I think I've had a great season on the Tour, certainly the most consistent season I've had since I started playing on the PGA Tour, but then again, I don't think you necessarily need confidence to win tournaments. I wasn't that confident last year and and I ended up winning. So, um yeah, if I can execute the way I know I can, I'll definitely throw my hat on my name in the hat on sunday eric, when you look at that picture of yourself back there, what do you think?
Speaker 7:It's pretty scary man. Yeah, that's a lot of emotion in a short space of time, but I think you know I pour my heart and soul into this sport, like a lot of us do. So, yeah, that win last year meant so much.
Speaker 3:What did you learn about yourself that day um?
Speaker 7:I think I learned that I'm never quite out of it. I was full back, going into the to the back line. I know for a fact my mom and dad went to sleep when that happened in South Africa, so they didn't have faith. But yeah, I think, regardless of how many I'm back, I think I'm always within a shot. So that gives me a ton of confidence. And I think you know I've spoken about John a lot. But another thing I learned was, even though this game means so much to me, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. So there's much bigger things in life, and that's a lesson I've carried with me these last 12 months.
Speaker 3:Is there anything you or your friends are doing?
Speaker 7:to keep John's spirit alive? Yeah, great question. We started a scholarship in his name at the University of Minnesota. You know, john and I both come from small towns, even though completely different parts of the world, humble, and you know, going to Minnesota was probably one of the best decisions I've made, even though it's not known as a golfing school, and so we started the scholarship in John's name to honor him, but also to be able to give someone an opportunity, like I had, like he had, to pursue golf and to study at a great university like that. So we started the scholarship to honor him and, yeah, so we started the scholarship to honor him.
Speaker 10:Hi, eric Nicolás Schiller for Universal Deportes. You were talking about the wind that is expected for this weekend, but what do you remember about the holes of this course and in what aspects of the game you improved to try to?
Speaker 7:defend your title. Yeah, I think I've improved in almost every statistical category if you go look at it. A huge focus of mine has been to improve my short game, specifically my tripping around the green, which has probably been the weakest part of my game. So if I look at that, if I purely look at the numbers, I'm probably a better player than I was 12 months ago. But yeah, it's golf, it's a hard game, man, it's hard to win.
Speaker 7:But looking at this course, I love the golf course because there's a lot of drivers off-tees. I love hitting driver. The greens are quite big and quite slopey, so you need to be creative with your iron shots. You can use some of the slopes, you know. You can use it to bank the balls off or bring it back. I like being creative, so I think that plays into my advantages as well. And again, you know, last year there wasn't quite wind so you had to putt. Well, it came down to putting. You know, if you get a bit of wind, it might be a different story this week, but if not, I'm a great putter. So I think, all in all, the course sets up beautifully for me.
Speaker 11:Hector Juarez. Hello Sorry, eric Hector Juarez. Hello Sorry, eric Hector Juarez, from Heraldo de Mexico. I want to know how is your game today, how is the momentum? It's in the right position and how many rounds do you play before this tournament to prepare to defend the championship?
Speaker 7:On this golf course.
Speaker 7:No in the last weeks Well, not that many. I was actually on vacation with my wife the past few days here in Cabo, so I didn't play that much golf, which, on the one hand, was great because I was relaxed and we got to spend some time together without kids and we got to spend some time together without kids. But then again, I feel like I'm really prepared. I've had a good fall in the sense that I spent some time at home to rest, take care of my body, address a few things in my game that I want to improve. I mentioned my sword game. I think I've made great strides with that. So, even though I haven't played as much golf, I feel like I am prepared.
Speaker 5:Abraham, what are the thoughts of the community in Diamante about last year's tournament and what are they expecting about this year?
Speaker 4:Well, I think people were pleasantly surprised when they got here last year when they walked the El Cardinal golf course, just how fun it was to actually watch some really great golf. And then you add in the fan experience that's been put together by the tournament and this year I think people that come out are going to really enjoy it. It's doing something you haven't done before. There's never been a tournament here in Cabo, so there's a lot of talk about it in town. It's great to have a great walk out around and certainly the way the golf course lays out people found it very friendly to walk around and there might be a chance for a cerveza or two when you're kind of walking around as well. And then the fan experience again this year is really fantastic.
Speaker 5:So anyway, Algunas últimas preguntas. Alguno más Por acá. Joe, si me pudieras ayudar con la traducción, encantado Preguntarle lo complicado que ha sido este campo para Eric.
Speaker 3:Eric, what has been the complicated parts about El Cardenal for you?
