Chapter 6

AGAINST THE BEST

When we got back to the Embassy Hotel, Cory said, “Greg Norman has announced the 2011 International Presidents Cup Team:

Jason Day
Adam Derek Scott
Charl Adriaan Schwartzel
Choi Kyung-Ju (KJ Choi)
Kim Kyung-Tae (KT Kim)
Retief Goosen
Geoff Charles Ogilvy
Theodore Ernest Els
Yang Yong-eun
Ryo Ishikawa
Robert Allenby
Aaron John Baddeley
I looked at that list, not recognizing a few names, wondering who Mr. Couples might put me up against, but I won’t know until we have our first meeting, which I guess won’t happen for a while.

Dad attached a thumb drive to our laptop, and we watched some of the early rounds of the Open Championship that had been over two weeks before I’d joined the Tour and won the PGA.

Dad pointed out the idiosyncrasies of both American and Non-American players, as we watched. He showed me how to notice when a player was stressing out a little.

Previous Presidents Cups were played at:

1994-Gainesville, VA - Robert T Jones Golf Club

US won - 20-12 - Hale Irwin Caption

1996-Gainesville, VA - Robert T Jones Golf Club

US won - 16.5-15.5 - Arnold Palmer Captain

1998-Melbourne, Aus - Royal Melbourne Golf Club

INTER won = 20.5-11.5 - Peter Thompson Captain

2000-Gainesville, VA - Robert T Jones Golf Club

US won - 20.5-11.5 - Ken Venturi Captain

2001-CANCELLED - Due to 9-11

2003-George, Wester Cape - Fancourt Hotel & CC

TIED - 17-17 (Only time!)

Jack Nicklas - Gary Player-Captains

2005-Gainesville, VA - Robert T Jones Golf Club

US won = 18.5-15.5 - Jack Nicklaus Captain

2007-Montreal, Canada - Royal Montreal GC

US won - 19.5-14.5 - Jack Nicklaus Captain

2009-San Francisco, Ca - Harding Park GC

US won - 19.5-14.5 - Fred Couples Captain

2011 - Melbourne, Aust - Royal Melbourne Golf Club

Future Venues

2013-Dublin, OH - Muirfield Village -

2015 - Incheon, South Korea - Jack Nicklaus GC-Korea

I got a call from Fred about what size clothing I wear, for purposes of getting our Team outfits. I gave him my information, we talked a little about overall strategy and we finished up.

Cory and I were waiting at our new home for the deliveries, as were Mom and Dad waiting at their new home. Wherever they showed up first, we’re supposed to call the other guys.

My phone rang!

“This is The Cannon,” I answered.

“Hello, John ... this is your Mother, the trucks are pulling up to us, come on over and help, please?”

“Sure thing, beautiful,” I said.

“Oh, save that stuff for your sister, get over here!”

“I love it when you are forceful, Mom,” I replied.

I locked up and took the five-minute drive to their place.

Mom was already having a blast, telling the deliverymen where to put everything. In less than an hour their stuff was all in place.

We caravanned back to our house where Cory, with Moms help, choreographed the men to get all our stuff in place. They were done in a little over an hour. We thanked them, and they went off to places unknown.

The ladies made the beds, while Dad and I unloaded the boxes with flatware and silverware into the glass front cupboards.

Dad and I also looked through finding out if we needed filters for the HVAC system. He had me start a list of things like that, including light bulbs, batteries, flashlights, candles, and matches, and of course filters. After we did that, we found the ladies, sitting around our brand new 14-person dining room set.

“How many children are you planning on having, Cory?” mom asked looking around at all of the chairs.

“Mother,” I said. “Leave your daughter-in-law alone. We have goals and deadlines for many things in our lives. The number of children we have isn’t one of them!”

“Nicely answered son, I recently saw a story in the paper that said it costs about $700,000 to raise a child from birth to college these days, so take these five years and make all you can and show these guys NO MERCY!”

We all laughed as Mom and Dad got up and we all wandered to the door.

“Kids, I thought we should each have a key to each other’s place, is that OK with you?” mom asked.

“I have no problem with that, but a having a key doesn’t absolve you from calling first. Unless, you want to walk in on me and my wife making love on the sofa, OK?” I said to Mom and Dad but glanced at Cory who was blushing a little.

“Johnny,” mom replied, “The reverse of that is true as well. Your father and I aren’t exactly monks, so calling and not getting an answer doesn’t automatically mean you need to come over. I might have your father tied up on the bed, and neither of us can get to the phone.”

