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Everything Orange
Jackson Herrington
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Fore please, Jackson Herrington now podcasting!
Fresh off an appearance as an amateur at the 2026 Masters Tournament, and with NCAA postseason play starting next week, sophomore men’s golf standout Jackson Herrington joins the Everything Orange podcast.
The Dickson, Tennessee, native qualified for The Masters — as well as the upcoming 2026 U.S. Open — after finishing as runner-up at the U.S. Amateur Championship in the summer of 2025. Herrington and host Sarah Detwiler recount his experience playing at storied August National Golf Club alongside some of the world’s best golfers and how that experience will shape his approach to he U.S Open Championship in June.
But before Herrington makes his way to Southampton, New York, he’ll be looking to help the 16th-ranked Vols make a run at a national title. NCAA Regional play begins next week and Herrington enters the postseason ranked second on the team in stroke average, with a pair of top-10 finishes to his name.
An exciting 2026 for Tennessee’s Jackson Herrington is just getting started!
Like the seventh generation to come here. I I love Tennessee. I think I have a picture of me and like three years old in a golf car with a Tennessee head on. Yeah, so it's always been in the family. Um, but it's been it's been missing, I'm gonna mix it.
SPEAKER_01Hey, welcome back to the Everything Orange podcast. If you are a lover of the game of golf, you are going to thoroughly enjoy this podcast because we have golf. And we guess we'll get some more golfest love. We've got a still more from the men's golf team who has had an unbelievable 2026 year so far. Which started with an amateur experience at this year's Masters Tournament and is about to go play in the US Open that he qualified for, and he's finishing up an MCAA tournament run that is beginning in College Station next week at the Brian Regional for Tennessee Men's Golf. It's crazy to think that he's only in sophomore and he's just beginning in his career. But man, does he have some great stories to tell that I know you guys are going to enjoy hearing all about. So please welcome to the Everything Orange Podcast, the one, the only, Jackson Harrington, aka the French. You'll understand why in a minute. Jackson Harrington, welcome to the Everything Orange Podcast.
SPEAKER_03Thank you. Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_01Busy time of the year for you right now, so we really appreciate you taking the time to do this. I first want to start off with a couple of get to know you questions. We'll kind of rapid fire go through them as fast as we can. I'll start off with what is your favorite golf course that you've ever played?
SPEAKER_03Augusta National. Yeah, that's a pretty good one. It's hard to compare it to any other place, but yeah, it was pretty special.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was uh kind of like a I love that for you. Like, come on.
SPEAKER_03Kind of a gimme.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Uh favorite club and you're back.
SPEAKER_03Right now, probably my putter. The moneymaker, you know. You can hit it pretty average and make a lot of putts and still play well. But yeah, we're I just went down last weekend to see my putting coach, and you know, we're working hard on that. And yeah. It's feeling good right now. It's feeling great.
SPEAKER_01Good, good. One golfer you'd love to play 18 with.
SPEAKER_03I don't know. I alive, probably Tiger.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_03But I would have loved to have played with Arnold Palmer. I think that would have been a good one. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. You you can't go on with either of them. If you weren't playing golf, what sport do you think that you'd be competing in?
SPEAKER_03Oh, I have no idea. Maybe football or something. I think that'd be fun. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It kind of a little different than golfing. A lot different.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01Did you play football at all growing up?
SPEAKER_03For like three weeks. Yeah, you're like, it was like 95 or something. It was way too hot for like an eight-year-old kid to be out playing football and put the helmet on, was out there for I don't know how long, and I told my mom I quit. It's too hot. Yeah. Yeah. I was just a youngin'.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I'm way too hot.
SPEAKER_01Honestly.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01What is your dream golf destination?
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's a good question. The one I love going to uh a Monterey where Pebble Beach is, but I I want to play Cypress Point.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_03That's like kind of on my bucket list. Okay. Um, so I I think I'd I have to say that I just love the area around there and you know so beautiful. Yeah, me and my uh my mom, we used to go and even sometimes my dad would come with us, but we go we go up there just on on vacation, you know, for her birthday, or they actually just went to to Napa for for Mother's Day. So, you know, we we love all those areas over there.
SPEAKER_01Who's most likely to talk trash during a practice round out of your teammates?
SPEAKER_03Out of our teammates, uh probably Luke Smith. Yeah. Yeah, he's always saying something.
SPEAKER_01He's always don't about something. Uh your favorite thing to do away from the course?
SPEAKER_03Probably fish. Yeah. Nice. Kind of we have a fully stocked pond at my house, so when I'm home, I I try to get out. My dad goes with me. So we love going out there and spending time out in the pond and fishing. I used to fish with my grandpa all the time too. So I haven't been much on when I've been here. I actually went out to uh Tennessee National the other day where where we play a lot and Vince uh he was kind enough to let me go out there and fish after my round. So kind of the one thing I have here haven't done here that kind of gives me that home feel. So I'm trying to do it more often.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, when you can. Exactly. It's hard to find the time, right?
SPEAKER_03When I do go home and I have time, we me and my dad definitely go out there and fish out of the pond. Either that or spend time with all our animals. So good.
SPEAKER_01Your biggest pet peeve on the golf course.
SPEAKER_03Slow play. Right, yeah, it's terrible. Yeah, I'm not a fan because I'm I'm kind of quick myself. Okay. I don't like to sit there and think and harp on whatever's going on too much, and slow play just it it's not good for me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you and a lot of other people. Uh your favorite movie or TV show?
