Justin Thomas ‘very determined’ to win again – Jim “Bones” Mackay | Golf Today | Golf Channel

Legendary caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay talks about reprogramming his mind to cover the game on TV, working with Justin Thomas, previewing the the Mexico Open at Vidanta and more. #GolfChannel #GolfToday #JustinThomas
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Justin Thomas ‘very determined’ to win again – Jim “Bones” Mackay | Golf Today | Golf Channel
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ITS NATIONAL OPEN. CATCH LIVE FIRST ROUND COVERAGE OF THE MEXICO OPEN AT VIDANTA TOMORROW AT 4:00 P.M. EASTERN, RIGHT HERE ON GOLF CHANNEL. >>> A FAMILIAR VOICE ON THE CALL THIS WEEK, JIM BONES MACKAY IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE LEAD ANALYST FOR NBC.

HE’S STILL ON THE BAG FOR JUSTIN THOMAS FULL TIME. SINCE J.T. IS TAKING THE WEEK OFF, HE WILL SERVE AS A WALKER ON THURSDAY AND THEN MOVE TO THE BOOTH WITH DAN HICKS AND BRAD FAXON FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. IT IS ANOTHER CHAPTER IN WHAT IS

ALREADY ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE RESUMES THAT ANY CADDIE HAS BUILT IN HISTORY OF THIS GAME, STARTED HIS CAREER WORKING WITH LARRY MIZE, SCOTT SIMPSON AND CURTIS STRANGE. SPENT FOUR YEARS AS AN ON COURSE REPORTER FOR NBC BEFORE MOVING BACK ON THE BAG FOR JUSTIN

THOMAS IN 2021 AND ADDING A SIXTH MAJOR TO HIS CAREER. BONES JOINS US NOW FROM MEXICO. BONES, YOU’RE DOING A LOT OF TRANSITIONING HERE, YOU PUT DOWN THE BAG, YOU WERE A CADDIE LAST WEEK IN L.A. WHEN I SAW YOU, YOU’RE WALKING TOMORROW, YOU’RE

IN THE BOOTH FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. DO YOU HAVE TO KIND OF REPROGRAM YOUR MIND ALONG THE WAY TO HOW YOU APPROACH THESE DIFFERENT GIGS? >> YEAH, THAT’S SUCH A GREAT QUESTION. I CERTAINLY DO. I CERTAINLY HAVE TO FORGET THAT HOW FAR JUSTIN THOMAS HITS A 7

IRON THIS WEEK BECAUSE THESE GUYS HIT ALL KINDS OF NUMBERS. YOU KIND OF CLEAR THE SLATE, IF YOU WILL, AND JUST CHILL A LITTLE BIT. REWIRE IF YOU HAVE TO AND JUST THINK ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE FROM EVERYBODY’S PERSPECTIVE RATHER THAN JUST THE ONE GUY.

>> BONES YOU SPOKE ABOUT J.T., HE HAS PUBLICLY CREDITED YOU WITH NOTICING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HIS GOLF SWING THAT HAS HELPED HIM IN HIS MARCH TOWARD WHAT HE CALLS SO CLOSE. HOW CLOSE IS HE IN YOUR ESTI ESTIMATION. >> YEAH, HE’S EXTREMELY CLOSE.

CERTAINLY GOT OFF TO A GREAT START THIS YEAR DESPITE THE MISSED CUT IN L.A. LAST WEEK WHERE HE WAS SOMEWHAT OUT OF GAS. I THINK PLAYING A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH A LOT OF RAIN DELAYS IN BOTH PHOENIX AND PEBBLE TOOK

IT OUT OF HIM, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE’S A GUY THAT IS NOT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, IF A GENIE CAME OUT OF A BOTTLE AND SAID YOU CAN FINISH THIRD PLACE THIS WEEK IF YOU’RE HAPPY WITH THAT, HE WOULD TELL THEM TO GET LOST BECAUSE HE WANTS TO WIN.

HE’S VERY DETERMINED TO GET BACK INTO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN HE ULTIMATELY DOES RAISE THAT TROPHY THE NEXT TIME GIVE THAN HE’LL CARRY A LOT OF MOMENTUM INTO THE TOURNAMENTS THAT FOLLOW DOWN THE ROAD.