You should have seen Dads’ face, as he was trying to get through the door to get to the car.

“Mom, that’s so disturbing at so many levels,” Cory said as they left, and our spa delivery was arriving.

We watched them raise it up, going up eighty feet, and we went to the back as two guys guided it into place. That was cool to watch. Using our brand-new hose, we filled it up, as we got some instructions. They delivered directly into our garage, a year’s worth’s of the chemicals we would need.

We unpacked our suitcases into where everything belonged, realizing that when we were done that, we needed to get more stuff.

We crawled up on our bed, it felt wonderful as Cory scooted over and laid her head on my shoulder as we fell asleep.

Over the next few weeks, we went grocery shopping, clothes shopping and much more, breaking out and going off to Marianna Butte at least twice a week to stay limber and fresh.

There was a box delivered and after opening it, it was my Presidents Cup Apparel with a note from Fred that said, “Wear it when you arrive at Royal Melbourne!”

After getting our passports, we decided to leave ten days early, (The end of October) because of the time change and getting to know the course.

As we got off the plane (after an 11-hour flight, First Class!), there was a contingent of fans there to wave for all the American Team, with flags in their hands. A couple of them even yelled, “GO Cannon, GO!”

We waved to them as we went and got our luggage and golf clubs. With them in hand, we found a shuttle to our hotel, the Langham Melbourne (5-Star, previously known as the Sheraton Towers Southgate).

We crashed on our bed, having only kicked off our shoes.

There was a knock on the door.

I went to open it and a gentleman walked in and introduced himself as Mark Corrigan, an employee of Titleist.

“Hello, Johnny and Cory, I know you play Titleist Balls and thought I should contact you to see if you’d like to be one of the many players on the PGA Tour who is officially supplied with personalized golf balls?”

“Well Mark, my Dad started me on Titleist when I was 6 years old, and I have never played anything else my whole life!” I said sitting down next to my wife.

“Do you know your club head speed, Johnny?” he asked.

“No, Adam Scott once said he thought it was upwards of 170 to 180, but I have never been ‘tested,’” I said.

“We can do that later, but I have heard that you regularly outdistance Bubba, is that true?” he questioned.

“Yeah, but distance is a two-edged sword, Mark ... It often means I have only 60 to 80 yards to the hole, and both my pitching wedge and my lob wedge are best when I can give them a full swing. I don’t like the idea of laying up just because of getting a full wedge shot out of it.”

“OK, let me ask you a couple of questions about your approach to the game,”

1. “To shoot lower scores, would you benefit most from a better long game or short game?”

I looked over at Cory and we both said, ‘short game.’

2. “Describing your short game shots, you normally, Miss your target area or HIT your target area?”

Cory said, “He gets on in regulation over 96% of the time, when he doesn’t, I usually figure I didn’t club him right, Mark. To answer your question, WE usually hit the target area.”

3. “Sounds good, now describing your long game approach shots, do you normally miss the green or hit the green. From what your wife just said, it sounds like you hit the green?”

“Yes,” I said agreeing with his supposition. I leaned over and gave my wife a kiss. “What she said about mis-clubbing me, I usually cause most of my own errors.”

“Just a few more, kids,”

4. “Describing your tee shots, do you normally miss the fairway or hit the fairway?”

“Like my wife said, 96% GIR!” I pronounced.

“Thanks, well it works out just as I had thought, you should be playing our Pro V1 Ball, which will give you more spin around the green, straight and truer flight. I can set you up with some Pro V1’s,” he said pulling out of his case six packages of a dozen balls, opening a three-pack and handing Cory and me one each.

I looked at it and saw ‘The Cannon’ in a bold script on the ball. I felt emotional but held it in and shook Mark’s hand, taking a card from him, and after closing the door behind him we jumped and down and both got excited. I think she wanted to make out, but I wanted to sleep some more.

The next morning, after a healthy breakfast, they had Wheaties, we got a shuttle to the RMGC, where we changed to our golf shoes in the shuttle and were dropped off very near the Pro Shop.

“CANNON!” I heard, from about 20 feet away, and saw Bubba, along with Hunter and Jason, all getting ready to play a round.

“You need a fourth?” I asked with probably too much enthusiasm.

“Sure,” Jason said eagerly. “I am always looking for someone who can outdrive Bubba, do you need to warm up at all?”

I looked at Cory who said, “Go ahead, just don’t over swing honey.”

Bubba added, “Yeah honey, we wouldn’t want the Cannon to over swing, would we?”

“Is it OK to carry extra clubs when you practice,” I asked to no one in particular.