SPEAKER_03I I finished the blacklist a couple a couple months ago. That was good.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_03Uh movie. That's a good one. Probably Ten Cup or something. I love watching those, but great. Golf movie, of course. But yeah. I was thinking about a regular movie. I don't know.
SPEAKER_01I haven't normal people watch.
SPEAKER_03I don't really watch a whole lot of shows or I mean, yeah. I go home and I cook and chill, so yeah. I don't know. Maybe I'll watch some YouTube or something. Not a whole lot of TV going on because it's usually on the golf channel or Animal Planet. So fair.
SPEAKER_01Okay, nice. Nice. Last question for you. What's one word your teammates would use to describe you?
SPEAKER_03Oh that I have no idea. That's a really good one. I don't think they've ever told me or I have no idea.
SPEAKER_01No. What do you think what do you think your parents would use? One word to describe you.
SPEAKER_03That's that's a good question.
SPEAKER_01Um ask them and then report.
SPEAKER_03I need to ask them. Okay.
SPEAKER_01I should just drop a bunch of slides real quick.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And then we'll circle back at the end of this podcast. Yes. You asked your mom that she's gonna send you a whole paragraph. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_03I should just call her and see what she says. Is that fine?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Let's see what she says.
SPEAKER_01Go ahead. If she's not too busy buying those new shoes, you need to show you.
SPEAKER_03She's probably not. Hey. Hey, I a mid-interview and I just had a question.
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_03They she asked me what's one qu or one word that you or you or dad or both would use to describe me.
SPEAKER_00Uh unweight. Oh, one word.
SPEAKER_03One.
SPEAKER_00Determined.
SPEAKER_03Alright, that's a good one.
SPEAKER_00That's a great one. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I couldn't think of anything because I'd never asked that before.
SPEAKER_00So determined, loving. Uh steadfast in who you are. But yes, determined.
SPEAKER_03Perfect. All right. Appreciate it. Love you. Love you. Bye. Bye. Perfect. That was easy. It was perfect.
SPEAKER_01But she she had to pause for a second. She was like, ooh, one word. She had to think. Yeah, yeah. But that was a determined bad one.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. It was pretty good. Yeah, she nailed it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Hit the nail in the head. Thanks, Mom. Shut up. All right. Well, that was really fun. We've never had a like a level podcast before, so that was great. Um, but man, you had the week of a lifetime a couple weeks ago when you competed as an amateur at the 2026 Masters tournament. First and foremost, have you been able to process the week and the experience? And if so, what do you make of it all?
SPEAKER_03I think it's still pretty surreal that that that happened. But yeah, I think I don't know. It was just such a cool week and a special week, and something that I always dreamed of doing, and something I'm confident I'll be able to do multiple times in the future and hopefully win it one day. But um, yeah, it was just the coolest experience and getting to to meet all those guys and spend time with those guys on the course and you know, to come out and you know, I've I've texted a few of them, uh advice just in in general, um, even for the US Open, just what they what they do to prep for it. Um you know, Tommy Fleetwood, I've I've he I think the last time it was at Shinnecock, where it is this year, and he was in the final group on Sunday. So just kind of asking him what he what his thoughts are and what he did that year and what he does now to to get ready has been pretty special. And yeah, I think just those friendships and and them being kind enough to kind of take me under their wing was was truly special. And yeah, just getting out there and in the heat of the moment with yeah, Derek, our assistant coach, was was pretty special, and having my family there and sharing that moment with them was was uh really cool. And you know, we had our our head coach came in for for uh Thursday, and no, just being out there with with everybody was was pretty cool and having their support was was even more special too.
SPEAKER_01I'm sure you also saw some power tease on the course. It felt a little bit like oh being so close.
SPEAKER_03I think it felt like every 10 steps I made, someone said go vol. Oh yeah. It was I I was shocked. I looked at Derek, I was like, man, this is crazy. Like someone said, I think someone said yeah, it was on the par three, someone said go gators, and I turned around and said gator tastes pretty good. And I don't think it was just so random and out of the blue. I don't even know how that came to mind, but yeah, everyone said go vols except for that guy.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, I'd say I'd say the um ratio was pretty good for you guys down there.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01What do you remember about how you were feeling, what you were thinking, just the days and kind of the week leading up to it of like, oh my gosh, this dream is about to come true.
SPEAKER_03I was just trying to take it easy. I didn't want to overdo it. You know, we got there on Saturday afternoon. I went and watched the the guys play in in Nashville. So I got to stay at my house for a couple days, which was nice, spent time with my dogs, and that was great. But yeah, I watched them play. Um was at my home course, so it was perfect, and then drove up, just went out and practiced and and took it pretty easy. You know, I got to talk to a couple couple nice people there, got to talk to Rory and and those guys, which was pretty cool. That was pretty awesome. But yeah, yeah, and then on on Sunday we just got out there. I think they I talked to all the guys. They they told me, you know, just get out there around noon. And I think it was I think that's the day all the past champions have their family out. And so I want to go out after them. So yeah, we just went out there and I think I practiced, played nine, but I didn't want to play more than nine a day because I knew I'd get pretty tired, and of course it's no joke.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_03I think it they told me they could you could put an Eiffel Tower between the lowest point and so one the top right corner on one green is the highest, and somewhere down by eleven is the lowest. You put an Eiffel Tower.
SPEAKER_01Insane.