Speaker 7:The golf goals. Yeah, the tricky, tricky parts of the course. Well, there's a few places, especially around the greens, where you just can't miss. I think it's a second-shot golf course Driving. I think the fairways are quite generous and you know, tiger designed the course and he always spoke about a course like Augusta National. That's a second shot golf course as well, so it doesn't surprise me that he designed it this way. Out here there's a few spots where you just can't miss. Left of 15 comes to mind, left of 14 comes to mind. You know, if you miss it on seven, on eight, it's going to be tricky up and down. So yeah, iron play will be key and obviously a sharp short game.
Speaker 3:If I may, Ken, there's been a lot of talk and questions about wind and the conditions and weather. Maybe can you give us what you guys are seeing in terms of the expectations on weather and conditions this week.
Speaker 6:Yeah. So all in all, earlier this week we had some pretty significant winds and for the tournament rounds Thursday we're going to see winds 10 to 15, gust of 20, even up into mid-20s. We have certain elements that we do in preparation each day on the golf course. We double cut the greens, we roll them in the morning and then we roll them in the evening. So as we look and we get closer to tomorrow, we'll start making modifications or adjustments to handle the wind speeds that we might and we expect to see on Thursday and then the rest of the week Friday, saturday and Sunday it kind of calms down and there'll be some opportunity for some scoring. So you'll see a bit of some different tees that we'll use on Thursday that we didn't get to use last time to really kind of put different clubs. As Eric said, it's a second shot golf course, so we really want to make sure that they're using every club they can for those second shots.
Speaker 3:But to be clear, no chance of rain. It's Cabo, of course.
Speaker 4:there's no chance of rain, no chance.
Speaker 5:I think we had another.
Speaker 12:Hi, this is Angie from Peninsular Digital, and this is a question for you, eric, and considering your recent win of the WWTC of last year, what kind of legacy do you envision this tournament leaving in Los Cabos? Specifically, how do you think it will impact the visibility of the sport, as well as the development of the sport infrastructure and support for future generations of local golfers?
Speaker 7:Do you mind repeating the first part of the question please?
Speaker 12:The first part is what kind of legacy do you envision this tournament leaving in Los Cabos?
Speaker 7:Yeah, I think it's such a great opportunity for worldwide technology to come to a place like Cabo or even just Mexico. I love coming to Mexico. I've played some of my best golf here, so you know we spoke about how this tournament is more than just golf All the things going on around, you know, in the evenings, with the business opportunities, but then also worldwide technology impacting communities around the area. So I think if this tournament can leave a legacy of giving back to young players the first tee, encouraging people to play the game, I think that would be beautiful. You know, I was a small kid not too long ago and I know all the opportunities that I received to eventually be able to sit in this seat. So to come to a place like this, give kids a chance to play, introduce them to the game, I think that's what it's all about.
Speaker 12:Thank you.
Speaker 5:Well, with that, I would like to invite you, now that we have concluded here, to join us all in the grand inauguration ceremony that will be held in about 15 minutes in the Casa Club for our traditional inauguration, the Mexican anthem and, of course, the official inauguration shots for the Mexican participants. But before that, once again, I want to thank nuestro panel Eric, ken, matt, mike.
Speaker 3:Thank you guys very much for being here, not only in this press conference, but all week. We truly value your partnership and your friendship and we're looking forward to not only a great week, but many, many more great years.
Speaker 5:Con eso damos por concluido, agradeciendo a todos sus presencia. Muchísimas gracias y que tengan. With that we conclude by thanking everyone for their presence. Thank you very much and have a great week. Right now we will take the official photo. I don't need to translate that, the official photo, for those who like it. Again, thank you very much to the media, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:So there you have the first set Listening to everyone talk about what, where, why and how. So there you have the first set Listening to everyone talk about what, where, why and how, and how the PGA Tour is involved with the Worldwide Technologies Championship. Hey, before we get to the next interview, I want to tell you a little bit about something I am passionate about. I mean, really am. It's a lot of fun. It's called PrizePix. It's the only real money daily fantasy platform. Okay, with an injury insurance policy, think about it. So your lineups stay in play even if one of your players gets injured. If your player leaves in the first half and doesn't return, prizepix keeps your lineup live. Okay, you got to sign up today and what you get is $50 instantly. When you play $5. So you get 50 for 5. Pretty doggone good return. You don't even need to win to receive the $50 bonus. It's guaranteed. Folks, prize picks is the best way to win real money this football season. Which players are going off? Which ones aren't?
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Speaker 8:Good morning. We would like to welcome Nico Echavarria from Medellin, Colombia, to the Media Center here at the Worldwide Technology Championship. Nico is coming off a victory at the SoSo Championship, the previous PGA Tour stop, so he's carrying a great momentum heading into this week as he makes his second start at this event, playing last year and finishing in a tie for 31st. Nico, first of all, we would like some opening remarks and tell us about the repercussions of your win going back home to your loved ones, your team. How was that celebration after this championship win?
