MATT KUCHAR

I grew up admiring Phil Mickelson. He loves competing, and he loves the fans' support, similar to me. In terms of my playing style, Steve Stricker and I are similar.

I'd like to see something done about the long putters and belly putters. But I go back and forth on that. I've actually worked with a belly putter.

I'm helpless in post-round, hole-by-hole interviews. I can't take you through most of the holes of winning the Players Championship, the U.S. Amateur or Ryder Cup matches. It's like golf amnesia.

I felt I could play in maybe a dozen tournaments a year as an amateur.

I've always been a guy that's liked a crowd and having people around cheering for me. I'm not a guy that will keep his head down or respond negatively to boos or whatever.

I'm happiest playing a match with my dad and a couple of college friends, taking a few bucks off them.

I went seven years between 2002 and 2009 without winning. Then I did win in '09.

I almost didn't turn pro at all. I was tempted to be a career amateur. I worked as an investment banker for nine months after I got out of school, and the money was fantastic and promised to get even more lucrative.

I'm a decent table tennis player, but if you were to put me up against any of the guys you see on television at the Olympics, I'd be lucky to get a couple of points.

I used to turn my shoulders pretty level, which a lot of golfers think is correct. But that made my swing too shallow coming into impact, so my contact was picky, especially off the turf.

Even if you finish the year at No. 1 in the world, and Tiger Woods has done this, you can still probably get better.

When I'm really purring it, I feel as if my whole left side - from knee to hip to shoulder - is turning behind me as I swing through the ball.

Going to a one-plane swing method has made me a much more consistent player. Even when I'm not on, I never get very far off.

Golf's a great game, and you meet a lot of people along the way.

I love getting up to my folks' house and playing golf with Dad. He's very involved with my off-course ventures, and I talk to him every third day.

I was always a guy who wanted to be associated with a brand that meant something to me, something I was proud to be associated with... I always wanted sponsors that felt good to be associated with me as well.

I had a temper when I played junior golf and had my clubs taken away for slamming them on the ground. I learned very quickly that I didn't want my clubs taken away from me.

I'm John McEnroe-like. I'm coming forward every opportunity I get. My wingspan covers some ground at the net. My serve is OK. I can move it around enough. My groundstrokes are good enough to hang in a rally with a good player. But generally, my goal is to put away a point quickly.

I have a random array of ball markers in my bag and don't use any specific one. Many are the plastic kind you find at almost any golf course.

I very rarely watch anybody swing. All I do is follow where the ball goes.

I was always taught that the first rule of bunker play is to just get the ball out. When you have a steep face in front of you, this rule applies more than ever. Here, you have to get the ball up in the air as quickly as possible.

I'm always a competitor. I'm not there just to have a good time. I want to play well and perform well.

I found an instructor, Chris O'Connell, who helped me. He turned me into the player I am today - a consistent golfer.

Sometimes in golf I've got 10,000 people watching me. Cameras are easy. Doing the Jay Leno show was easy.

As a kid, I wanted to be a pro tennis player. I was pretty good; at the tennis academies I attended, I always 'played up' against older age groups.