SPEAKER_03I was like, that is crazy, right? But yeah, so yeah, I took it easy on Sunday, and then I saw I play with him Monday. Oh yeah, Tommy Fleawood. So I saw him in the locker room, he was right next to me, and I asked him if he wanted to play, and or actually I just said hello, and then I saw him out on the practice facility. I asked him if he wanted to play, and he said he was going out in like an hour, maybe two hours, and I was already about to head out, and somehow he ended up going onto the on the course a lot earlier than I thought, and I teed off, he tried to get my attention, but I didn't see him. And then he joined uh joined up with me on Tuesday. So that was kind of the first time I was around a crowd like that. There's a couple thousand people, and I think it was it was pretty crazy for me. I got I was definitely a little nervous when that happened. You know, there was I don't know, 50, 60 people in the second T-box. It kind of goes back in the trees, and then his caddy ran up and asked if we could play with us. I was heck yeah. Yeah, and then it's just like when he walks over, it's just a swarm of people come up to the to the ropes. I'm like, oh okay, this is actually real. But I had already hit, so helped me out a little bit. Yeah, it took me a couple holes to get settled in and you know played nine again, took it easy, and then Tuesday, Wednesday I played with Bryson. Um, I'd heard they'd be a good one for me to play with. We hit it similar distance, and I just kind of want to see how his mind works. I know he's kind of big on like math and and all that stuff. He does he does stuff a lot different than than other people do, you know. I remember on hold two, he's like 65 feet up 4%, might have been 60 or something. He's like up four percent. This is an 80-footer, I'm gonna hit 80 feet. I was like, well, I don't think like that at all. I I don't know how you do that, but yeah, I saw him walking out of the gym and asked him I could get his number and and try to get out there and play with him, and he was like, heck yeah, let's do it. And so got out there with him on Tuesday, and then yeah, I asked him after the round. I was like, hey, I'd love to go out there and play with you tomorrow. Let's let's do it. He's like, heck yeah, I'll see you there. Let's I'll probably be around 11. So you know I got it back out there with him. I think we see off a little later, you know, 12 o'clock, but still played nine. And then yeah, the par three contest was after that. I had my like fanboy moment on that round on Wednesday. He was on 15. Don't want to make him look bad, but he did plug one in the lip of the water. And I told Derek, I was like, I don't want to look like an idiot. Can you like grab that ball? And so he was like bit down. He's like, he was like grabbing the ball. So yeah, it was that was my one fanboy moment. I've got it in my I have the staff bag I used in my apartment with like some of the shoes and stuff I used. Yeah, and it is in the staff bag. So that was like my one moment where I was like, I gotta have that. Yeah, but yeah, yeah. And then I went and played the par three with I had my best friend Caddy for me. You know, I've known him since I was three or four. Played our first tournament together, I believe. So yeah, it was it worked out. I we had a really good time, and I kind of surprised him. I didn't know who I was playing with. As soon as I I think it was on Saturday, I signed up for it, just put my name somewhere, and I went back in there Wednesday morning and I went to see who I was with, and I was with like Zach Johnson and I think the Latin America amateur. Okay, and I saw I was like Brooks Kafka, Fred Couples, and then nobody. I was like, all right, I gotta do that. So I hopped in there and then I told him. I was like, I think I was on 14T actually. I hadn't seen him all day. And I was like, Luke, come here. And he's like, What? I was like, by the way, we're playing with Brooks Kevka and Fred Couples this afternoon. He's like, oh my god. Can't say what he actually said, but something along those lines. And it was like, yeah, it's gonna be fun. He's like, I'm he I think he was a little nervous, which rightfully so.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_03And then you know, it was awesome. We played after the round. I he got it, he got his caddy bib, and you know, we were out there on the range and he was hitting balls, getting ready for that ninth hole T shot. And I think Jordan Speeth was sitting sitting next to us. I played with him a couple years ago. Okay, he remembered me, and I remember his caddy talked to me for a good bit, and yeah, he was telling he was telling Luke, he's like, Yeah, it's a 110-yard shot, just hit it that flag and start practicing. I was like, wow, this is crazy. And we got out there and it was probably the coolest experience I've ever had. Like playing in the tournament was really special and something that you know you can't beat, but being able to be around those guys when they're around their family and they don't care what what happens, I think that was pretty special. Just see how they are, just outside from the tournament. Yeah, just as a normal person. So I mean, we're watching me and Brooks Gevgar sitting there laughing at and his his kid grew playing with the sand of the bunker. Right. And so we're it's I can't beat it. It was it was really awesome.
SPEAKER_01Was there one piece of advice anybody gave you or one interaction that really stood out to you from the whole week?
SPEAKER_03Um, I think it was just all the advice in general that I got out there. You know, like Bryson, I would ask him literally anything about about the golf course and be like, yeah, so hole seven, I don't I don't hit driver because it pinches in, and if I if I pull one, I'm not gonna be blocked out by the trees, it's a full shot, and then I just hit it here, I'm like, never would have thought of that. And like Tommy, I ask him, I forgot what hole it was. He's like, Yeah, I hit it here because if you hit it this way, something happens. I'm like, never would have thought of that, but that's why I did it. So I don't know. Bryson had told me, you know, it's it's just a golf course, go out and play. There's there's nothing different than than what you do on a on a regular day, but obviously a little bit different. But it's a bit yeah, just I think just spending time with those guys, seeing how they were breaking down the course, and and I think just them being that nice to me and taking taking me under the wing, like I said, and yes, just literally whatever I wanted. Even Tommy, if I wouldn't even ask a question and be like, hey, come here. Like on seven. On s yeah, it was on seven, so it's like a back right pin, the tiers feels like it's from me to you. There's just nowhere to hit it up there, and he's like, come right here. I was like, okay, and like directly below it and to the left of it. And there's like an old hole. He's like, putt from right here. I was like, okay, and it didn't move, and there's a slope sitting like that. And I was like, what? He's like, yeah, this this old hole right here, remember it when you're in the tournament, hit it right here, and it's never gonna move. I was like, okay, so I hit it in the fairway on seven, hit it like this far right of the old hole. I was like, okay, this is like right edge. I didn't even really read it, made it. And I was like, I never would have known that, never would have thought of something like that. Just finding just something as small as that. But having those guys to be able to play with them, I'd just truly special. And you know, I text him and you know, I've texted Tommy a couple of times. He's like, heck yeah, let's let's get out there at the US Open and let's go play practice round and you know, uh text Spee Scatty, you know. He's like, Yeah, we'll get out there. And you know, the one I do want to play with is Brooks, even though I play with him in the par three, I want to play like out on the on the big course with him. But yeah, yeah, though, I mean they're all they all exceeded my expectations of how they would be.
