It may be the PGA Tour's first of two off weeks before the fall season starts, but there's plenty of other action going on around the world of golf. From Rory McIlroy capturing the season-ending Tour Championship to J.Y. Ko going bogey-free for 114 straight holes, here are this week's top quotes.
“It was really weird and hard teeing off on Thursday ahead of everybody. I don't know how everybody else feels, but I had a pretty hard time playing the normal way that I play. It's hard to just imagine everybody starts at zero when you don't. So that was tough.” - Justin Thomas on the debut of the staggered-scoring start at the Tour Championship following his T-3 finish after beginning the week with a two-shot lead
"It was one of those days where even on the range, I didn't feel very comfortable with the driver. I felt iron play was good. Just the driver, I just couldn't – it wasn't fading enough. Everything was kind of left, and it happens once in a while. … I mean, I can't bring it every day." - Brooks Koepka after coughing up the 54-hole lead at the Tour Championship where he finished T-3 at the season finale
“Some of the work that I've put in on the mental side of the game and some of the things I've been doing, I definitely think you're starting to see the fruition of that. Just a different approach, a little bit of a different attitude. That attitude and that consistency day in, day out, I think that's what you've seen over the course of this year.” - Rory McIlroy on his 2019 season that saw more consistency and three wins, including The Players, RBC Canadian Open and his second Tour Championship title
“When I got in [the locker room], the first thing I saw was another topless photo of Phil Mickelson, so that made my day." - Rory McIlroy on seeing another photo of the rising social media star during the weather delay at the Tour Championship
“A lot of stability, a lot of experience. Really, both Morgan [Pressel] and Stacy [Lewis], they filled what I needed. I have a lot of rookies. I have a lot of players who have played just one year. I needed a little veteran leadership, and I know I can rely on them to bring that to my team.” - Juli Inkster said on Golf Channel's Morning Drive of her two Solheim Cup captain's picks rounding out her squad that will head to Scotland
“It’s with a heavy heart that I say I won’t be going to the Solheim Cup. I hold no bad feelings for Captain Inkster or any of the team. At the end of the day, you want the USA to bring home the trophy, and I could have made the team outright over the last 2 years. I want to sincerely wish captain @juliinkster and Team USA the best of luck and want to say congratulations to my amazing friend @mpressel for making the team. You’ve worked so hard these past few years! I’m so very proud of you!! Go bring that cup back girls!!! USA ALL THE WAY . . ." - Cristie Kerr on Instagram after not being selected as one of the two captain's picks for the Solheim Cup
“I would like to thank Dr. Cooley and his team. I’m walking now and hope to resume practice in the next few weeks. I look forward to traveling and playing in Japan in October.” - Tiger Woods said in a statement following arthroscopic surgery to repair minor cartilage damage in his left knee
"I feel that if I keep doing the things I’m doing, sooner or later I’ll get another [major] and all this noise will then go away. However, if the narrative becomes that the majors are the only important thing in golf, then that’s dangerous because are fans not going to care for the other 48 weeks of the year? ... If they are spaced so closely together will fans only care from the second week of April to the third week in July? ... I’d like to see them spaced out like tennis does. With the Australian Open in January and the US Open going on now, they’ve a nice nine-month window of relevancy.” - Rory McIlroy said at the European Masters, questioning the spacing of the new PGA Tour schedule, especially how closely the majors are played
“Bogey-free is amazing round [for] 18 holes. I did 114 holes, and then done. It’s cool. ... Now it’s done. I’m free. So I want to do it again, 115 holes bogey-free.” - J.Y. Ko after her bogey-free run ended at 114 holes, passing Tiger Woods who previously held the record with 110 consecutive bogey-free holes
"Unfortunately had to withdraw from @tourchampulf to head back to Florida and evacuate the family. Cat-4 #HurricaneDorian2019 estimated to make landfall in 72hrs. See you all @PGATOUR in a couple of weeks. #familyfirst" - Anirban Lahiri on withdrawing from the Korn Ferry Tour Championship to return to Florida to help family evacuate ahead of Hurricane Dorian