Web Exclusive: Interviewing the Interviewer, Part 2

CSU’s Steve Sands of NBC/Golf Channel shares his impressions of the PGA Tour’s top players

Denny Dressman

Colorado State grad Steve Sands has interviewed virtually every current big name in golf; in most cases many times over. In the continuation of Denny Dressman’s conversation with the NBC/Golf Channel commentator published in the April issue of Colorado Avid Golfer magazine, Sands shares his impressions of many of today’s top players:

Who are the best players on tour to deal with?

That’s a tough one. I remember when I got the job at Golf Channel 14 years ago, I asked a couple guys out here who I knew really well, and they said, “It’s tough to answer that question because we spend so much time dealing with, talking about, showing on television, writing about in newspapers and taking about on the radio the best guys – the top 10 players in the world, top 15 in the world – that some of the other guys who are not in that category get lost in the shuffle. But some of those guys are the best guys in the world.

Geoff Ogilvy is a major champion; smart guy, good guy, always says something that is entertaining, enlightening, informative, insightful.

Padraig Harrignton, three-time major champion, one day he’ll be in the World Golf Hall of Fame; he’s not in the top 10 anymore, and if you need a quote or insight – on or off camera – Padraig Harrington is a tremendous guy to talk to.

Mike Weir, won the Masters; he hasn’t been at the upper echelon of the game in years, and he is a fabulous guy to deal with, a great guy to talk to.  And then there are the guys today. 

Rory McIlroy is the No. 1 player in the world; couldn’t be a nicer kid. Raised correctly by his parents, so nice, so polite, smart, great player. What more could you want from the best player in the world?

One of the things that’s interesting about golf, compared to the other sports, is when you win a major championship in golf, all of a sudden that makes you a go-to person for people like you and me to get things not just for golf but things that surround the game, issues in sports. And some of those guys can’t just handle that type of attention.  But the great majority of them are just fantastic.

Name an American.

Phil Mickelson is as good as it gets, on and off the record, on and off camera. Phil is so entertaining and so willing to be honest with his opinions. He’s playing with house money. He’s a great player, an iconic player, and he’s incredibly generous with people, with his time, with his money.

So what you see is real.

Absolutely. He’s fantastic. 

I’d like to run through some guys and have you comment on them; anything you want to say. Sort of word association.

Okay.

Phil: Phenomenal, one of the greatest.

Rickie Fowler: Great kid. Realizing his potential right now.

Rory:  Tremendous kid. Incredible talent. The entire package.

Bubba Watson:  Fascinating. Moody. Beyond-belief talent.

Tiger:  The single most interesting person I’ve ever had the opportunity to cover in 24 years in this business.

Sergio: Great kid. Nobody is affected by his happiness or lack thereof away from the golf course more than Sergio. He is such a nice kid. When he is in the right place, he plays great golf.

Ian Poulter:  Colorful, on and off the golf course. Honest. Great backstory, coming from his place in life to become one of the best players in the world. He’s a good guy.

Jim Furyk:  A pro’s pro.

Hunter Mahan:  Excellent talent. Really nice guy. One of the great drivers of the golf ball.

Kuchar:  Positively quirky. Love Matt. Interesting guy to be around, and not just talk golf with. Talk anything with Matt.

Adam Scott:  Well, let’s see. He looks like a model. And he has one of the great swings in the world. Seemingly has it all.

Jordan Speith:  Totally gets it. Great talent. Ridiculously mature beyond his years.

Is Spieth the next big star?

I don’t like rubbing the anointing oil on people in sports.  I think he needs to win more often. He’s only got one win on the tour. He needs to win before people start . . . Same with Rickie Fowler.

You need to prove it. It’s hard to win out here.

RELATED LINKS

Steve Sands: The Anchor Weighs In (Part 1 of this story)

Something to Cheer About: Bubba Wins His 2nd Masters

Stadlers First Father/Son Duo to Compete in Same Masters Field

Tiger Withdraws From Masters

What’s the Story, Rory McIlroy?

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.