SPEAKER_01That's what it sounds like, and I don't know why that surprises me because I guess like for one, it's like the biggest week of the year, like let's be real for them. And you would think, I mean, there's a lot of things that help them enjoy the moment and not be so uptight throughout the entirety of the week. But I just would think that they'd be so locked into what they're doing or who they're with or their family or whatever, that they kind of would just be like, you know, passing by everybody else. But the fact that they took intentional time to meet you, get to know you, spend time with you, build relationships with you.
SPEAKER_03It's crazy.
SPEAKER_01That's unbelievable. I think like what other professional athletes do that?
SPEAKER_03I don't know.
SPEAKER_01NFL MBA.
SPEAKER_03I think the media gives them a bad rap too. Like some I I forgot when it was, you know, Rory didn't talk to the media, and everyone's like, Oh, this is this shouldn't happen. This I'm like, he's I talked to him for five minutes, I thought he was the nicest guy I've ever met. Other people he earned it and he doesn't have to talk to the media, but even Bryson, like a couple years ago, he didn't have a good rap. And then now he's like the people's champion, big everybody loves him, but even some people still think he's you know he's not very nice. But I was out there and I was like, this guy's incredible. He's Tommy. I was like, I've never met a guy that nice and that willing to just give information and then for couples, even though he's you know, on the um he's been out there for a while. I think he's playing like 41 of those, or don't quote me on that, but something like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Just for him to, you know, be that nice to me. And he did love my nickname, so I gave him one of those magnets that I had that someone made for me.
SPEAKER_01Wait, what?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I what is this? I have like so my nickname's the fridge, and so swear. And so the guy who does our media, like or does media on the amateur tours, and he's there all the time. Um, back of the range, he he made like magnets. I've got some in my backpack.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I'm gonna need to see afterwards.
SPEAKER_03And like just magnets with my name on it, like a picture of me. And so we like we gave one to Kevin Hart, got a picture of it. Yeah, we just started giving it to everybody. I mean, we had like 500. Yeah, like I gave one to him, and he was like, I love this. He's like fantastic, it was amazing.
SPEAKER_01Where did the fridge come from?
SPEAKER_03Bryce Lewis, who's on our team a couple years ago. Yes, I had him on the podcast. He was the story I was told was they were eating French toast sticks in like Cabo or something, and it was unbelievable. And it was right before I came in, it was the summer before I came in. Okay, and he was like, You're gonna have to keep these away from the fridge. I didn't we played an amateur tournament and practice round, there's like four of us, and they just kept saying it. I was like, Who are you guys talking about? Like the fourth hole. I'm like, Oh, that's you. I was like, All right, so it's stuck. Now I never hear my name. You just hear when someone says Jackson, I like it. It's surprised. Yeah, you have to like actually register it. My teachers and sometimes my parents are they just call me Jack, but I never hear my name.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god.
SPEAKER_03It's crazy.
SPEAKER_01So it's either majority of the time it's the fridge.
SPEAKER_03It's or fridge or fridgy.
SPEAKER_01Fridge or fridgy.
SPEAKER_03Literally.
SPEAKER_01I think we need to monetize this like in the vault shop or something.
SPEAKER_03So I think I just need a fridge sponsorship.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. A whirlpool or something like that. Something great.
SPEAKER_03Like a smart fridge. Or something, yeah. Maybe one that likes talking.
SPEAKER_01One of the fancy ones. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That has to be a little bit more than a little bit talks to you. And the pebble ice, or yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Or my coach has one that you can like put in with like what drinks and stuff are in there, and it like tells you what's like an under the fridge.
