Because the defending champion of The American Categorical, Sepp Straka would be the one the others are all seeking to beat, however the Austrian says he feels the depth of the competitors popping out to kick off the 2026 PGA Tour schedule on Thursday in La Quinta, Calif.
“I feel the competitors, the truth that you bought to beat … I suppose there was 156 guys, and now it is 100-whatever guys. It is quite a lot of actually, actually, actually good gamers which are all enjoying the identical golf course,” Straka informed reporters at Wednesday’s match press convention.
“They’re all making an attempt to win. In case you have the lead, then all people’s making an attempt to make birdies to attempt to beat you, and you may’t make errors. So I feel simply the depth of the competitors is what makes it actually exhausting.”
Straka’s two-shot win over Justin Thomas at this match final season set the inspiration for an excellent yr. He performed for the victorious European Ryder Cup staff and earlier received the Truist Championship in Could for his fourth PGA Tour title, which he stated was greater than he thought he’d have when he began enjoying professionally.
But, he stated he nonetheless finds himself striving for extra.
“As you develop, as you get these, then hastily you are considering it is not sufficient. So it is by no means going to be sufficient, regardless of the place you might be,” Straka stated.
The advance within the degree of aggressive play in recent times has solely made gaining wins tougher, the 32-year-old informed reporters.
“Yearly you bought new expertise popping out, younger guys popping out, which are unbelievably good at golf, and which are method higher than I used to be once I was popping out of faculty or highschool. So, yeah, it is actually powerful. And it’ll hold getting youthful, and it’ll hold getting extra athletic, quicker. You simply do not understand how for much longer you bought, however you bought to simply hold making an attempt to get higher at golf and hopefully it is adequate.”
Whereas another golfers set match wins as targets, Straka stated he units his sights in another way.
“My targets are extra of each day. So each day I wish to be sure that I do my placing drills. I wish to be sure that I do my drills on the vary. I do my Trackman mix. I am going within the fitness center and do my swing drills, my technical drills. And, hopefully, these find yourself leading to some good tournaments,” he stated.
“My purpose is at all times to enhance my golf recreation and proceed my course of. Particularly in observe, simply proceed to do all of the issues that form of enhance my golf recreation, and that is going to be my purpose once more this yr is to attempt to enhance.”
–Discipline Degree Media
