He's very much into what it takes in sports to do well. When he was pitching and me with golf, they're both very mental sports. He can tell very quickly if I'm not playing right and give me some words, or sometimes a kick in the butt.

We sort of ran into each other a couple of times in a six-month period. Once at the golf course and a couple of times in restaurants. Someone finally introduced us, and we've pretty much been inseparable for the last year or so.

It's been a combination of things. I've gone back to work with my coach from junior golf and college days (Phil Krick). I started working with him again in January. He 's made huge improvements in my swing in the past month ... he probably knows my swing better than anybody.

The golf swing is among the most stressful and unnatural acts in sports, short of cheering for the Yankees.

[Among these players, fierce competitiveness is a given. But rather than being an obstacle to closeness, it can be the glue, as long as it's mixed with admiration, humor and good chemistry.] Everybody always wants to win, but it's never a problem among the people who make you feel like you did when you were all kids just playing a game, ... There can be no room for jealousy if there is true friendship.

Never break your putter and your driver in the same round or you're dead.