SPEAKER_01Oh wow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03He like showed us when he had a team dinner on Monday, and he was like showing us. He's like, Yeah, I know what you guys got out of my fridge, so don't do anything dumb.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. My mom would have loved that back in the day. For sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Sure that they're taking photos of the fridge. Anyways, I'm gonna grab this. So I'll wrap up the talk about the masters, because truthfully, we could talk about the masters as whole podcast and it would be great. People would still love it. Um, but just talk to me about the overall. Like you ended up playing two rounds. I'm sure that first one it was like, okay, got the first got the first wave of nerves out of the way. I know what to expect. Let's go attack round two. And then you got to spend the rest of the week there and take in the crowds, take in the atmosphere. Like, overall, just what was your takeaway from the experience, how you played, and maybe what keeps you wanting to come back and do it all over again?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was the best week of my life. I know that. But yeah, I mean, I was frustrated. I was pretty pissed off that you know, I was I think I was even on the first nine on the cut line, and then I just missed a birdie putt on nine. I wasn't very happy about that, but you know, I just made two in a row after making two bogeys in a row, so you know, shooting even out there doesn't suck. But I made the turn and hit it in the trees on 10, hit the green, and then that course just plays mind games with you. You know, your the green looks like it's pitched straight downhill, but you look at the hill and it's going straight up the hill, so it's raised creeps behind you, so it's not even that fast, and then put the pit on the front. You're like, oh, I can put this off the green. Left it like eight feet short, missed it, and I was like, okay, two par fives and easy par fours coming up. Let's make some birdies, and then got to 12, and you know, I play whole 11, and I'm standing on the T. This is where the course gets you. It's like 11, you can see 14 the flag on 14, and it's like into up the right. So I get up there and got like 185 adjusted to like 175. I'm like, okay, we'll play this close to number. And up and I just ride the green, can't be left of that green, you're in the water. Missed in the right spot, got up and down, and then 12. If 12's going this way, 11's going like this. So I mean it's basically the same wind. Get up there and 12 straight down, and I'm like, okay, that that's not right. And we look at the wind, it's supposed to be in two or just off the right, and now it's down off the left, and I'm like, what is going on? So everyone tells me, look at 11. 11's down, and then I'm like, okay, I'm not first to hit. So I wait, still down, but the problem is it's like right between one club and another. If it gusts into and I hit the shorter club, I'm not even getting over the water. Or yeah, probably not even getting over the water. But if it's down, that one's may not clear the bunker or just get on the green. So I'm like, okay, well, I gotta hit that one hard. Don't want to do that. So the other one's definitely going to get on the green, but if it's down, it's going over the green. And I'm just like, what do I hit? So then it like stops for a second, then I feel it puff back into on the right, and all of a sudden it goes back down. I'm like, okay, so we took the longer club, hit a great shot to the fat side of the green, lands like a foot from the back edge. If I mean if it lands a foot shorter, two feet shorter, it's staying on the green or just rolling over, and at worst to make a bogey, probably making par if it stays on the green, could make birdie. And it goes in the back bunker, and then yeah, there was no sand in the back bunker, and I bottomed out, which I was pretty pissed off about, and I was I made the most of it, you know. I still hit it in the water and I walked over the bridge. I was like, well, I'm gonna walk over the bridge more times than the average person who missed the cut, so that was pretty fun. But yeah, I was pretty pissed that that happened, you know. I just don't hit it there, I guess. But yeah, other than that, it was great. I had a really good time. I was I was never down on myself, I was never negative. I'd I don't know how many times after I made triple on that hole that I looked at Derek and said, Man, I'm having a blast. But yeah, yeah, I think learning about myself and what I do in the most pressure situations I've ever felt. You know, I I found that I like to shape the ball one way and under pressure I shape it another. Then I'm like, okay, well, that's something I gotta take into account.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_03Um cost me a couple shots. So yeah, I think learning that about myself and what I do in pressure situations and how I handled myself on the golf course. I think, you know, I played with Angel Cabrera, who won a while ago, and then Sammy Balomaki, who won like the RSM Classic, maybe, I don't know. But you know, man, I'm really not that far off from being one of these guys and and winning a tour event or just you know, being out here on tour. So that was a big confidence boost for me. And then yeah, also I know one thing, these golf courses here don't feel as as hard or or where we go don't feel as hard as as that place.
SPEAKER_01So definitely, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I think I've definitely probably played smarter now that I've kind of finished at the at that place. But yeah, I think overall my game's definitely gonna get better from that experience. But yeah, now we're now we're preferring for the US Open and you know that's kind of the same ideas around it, but yeah, yeah, I've texted text a couple of the guys like like Bryson and Tommy and Fred couples just to get advice on on what they do. And they've been they've been kind enough to to give me some advice and and what I need to work on leading up to it. So yeah, I'm doing as much prep as I can.
SPEAKER_01So great that you're gonna see these guys just a couple weeks after. I know getting to meet them and build relationships and sustain them because it's like, hey, I'll see you know for the US Open, which is amazing that you're already getting another event on your belt this year. It wasn't just the Masters, you can add this to the list now, too. Um, but my last question on the Masters, and then we'll move on to other things that I have on the docket for us. But is there one thing that for those of us watching at home, we do not understand, do not get how amazing, beautiful, peaceful, whatever it might be, it is when you're in person at Augusta?