“Sure,” Hunter said.

I looked around and bought a one-iron, just to try it out.

“OK, I’m ready ... Let’s go, Team USA!” I said.

“How are we playing this?” Jason asked. “Own ball, or Foursome style?

“Everybody up for Foursome style?” Bubba asked like an announcer.

We all answered ‘sure’ or something akin to it.

“I want Cannon for my team,” Jason said.

“Sure thing,” I said. “Why don’t we all tee off every hole, then alternate shot off our best drive?”

“He may be young, but he knows the game,” Hunter said.

“HOLD UP YOU GUYS!”

We turned to see Fred coming up on us. “What’re you guys getting ready to play, foursome?”

“Modified Foursome, we all tee off then pick!” Jason said.

“Great idea ... whose idea was that, Bubba?” Fred asked looking at me.

“No, the Cannon thought of it, my Mom used to play a Modified Foursome all the time with her golf and bridge club,” Bubba said.

“Go ahead Jason.” I said.

He turned to me and said, “You better play as hard ‘with’ me as you did ‘against’ me at the PGA, Cannon?”

Cory responded, “He will!” to which we all chuckled.

Jason, then I hit ... after that Hunter then Bubba hit.

Jason and I talked about which shot to use.

“You are farther than me, but the shot you have left is over a bunker, I am not the best with a distraction like that in my path ... go ahead and put it close for me, OK?”

It was around 80 yards out, so I asked Cory for the lob wedge and stiffed it three feet from the pin, stopping exactly where it landed. Jason slapped me on the back saying, “You are a great partner, Cannon.”

Bubba and Hunter had a similar discussion and Bubba hit his shot, landing right by the hole, but it spun back to almost off the green.

“You guys open to an odd idea?” Fred said coming up and walking with us.

“Sure, this is just practice,” Hunter said.

“Change partners every hole, to give each of you a chance to play off a different guy.”

“Excellent,” said Hunter looking at me.

“Hey, I picked Cannon -- OK, it is a good idea, Coach ... sorry?”

“Don’t worry about it Jason, you will get him back at the Par-Five fifth,” Fred replied.

Jason made our birdie, Hunter gave it a valiant effort being just short of the hole ... Never up-Never in!

Next hole was a 204-Yard Par-Three over water so we all hit, me first. I dropped an easy four-iron hole high, but to the left about 15 feet. Bubba hit an easy four as well, past the pin. Hunter stiffed one less than a foot from the hole and Jason chased a two-iron up on the green leaving him a long putt.

I was long, and Hunter was short, so we teamed up, I made the putt, Bubba made a very long putt for their birdie.

By the fifth hole, we’re having fun, having completed a rotation. It was Jason and I again on this beautiful 540-Yard Par-Five with some fairway sand in the way. I took out Bertha for the first time today to try to get past all of the sand.

“Uh-oh ... Everybody, stand back ... Bertha has come out to play,” Jason said causing everyone to chuckle.

“Where are you aiming at?” Coach Couples asked.

“The final bunker on the right, trying to draw it a little,” I answered.

I addressed it, swung the hardest I had so far today, and it went dead straight at the bunker and drew just into the fairway, just over 100 yards away from the green.

“Damn fine shot!” Fred said. “What’s your club head speed, anyway, Johnny?”

“Don’t know, a guy named Mark Corrigan from Titleist is scheduling me to find out, I got balls with my name on them from him today,” I said showing it off. “Adam Scott seems to think that it is in the 170 range, but I don’t know.”

We finished the round finding out more about one another than anything else. I did get the chance to swing the one-iron a few times, but I don’t know if I will keep it or not, I’d have to drop something like my four-wood, and I am not about to take a club I feel confident out for one that I don’t.

We all said goodbye to one another, and Fred came up to me and Cory after the other guys had left.

“Johnny,” he asked. “What do you think I should do with you, as far as the Matches go next week?”

“Sir, (Always respect your elders) I think I may be a better fourball player than a foursome player,” I responded.

“Explain why, please?” He replied, crossing his arms.

“Without sounding too arrogant, I have a rather complete game, besides being a long hitter. The fourball, or better ball, will allow me to contribute to the team in all aspects of the game. Using the foursome, or alternate shot, I may only contribute to nine holes per round,” I said.

“That’s not arrogance, you are a very complete player, as I saw today. I agree with everything you just said so I will place you in the fourball events as well as the Sunday Singles Matches. If you could pick your partner from the team, who’d it be?”