>> DO YOU HAVE A SENSE ALREADY THIS WEEK, BONES THAT THERE ARE GUYS OUT THERE IN MEXICO WHO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY REALLY HAVE TO BE OPPORTUNISTIC THIS WEEK BECAUSE IT ISN’T THE STRONGEST FIELD. A LOT OF THE TOP GUYS ARE TAKING

A BREAK BEFORE MOVING INTO THE SIGNATURE EVENTS AND THE PLAYERS, BUT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF RANK AND FILE GUYS TO PLAY THEIR WAY INTO THOSE BIGGER EVENTS. DO YOU GET THAT PALPABLE SENSE ON THE GROUND YET? >> YEAH, IN A BIG WAY.

WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME GUYS THAT MAYBE AREN’T IN THE PLAYERS OR AREN’T IN THE MASTERS, WHICH LOOMS NOT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO HAVE SOMETHING OF A LIFE ALTERING WEEK. THE ONE THING ABOUT THIS GOLF

COURSE, THOUGH, THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DEPRESSING FOR THOSE GUYS IS IF YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF LENGTH. THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOLF COURSES I’VE EVER SEEN. THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM OFF THE TEE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO OR THREE HOLES.

SO, YOU KNOW, BRING YOUR LONG BALL THIS WEEK, OR HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST PUTTING WEEKS OF YOUR CAREER IF YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF LENGTH OFF THE TEE. >> BONES, WE HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT SINCE THE RYDER CUP.

YOU WERE CAST IN A ESSENTIAL AND VERY DRAMATIC ROLE THERE. AND I’M WONDERING HOW MUCH THAT IS A REFLECTION OF THE HEIGHTENED EMOTIONS OF THE WEEK AND THINGS HAPPENING THERE THAT SIMPLY DON’T HAPPEN ANY OTHER WEEK, THE WHOLE REST OF THE YEAR.

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT’S FAIR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE RYDER CUP, IT IS AMAZING, PROBABLY MY FAVORITE GOLF TOURNAMENT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THERE IS NO QUESTION IT GETS A LITTLE CHIPPY OUT THERE. EVERYBODY WANTS TO WIN IN THE WORST WAY. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE

U.S. WAS TRYING VERY HARD THIS PAST RYDER CUP TO WIN OVERSEAS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1993. WE GOT BEAT UP REALLY BADLY THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS. PATRICK DID SOME AMAZING THINGS ON THE GOLF COURSE I THINK LATE SATURDAY AND THERE IS SPEECHES

GOING ON AND THE RESPECTIVE TEAM ROOMS, GUYS GET FIRED UP AND SITUATIONS HAPPENED AS THEY DID. BUT THE GREAT THING IS THAT WE’RE ALL GREAT FRIENDS AFTER THE FACT. I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR RORY, A GREAT AMBASSADOR OF THE GAME AND GREAT PLAYER AND SAW

HIM AND HE GAVE ME A BIG HUG AT DI DINNER, BOTH OUT IN THE PEBBLE BEACH AREA. IT REFLECTS HOW MUCH THESE PLAYERS WANT TO WIN THE RYDER CUP AND SPEAKS FOR WHAT A GREAT GAME GOLF IS BECAUSE THOSE GUYS AREN’T GETTING PAID A NICKEL FOR

BEING THERE THAT WEEK. THEY’RE DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME AND REPRESENTING THEIR PEERS AND TOURS AND COUNTRIES AND CONFIDENCE IF YOU WILL. >> YOU’VE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESSURE AS A CADDIE AND WORKING TV. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET YOU

BACK IN TV FULL TIME? I GET YOUR HEART IS STILL IN CADDYING, DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOUR KNEES GIVE OUT ENTIRELY TO GET YOU BACK ON THIS SIDE OF THE CAMERA? >> EAMON, I KEEP UP BIG TIME WITH YOUR GOLF GAME AND