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think on the like the the views of it, I don't think it's you can never get it never does it justice, just how beautiful it is, uh how amazing the golf course is, and just you can't really watch it on TV, you can't really get the vibes that are out there. I mean, it's unlike any other. Even when I was there just on a practice trip for the first time, I think I I went with a member in December, but when I was there, I think the first time I went was on Valentine's Day. I went with my mom, it was perfect. And I mean, you step out there, it's just I would go out there at 7 a.m. in the morning, I'd tee off at 8, 8.30. I never felt something like that in my life. So it was probably the coolest experience because you know I've always dreamed of playing there. I always told my parents I never wanted to play there unless it was for a tournament. So to be able to do that and actually do what I said I was gonna do was something that was pretty special, and then to be able to share that with my mom was was pretty awesome too. But yeah, the I can't explain like the atmosphere that's out there and and just everything about it, but just on the core side of things, I think the undulations, I don't think it, you know, that does it any justice. Just you know, people ask me all the time, what would a scratch golfer shoot if you started on the green, this and that, but I they think I'm crazy when I tell them like sometimes if we put you in the worst spot on the green, you'd probably be trying to, you know, three putt or four putt or just not putt it off the green. And so, you know, like like hole eight, you're in the middle of the fairway and you're up 22, and you get to all 10, you're down 12 or down 15. I'm like, I don't think some people realize just how hilly it is and the greens, how precise you have to be. You know, if you're on if you're a foot off and on the wrong side of the ridge, you're looking at probably one of the hardest two putts you've ever had, or you're just okay with a three putt. I think on 15, the last day I was front right pin. You know, if you're four feet short of that flag, it's probably gonna roll in the water. And then I'm 75 feet left of the hole on the green, and I feel like I'm putting up a bus. Like it's just a bus under the green, and you gotta try to judge that and not putt it in the water. Yeah, I think I left it like 15 feet short, but I'm like, this is something people don't really realize is how I mean you can kind of get the vibes in person, just how hard it really is. But I mean, you know, Rory winning at 12 under is definitely doable. I see it out there, but you gotta be on your game. I always tell everybody, like, I think 14 is the hardest hole on the course just because it's it has no bunkers, and you look at the green. I don't think you can probably tell from the ropes how severe the false front is. But I think when you're walking up and you you have a pin that's a couple feet over it, and you can only see a third of the fly or half the flag stick, maybe three-quarters of the flagstick, then you kind of realize how severe it is. And you know, they'll tuck them. They had a new pin this year, they tucked it right up against it on the right side, they like flattened it out and made it pitch down. So if you land short, it kicks straight to the back of the green. And I'm like, Jesus. And then I I remember in a practice round, it was like it's like tier, and then it falls down to another tier, then it falls down again, and then the back kind of rounds to where it comes back to you. And I was out there with Scott Stallings. We had them like we had the right pin, and I was like, all right, probably just gotta land this a little left. He's like, no, hit it like at the camera tower, which is like 25, 30 feet left of it. I landed it like just left the camera tower, and it lands 45 feet left of the hole and just hits and like trickles down the slope to like two feet.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_03If you didn't if you don't tell me that, I probably would have never figured that out. And then I used it in the tournament. So I think things like that that nobody realizes, or like even on hole one, you know, it's the first hole of the tournament, and if you're not at least 12 paces on the green, your ball's coming right back off the front. So I don't know, just everything about the course was it was crazy. It was hard.
SPEAKER_01It's nothing like we see.
SPEAKER_03You just have to I think you just have to like be there or even just go play it yourself to to really get a full understanding of how that course actually plays. I fought, you know. I gave it my all. Right, yeah, it was fun. I had a blast doing it. That's great.
SPEAKER_01It was a great memory.
SPEAKER_03It was hard, but I enjoyed it. Yeah, I think, but yeah, the atmosphere is something you can't really get until you're there. I think, like we talked about before this, like no phones was pretty crazy. It's different, hard to communicate. But I think everything about it when you're there is you can't get if you're at home.
SPEAKER_01Totally.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, definitely on the golf side of things. It's a lot more undulated and and penalizing. And I think I talk to my coach, it's the most difficult fair test in golf. You know, if you're barely off, you're gonna get punished, but if you hit a great shot, you're gonna be rewarded. So it's how it should be.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it's just the game of golf, it's how it goes.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So, Jackson, where did golf come from? Did your parents play? Did a family member play? Did you pick it up one day and just say, hey, I really like this. Where did it come from and how did it stick for you?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think my dad would just go to the range and have fun, and then I'd go with him. I think that was the main reason, you know, I got into golf, but I was also told that um an ex-NFL player that we were over at at their house, and I had like picked up a club and like flipped it upside down, like hit it, and it went went in good ways, I think, is what they said. And you know, he had told my parents that I needed to get lessons because I actually have a you know probably something special there. And you know, so we went and started getting lessons, and you know, my first coach, it was actually kind of a crazy moment. Um he taught me for I don't remember how many years, might have been a couple years, and then he moved, and then I moved to someone else, and then you know, he went and worked for track man. So everybody on tour pretty much has a track man, and when I walked up uh at Augusta, he was standing right there. No way it was probably one of the coolest moments of that week. Uh just getting to see him and spend some time with him and see him, and then being there, right? That was pretty special. But yeah, I think being there and like hitting that ball and him saying that I need to get lessons, but also my dad bringing me to uh bringing me to the course with him, and you know, I played a lot of sports when I was younger, you know. I did soccer, basketball, a little bit of football.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, a little bit.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but yeah, I had a it was kind of my only option. I had a concussion when I was younger and almost went blind. So wow. I don't really it's actually something we just figured out last weekend. My 3D, I don't think I have any 3D.
SPEAKER_01Um, so what does that mean?
SPEAKER_03I can't so I can't have another concussion because it was a one-time surgery.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Oh, you got surgery for it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Wow.