Speaker 13:Thanks, greg. Yeah, it was very cool. A lot of emotions, a lot of new things that a second victory and a victory on a very big event come with, but all positives, happy with the progress that my golf is showing. A lot of times we're very focused on results and not on what we're doing to prepare for these big events or, in general, for the tournaments. So it's good that the results are showing of the great work that me and my team are putting in.
Speaker 8:Anything that stands out from last week, taking in the win, getting back together with the people you love.
Speaker 13:I was glad that there was no tournament and I could take that week off, because it was very tough to readjust after such a big time change from Japan. We had a little too much celebration on Sunday and that flight on Monday was tough. But yeah, I'm glad I had the week off. I started practicing again on Thursday, taking it easy and getting back into tournament preparation.
Speaker 8:This is your first start as a two-time PGA Tour champion, which must feel great. You're now one of only two Colombians with multiple PGA Tour wins. How about that?
Speaker 13:It feels great wins. How about that? It feels great, not only having two wins, but what I talked is how small golf in Colombia is and we've had a lot of success. For a country where golf is minimal, it's incredible, and for the future generations it's going to be good. It's always positive things and, yeah, very excited for teeing it up. As a two-time PGA Tour champion, that's very, very cool to hear. But at the end of the day, you start from even par. Everyone starts with the same amount of strokes. So back to square one, where you've got to be focused. It's a new event. It's a new event. It's a new course, it's different conditions. So carry on the momentum, but be humble and be ready for golf. Golf is very hard, so anything can happen, but obviously we're in a good time.
Speaker 8:You played here last year, tried for 31st. You left this event feeling good and well you know the course. So it's nice to come to a place where you have played before. So you're touching to playing here this week again.
Speaker 13:Yeah, what I remember from last year is I struggled big time after the victory in Puerto Rico and I had to birdie my last hole on Friday, part three, number nine. I made a 24 to get inside the cut number and I had a long stretch of miscuts. So that's actually one of the coolest moments of the year making that putt. It was almost dark, you couldn't see much and there was a lot of emotions after so many miscuts and making that cut. And I played really good on Saturday and Sunday. So it was a cool, cool, cool week last year.
Speaker 8:Golf is about taking advantage of the momentum. You're carrying a good momentum. Last year we saw what happened with Camilo. He played great here, runner up and then went on to win the following week. So it's a big opportunity to take advantage of the momentum, right.
Speaker 13:Yes, absolutely how I said. You start from zero in a tournament, but you're also playing good golf. It's not out of luck entire luck that you win a golf tournament. It's 72 holes and you have to play great golf. So, yeah, use the good momentum, as you said, that you have, but also be conscious that anything can happen. You can have a great week or you can also miss the cut, and that doesn't change from winning last week. So I'm taking it to a different perspective. After the first win in Puerto Rico, I just struggled with my game and, knowing that that can happen, you think in a different way, you prepare yourself in a different way and also you have more experience. So, all good things after Japan, but you have to be ready on the first tee tomorrow.
Speaker 8:Last one in English. The FedEx Cup fall has been great to Colombia Two wins and a runner-up finish, just starting from last season. So that's great for you guys. You and Camilo yes.
Speaker 13:There's a lot of good tournaments for us. In the fall, they're great courses. I mean being able to play PGA Tour events in Mexico. We have two tournaments in Mexico, which is great. They treat us incredible. They make us feel like home. So it's not out of luck that Camilo had a good week. Tournaments in Mexico, which is great. They treat us incredible. They make us feel like home. So it's not out of luck that Camilo had a good week. He was probably feeling good. He likes to play in the wind. Then he went and played in Bermuda in the wind and won. So a lot of things that make up for good weeks is these courses are made for our games good weeks is.
Speaker 1:these courses are made for, for our games. So there you have it. From the worldwide technology championship, a few of the voices, some players, some promoters, some tournament directors, whatever just wanted to give you a good, uh good feel of what's uh, what's happening down there and uh, in mexico god would I love to be there right now. Las Capas is such a beautiful place and this golf course is an excellent golf course, so enjoy the tournament. This week it's getting chilly up here, it's November. Down there it's pretty warm For the Golf Talk America crew, our network crew, the PGA Tour Countdown crew and all of us that love to talk to you, send you out info and share things with you. Thanks for listening to us. We really appreciate it. And don't forget, check out our sponsor, prizepix. Really, really, really like PrizePix. Go download the app today.