I had to think about that for a minute before I said, “I think you should pair me with a non-long ball hitter, someone who is fantastic from 150 yards in and around the green, like Matt Kuchar, Hunter or Jason, maybe even Steve Stricker.”

“You sure do know your team, don’t you?” he said.

“Actually, Cory and I’d expected you to ask me that, so I had her give me a short list,” I said giving her a hug.

“She earns her money, doesn’t she?” he said chuckling.

“Money, you mean I get paid for doing this?” Cory grinned.

“Well, that and the fact that I love you more than life itself,” I said.

“You two make a great team,” Fred said waving goodbye and jogging to catch up with Tiger, who had just shown up.

We left to get a shuttle back to the Hotel, changing back into regular shoes and decided to get something to eat. Although there was a restaurant in the hotel, we wanted a taste of Australia.

We got in a cab and asked for the closest place that we really will enjoy.

We were surprised when he pulled up to a McDonalds.

We were greeted cheerfully by the young man who seated us. I forgot I was still in my Team USA shirt, and he asked if I was Johnny Masters, and I quietly answered him as we sat down.

“How hungry are you, Cory?” I asked.

“Really hungry, Johnny,” she smiled back.

We ordered some food, noticing some subtle differences from the States.

As is usual, a young lady came up to us this time and asked if I was ‘The Cannon,’ to which I answered ‘Yes’ and after getting her name, I was handed an autograph book and wrote both her name and mine. I couldn’t help noticing she had an autograph of Tiger Woods on the next page.

She squealed as she sat down and said to her parents and older brothers, “I was right ... that was Johnny ‘The Cannon’ Masters!”

This time I decided to go about this differently and I got up and walked over to her table and said, “If your daughter wants to become a golfer, or a caddy ... please encourage her ... my first girlfriend was my caddy and is now my wife.”

Her Dad got up and shook my hand and said, “Young man, I have been following you since you were at UNLV. You are my little Sophie’s idol, and I want to thank you for being such a wholesome young man who hits the snot out of the ball every time. Thank you for having such high standards, both in golf and in everyday life.”

He started to applaud me, his family getting up and joining him. Soon the entire restaurant was up and cheering for me. Cory came over knowing how affected I get in these circumstances. She got Sophie in her arms and said, “He’s my idol too!”

Our appetizer had arrived, and we went to our table as the crowd sat back down to their food and family.

When our server came with our food, I quietly asked to take care of their bill. As they left I watched as the father had pulled out his wallet only to be told it was taken care of. He waved thanks as Sophie came back and gave me a hug, along with a kiss on the cheek, then ran back to her family.

This is one of the reasons that I wanted to play professional golf ... to inspire others!

We went to back to practice again two days later, but this time I spent my usual time on the Practice Range first, including getting more comfortable with the one-iron finally hitting it longer than the two-iron, after Cory corrected what I was doing with my right hand only when I gripped the one-iron.

I stopped before going on to my woods asking, “Cory, if I keep the one-iron what is my least efficient club I can remove?”

She looked through the bag of clubs and then said, “the six-iron ... you can make it up by hooding the five if you’d like. I really think that the new balls have helped your four-wood to the point that the one-iron itself may be the weakest club in the bag.

Over the following week, the rest of the USA Team along with The European Team arrived. ESPN was setting up to cover the Friday Matches.

We saw and met Mike Tirico, who’d be in the booth along with Chris Berman. Roaming around doing taped interviews for later was Tom Rinaldi and Scott Van Pelt. Also, with ESPN was Peter Alliss and Paul Azinger.

Surprisingly, I saw a very familiar face with a microphone and a cameraman ... it was David Feherty!

We said hello and shook hands. “David, I thought you were a CBS-Golf Channel guy? Are you going rogue or something?” I asked.

“Actually, young Mr. Masters ... I go wherever there is a paycheck or someone who interests me ... ESPN is paying me to follow you, whoever you play with or against.”

“Well boyo,” I said in a tremendously bad attempt at his accent, “As long as you can kip up with ma’ wife and me, feel free!”

“Care to have a quick interview, Cannon?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said as I saw the cameraman turn to us.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am here with the hottest thing on the PGA Tour since plus fours, Johnny ‘The Cannon’ Masters and his lovely wife and caddy, Cory ... Johnny, you have been here for a week now, anything you want to tell your fans about?”

“Well, David ... since we spoke last, my wife and I bought a home in Colorado, I have signed a contract as spokesperson for Wheaties cereal and starting at the first of the year, I will be doing print ads and TV commercials for Red Robin Gourmet Burger Restaurants. I am also now officially a Titleist man.”