SPEAKER_03So my eyes were like turning in, I was seeing double, and I had to do like therapy for it, and then we finally got the surgery. Oh my goodness. Um, but they told me I may never play a sport again, and then you know, once I did end up playing golf, it was kind of, you know, I can't play any contact sports or something that risk a concussion, but right kind of getting all I might sound crazy for saying this in like golf terms, but you know, with what we found out this weekend with my putting coach, is there's a pattern on a certain putter that they make, it goes like black, silver, black silver, and it's like on I'll show you a picture, but um for some reason the pattern on that putter, I can set it up square, I just see it better. Oh and I think it's because of something that had to do with my eyes when I was younger, and I never thought about it, I never touched a putter like that. And Callaway, who I'm with, they had sent a couple putters in for us to test to make sure I have the right putter for me. And I walked in there and picked up that thing, and Steven Sweeney, the best putting guy out there. I mean, he was like, holy crap, this is just incredible. Like I set up other putters, I would, you know, we had this little machine that would click, be like high pitch beep, low pitch beep, low pitch is close, high pitch is open, and I would be fidgeting for a second. And I put that putter in my hand, I'd set it down, it was perfect. And so I think it was something I called my mom about it, and she was like, Yeah, that's gotta be it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So it I think I'm just lucky to be able to play golf, but stuff like that that I didn't realize that I had that or something I didn't realize I needed. Yeah, just something like that. So I've been putting with her for a couple days and it's been a game changer, but yeah, it was crazy, but yeah, it was kind of at that point. I think I was in kindergarten, maybe first grade, I believe it was kindergarten. So that's kind of when it when I was like, oh, I have to choose one and it was golf, and then I kind of hated losing. So then I took it kind of serious at that point that I started. I remember winning my first tournament, and I think my dad was there, so I think that kind of helped me, you know, want to practice more. But yeah, I think I didn't really have any other options. I couldn't play basketball or or football or or soccer and risk a head injury, or yeah, you know, probably wouldn't be seeing, but right, yeah, so golf was kind of my only option and it worked out.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say it worked out pretty well for you.
SPEAKER_03It worked out, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So when you went through high school and I started getting recruited and you know, learned that you wanted to continue your career collegiately. Did you always want to come to Tennessee, being from Tennessee, born and raised outside of Nashville? Um or was it a place that you fell in love with after you visited? What made it feel like home for you?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so I think I'm like the seventh generation to come here. They all my everyone on my mom's side was in the medical industry. So I think they were in the first medical class in 1911.
SPEAKER_00Wow.
SPEAKER_03I think it was 1911, but they have a picture from it. But yeah, it wasn't always on my radar.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_03Um, you know, I'm probably shouldn't say this, but I mean, I was an Auburn fan as a kid. I liked Texas, just all those schools. I loved them. Um but yeah, I was I had a weird junior year because you can start talking to coaches coming into your junior year.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_03High school. And I just gone to title as clubs and I swing it pretty fast, so faster than average by by a good bit, but I was cracking clubs, like the faces just would just crack mid-tournament. Sometimes they would cave in. And after like nine, three woods, they were like, Oh, this, yeah, this is a durability issue. I mean, I every tournament it seemed like something was breaking. And so I got there and I think I lost a couple hundred spots in ranking. Like I was actually doing pretty good until then.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_03But it was good for me. You know, I had to I had to hit shots with clubs that I wouldn't hit shots with, or or hit yeah, wouldn't hit that shot with that club. I think it helped me grow as a person, but also a golfer. It helped me get better and kind of learn more about myself. And then nobody really believed me when I would get on the phone and tell them that you know, this is not really me. Well, it is me, but also like I can't really do much about the clubs breaking. And so I went back to Callaway. I was with Callaway before some haven't went with Titalus, then went back to Callaway. Haven't really didn't have any problems after that, and I started playing well, but I will say Coach Webb, our head coach, he called my swing coach and actually had the conversation with him of like, okay, what's going on here? And then, you know, that was I don't remember when that was. I think I had waited, you know, I'd had the smaller schools come to me with offers, and I'd always told my parents, I was like, no, I'm I'm better than that. And so I'd always believed in myself, but Webb had, you know, had the conversation of like what's going on here. Um, so I thought that was pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he cared enough to go beyond the surface offering with you.
SPEAKER_03So he had he had that conversation and actually understood what was going on. And then I think it was in April I played a tournament in Tennessee, and Bo, our old assistant coach, who's now at NC State, he came out to watch and he had asked my parents that or told my parents they were interested. I was like, wow, okay. Um I didn't think so. I thought they were watching another kid in my group, to be honest. But I ended up playing well that day, and then I started talking to him, and then me and my four ball partner, Blades Brown, who's now on on tour, he he was supposed to come here, but he ended up going, he turned pro, but that would have been fun. But uh I still talk to him every day. So but yeah, he Webb came out and watched one of our uh stroke play rounds at the U.S. Amateur Four Ball, and he was literally there for one day. He just came out and watched me to see my game, and he told me that we were gonna get it done pretty fast. I think a month later I was committed. And so I I love Tennessee. I think I have a picture of me and like three years old in a golf car with a Tennessee hat on. But yeah, so it's always been in the family. Um, but I think that rough summer kind of got to the point where nobody was really looking because I was not playing good, and then yeah, it kind of came out of nowhere. So everyone in the recruiting process was great, and then you know, luckily Webb actually, you know, talked to my coach about it and then had enough faith in me to for me to come here. And you know, I like to think that was a great decision. Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think I think it's been worth it. So yeah, but he's he's amazing. We were, you know, one of my parents' big things were, you know, obviously we're sending me off to college. I'm not too far from home. Right. They can't be here all the time. So they're looking for someone to kind of be a a dad when I'm not here. So I definitely think um I've kind of gotten that, you know, he's especially these yeah, even my freshman year, even though I'm I was still learning, I definitely made some mistakes, and he was, you know, he was hard on me when he needed to be to kind of get to get me to where I am today. And you know, I'm still not close to my full potential, and that's what he's trying to get to. But yeah, I think him being hard on me in certain situations and then getting to where I am now, and you know, we got there and we're we're laughing and we go out some mornings, and just me and him, and we're out there practicing together, and I think that's been really special to kind of grow that relationship with him. And I mean, sometimes it really sucked when he was getting on to me, I will. Say I know he's probably gonna see this, but yeah, it was much needed. I think I missed the second workout of I was I slept through it well, it was a real problem. I yeah, it was a problem. Yeah, that wasn't a good look at the second workout, but um I think we've grown since then. I haven't done anything like that, but yeah, I think just him you know being being like that with me and kind of being like that figure that my parents wanted, and it's been it's been awesome. I love it. So wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
SPEAKER_01Where do you think your game has made the biggest improvements from your freshman year to your sophomore year now?
