On Sunday, British-born golfer Aaron Rai took home the PGA Championship in epic fashion.
But while his victory was remarkable, what remains most impressive to me is simply what it takes for any professional to emerge victorious from a major tournament.
Let me explain.
In 2021, I was lucky enough to write a book with Jack Nicklaus II with the help of his father, the greatest golfer of all time. The work comprised 18 lessons junior learned from his dad over the years.
Every time I watch a major championship event since then, though, I can’t help but think about something they told me about those high-pressure tournaments. Some people say that certain golfers are made for majors. Each of the four events are like their own Super Bowls and it’s not easy to beat out the many participants.
Why then would some players be better suited for them?
Well, because they realize not every tournament is built the same.
Because they know how to adjust their game.
When it comes to the average PGA events, the best golfers usually finish with an incredibly low score. In 2024 Davis Thompson won the John Deere Classic with a whopping 28 strokes under par. Last year, Brian Campbell won with a score of 18 under.
But unless your name is Tiger Woods, most golfers—even the top ones—win majors with a much more modest number.
As Jack and his son explained, when it comes to major titles, you have the play the game differently. You can’t hope for birdies or eagles (shooting one or even two strokes under), more often than not you have to play for par.
To live another day.
Those who fail don’t know how to adjust. Just think of that movie, Tin Cup. Kevin Costner is out there still shooting balls in the water. He just couldn’t change his game.
When the stakes are at their highest, it’s not about getting to the green in two swings. It’s more about getting to the right part of the green in three.
When the grass is longer, the fairways narrower, when the course is at its most difficult, it’s not about showing off. It’s about staying in the contest and waiting for your moment.
When the lights are brightest, it’s about striking when the time is right, not hacking away with half a prayer.
In business, it’s the same thing.
When it comes to the highest of pressure moments, how do we act?
Can we learn from Jack and his son, or do we flout their example?
The choice is ours.
But one thing is for certain: If you do try to play big moments like you play everyday ones, you’ll likely find yourself someplace you don’t want to be—like stuck in a sand trap or soaked in a water hazard.
Instead, just as Jack and his son explained to me, the best results come from figuring out the right course of action, seeing what the moment needs, and meeting it in real time.
That doesn’t mean breaking out some trick shot.
It doesn’t mean hyping up the crowd.
It just means staying the course. Staying steady.
And getting to the final tee box one measured shot at a time.
As a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and 13-time New York Times Best-Selling author, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. From walking into Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen to living with football legend Walter Payton, Don has spent three decades embedded with the world’s greatest "Greats." Now a sought-after executive coach and host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, he translates the lessons of sports and business legends into actionable strategies for building a culture of greatness.