CERTAINLY IF THAT’S SUPER SENIOR TOUR DOES COME BACK AROUND AND YOUR GAME STARTS TO PEAK AND I HEAR IT HASN’T PEAKED YET, I’LL CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT. BUT RIGHT NOW I’M VERY HAPPY CARRYING THE GOLF BAG OF ONE OF THE GREAT PLAYERS IN THE WORLD

AND WHEN I HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO MYSELF COMING OUT AND HANGING OUT WITH MY TV FRIENDS AND DOING THIS I GOT A LOT OF RUST TO KNOCK OFF, BUT HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD TO ME. >> IT IS IRONIC YOUR ANYNICKNAMS BONES FROM FRED COUPLES BECAUSE

WE TALK ABOUT YOUR BONES AND YOUR KNEES. HOW IS THE BODY TAKING THE RIGORS OF A LONG TIME OUT THERE? >> THE KNEES ARE GREAT NOW. THE MARVELS OF MODERN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE. I DO HAVE A BACK FUSION ON THE DOCKET FOR LATER THIS SUMMER.

SO, YOU KNOW, MY BODY IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SHOULD BE. IT IS BEATEN UP QUITE A BIT AFTER 30 YEARS OUT HERE. BUT I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. AND I GOT A COUPLE OF GOOD DOCTORS AT HOME THAT WILL PUT ME BACK TOGETHER AND THEY GOT A

COUPLE OF ROLLS OF DUCT TAPE, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING OUT HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. >> FOCUSING ON THE JOB THIS WEEK, WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A BIG WEEK FROM? TONY FINAU IS A BIG NAME IN THE FIELD.

BRANDON WU HAS BEEN IN THE TOP THREE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, NICOLAI HOJGAARD PLAYING REALLY WELL. IS THERE ANY ONE GUY YOU’RE LOOKING AT TO MAKE A STATEMENT THIS WEEK? >> I THINK A COUPLE OF GUYS TO ME THORBJORN OLESEN COMING OFF A

WIN IN THE MIDDLE EAST RECENTLY ON THE DP TOUR. HE’S BEEN PLAYING SOME GREAT GOLF. HE’S, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY TURNED A NEW CHAPTER AND TAKEN HIS GAME TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL IF YOU WILL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN TERMS OF HOW HE PLAYS.

AND I’M WAITING FOR MAVERICK McNEALY TO MAKE SOME NOISE. WHILE HE MAY NOT BE A LONGER GUY, HE’S AN EXCEPTIONAL PUTTER, MAKES UP FOR A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AND I THINK AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR HE’S EITHER GOING TO WIN OR COME DARN CLOSE.

>> BONES, WE TALK CONSTANTLY ABOUT THE DEPTH IN PROFESSIONAL GOLF ON TOURS AROUND THE WORLD. I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE WE JUST FINISHED THE WEST COAST SWING AND THERE WERE A LOT OF SURPRISES. SURPRISES FROM THE STANDPOINT OF

SAYING CAN’T BELIEVE THE QUALITY AND DEPTH OF THE STORIES OF WINNERS THAT WE HAD. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF THESE WINNERS WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THE WEEKS THAT JUST HAPPENED? >> WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE DEPTH AND WHILE

NICK TAYLOR MAY NOT BE A HO HOUSEHOLD NAME AMONG GOLF FANS THROUGH THE UNITED STATES, HE IS IN DAN, THAT GUY IS ONE HECK OF A PLAYER AND HE’S A GUY THAT WHEN HE SMELLS BLOOD, HE CAN REALLY GET IT DONE. HE’S A SHARK OUT THERE AND HE

PROVED AT THE WASTE MANAGEMENT EXACTLY WHAT HE’S MADE OF IN TERMS OF TRACKING CHARLEY HOFFMAN DOWN AND WINNING IN A PLAYOFF WHERE THERE ARE BIRDIES FLYING EVERYWHERE. PEOPLE CAN WRITE THINGS LIKE THERE WASN’T A LOT OF JUICE ON THE WEST COAST, BUT I PREFER TO

THINK OF IT AS THIS IS THE PGA TOUR THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE IN, MY GOODNESS, YOU BETTER BRING YOUR A-GAME OUT