SPEAKER_03Just all over. I think mentally I've gotten a little bit stronger. I think at times I I think all of us honestly could could be a little bit better. Sometimes we get a little bit too hard on ourselves, we get too pissed off at a bad shot, and we're not perfect, you know. I don't think there's ever a time you're gonna hit multiple perfect shots in a row, if not one. But um, I think building a routine was big for me. Yeah, I don't think I did much of that when I was last year. You know, now the night before I kind of know what I'm gonna be doing the next day, which has been big for me. But also the practices we've done, I think I think I've grown, I it kind of felt like I grew three years in six months just preparing for the masters. You know, when I did qualify for it, um I didn't even now that I look back on it, I wasn't even really that good compared to where I am now. Just grown a lot as a person and even on even with golf. So yeah, we definitely put a lot of time into practice, just really hard drills that you know we kind of made specific for for Augusta that could be used to prep me for for everywhere else. So I've definitely had a much better sophomore year and definitely made more of an impact. I think I I still think I had like four top 25 finishes last year, but nothing like this year. I think I had didn't have a great tournament. I think I had like one iffy tournament. I finished like 28th or something uh in the fall this year, and then didn't have a great SECs, but other than that, you know, I've been playing well, and I think we kind of talked about it the other day. I kind of need to make that leap that I did from August to to April again from now till uh next August, and then do it again from August back to the same time. So I have a lot a lot of stuff to to work on and grow, but I'm definitely ten times better, if not more, than I was when I got here. Or even I mean, in August. So just the the changes that or I think just the practice that I've done just to prepare myself for Augusta was just all around good for me. And I think him giving me that advice, and you know, we're out there in the mornings, sometimes going out to Cherokee, and we're even these last couple weeks, we're doing a bunch of you know practice and shots, and he's like, I think I think you need to hit this shot a little bit better, just looking at my stats, you know, and just learning that from him, and then you know, I think one of the things we looked at was I do play pretty well most of the time, like I do contribute most of the time, but we saw that based on my stats, uh my percentage of making a bogey and then making another one back to back is higher than anyone else's. And he was like, sure, some of them haven't played as many tournaments as you, like on there, but you need to get that down. Like he he told me he's like, you know, if you make a bogey, let's just go make par in the next salt. I and it kind of levels it out. Yeah, so I think for me it was limit the expectations that I had. Not everything's gonna be perfect, but also kind of what he said, just kind of putting everything we worked on and what he said together, and yeah, yeah, just it's only gonna be better and hopefully we'll go win NCAA's as a team, and I kind of want to win as an individual to go back to the Masters, but yeah, I kind of felt like Augusta was my playground for a little bit there. I was up there all day. So yeah, I want to go back there and do that again, but yeah, yeah, I gotta I gotta play well and put in the put in the effort to to get back there.
SPEAKER_01So yes, well, you mentioned that Tennessee is going to its eighth consecutive NCA regional down at Bryan, the Bryan regional in in college station. Right. What are you most looking forward to about this opportunity and what kind of gives you the confidence that this team could make a run into the postseason here?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, we talked about it last year. We didn't, or this year, we didn't have the greatest year last year, you could say. I didn't feel like everyone was reaching their potential. I mean, Lance played good, he's our one. Um, he's playing good again this year. Um, but yeah, we just didn't from if you look at this year, our team this year to last year, and we made it through regionals last year, and there's no reason we shouldn't. So we have that confidence going for us. But yeah, I I'm just looking forward to going out there competing with the guys, and yeah, and I I want to win, so that's kind of my ultimate goal is winning as an individual. But you know, kind of like we said, you gotta play for the team first, and you know, that'll come with it. But yeah, so I'm I'm just looking out there, looking forward to getting out there and playing. And I want to go back to the NCAA's, that was fun. You know, I kind of want to get some revenge back on that place. I didn't play good there last year at all, so yeah, I gotta go, I gotta go tear that place up again. I did the same thing at Cabo. I didn't play good last year and went there and finished sixth. So hopefully, yeah, yeah, hopefully I'll do the same.
SPEAKER_01But you're right, I'm gonna get a revenge tour right now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, something like that. But yeah, I just want to go out there and do the best I can, and yeah, I wanna wanna go make it, especially for you know, we got a couple seniors on the team, and you know, I think if we're not playing for ourselves, we need to play for them as well. Just, you know, I think that'd be good for them to good for Lance as well. You know, he's on PJ Tour U. I think he's 12 right now or something. So the better we play, the higher up he goes, and the better status he gets. So I think that's also something that we should be thinking about too. It's not just for our individual self, but you know, we should be helping everyone else out on the team.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so many wins across the board. Oh, yeah. Just doing your job. So many, yeah. Yeah. Which is awesome. Yeah, it's great. I love it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, thanks so much for the time, Jackson. This would be fridge, fridge, whatever. I think it's all the above. This was so much fun, truly. Um, I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the time, and I know we have to get you out of here because you still have so much to get ready for with next week. And and all of the things postseason has in store for you guys. So good luck. And then we're gonna go.