The Interview Room

Lessons Of Winning (& Losing)

A collection of inspirational quotes, quips and anecdotes from Major champs and also-rans on competition, dealing with pressure and winning tournaments

Jackie Burke, 2004

Jackie Burke (left) with playing partner Ken Venturi on the 18th green during the 1958 Masters.

Jackie Burke, 2004

"Sometimes winning is easy. In 1958, Ken Venturi and I toured Japan. The morning after we landed, they took us out to our first "exhibition," which happened to be the Japanese Open, their national championship. Ken played great. He finished the last round thinking he'd won comfortably and sank himself in one of those huge, luxurious tubs, with enough sake to drown Godzilla. But Jack Burke, playing a couple of hours behind Venturi, got hot and tied him. I found Ken in that tub of hot water and told him to get his butt out of there and onto the first tee, that we were in a playoff. A few minutes later, they got Ken to the first tee. Like I said, sometimes winning is easy."
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