Golfer Nick TaylorPhoto illustration The Globe and Mail. Source photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images/Getty Images
Nick Taylor gave Canada the feel-good sports story of 2023 before the year was even half over, when the golfer drained that now-legendary 72-foot eagle putt in June to become the first Canadian in 69 years to win the men’s national championship.
Whether you like golf or not, you’ve seen that Canadian Open winning putt by now. Taylor tossed his putter into the air Jose Bautista-style and leapt euphorically into the arms of his caddie, Dave Markle.
It had required a gallant climb. Taylor had carded a 75 in the tournament’s first round, plummeting into 120th place, before he skyrocketed up the leaderboard over the next three rounds, then battled through a four-hole sudden-death playoff to win. That tension-packed uphill putt remains the longest of Taylor’s PGA Tour career. Jaws dropped across the country. People stormed the green at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf & Country Club to celebrate with the teary-eyed 35-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C.
Buoyed in part by that title, Taylor finished the PGA’s regular season 12th in the FedEx Cup and qualified for the playoffs, a three-week series with the first event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, already in the books. This weekend it’s the BMW Championship and then the following weekend, the series culminates in Atlanta with the Tour Championship. While travelling to this weekend’s event in Chicago, Taylor carved out time for The Globe’s weekend sports questionnaire.
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What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A happy, healthy family. It starts and ends with that. If I’ve got that, I’m happy.
What is your current state of mind?
I’d say determined. I’m still hungry to get better every day with golf, which is my career. But I’m also trying to be a better dad and a better husband. I feel like I’ve been really determined for a long time in everything I do.
Which living person do you most admire?
My wife.
Which talent would you most like to have?
To play the guitar.
What’s a trait you most deplore in others?
Arrogance.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’d be a better singer.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Recency bias, but I’d say the Canadian Open.
What’s your most treasured possession?
I really don’t have one. I’m not a very materialistic person.
What do you value most in your friends?
Being reliable, comforting and having a sense of humour.
What is a personality trait that you wish you possessed?
I feel like I’m decently witty, but I would always love to be funnier.
What is an invitation you would love to receive?
How about to the Masters every year?
Are there any particular writers who have resonated with you?
James Clear.
When and where were you happiest?
Both days that my kids were born. I remember having the strongest sense of gratitude that everything had gone well. My wife was recovering well and the babies were healthy.
Who is your hero in fiction?
Captain America. I’m a big fan of the Marvel stuff. He’s everything everyone wants to be, right?
What do you dislike most?
Sitting in traffic.
What is your greatest regret?
Not taking Spanish in university. I would love to speak multiple languages. That would be helpful to me today.
On what occasion do you lie?
To my kids at bedtime probably. I fib to them here and there. I’ve seen funny videos of parents on Instagram saying how they said they’d never lie to their kids yet it happens all the time, those small little lies.
If you could golf with any three people, from any era, on any course in the world – whether those people are golfers or not – who would you choose, and where would the group play?
I know you said they don’t have to be golfers, but I’d probably still choose golfers. Moe Norman would be one of them, a Canadian legend. I’d also say Ben Hogan. And Tiger Woods, since I’ve never played with him. One of my favourite places is Pebble Beach, so I would choose to play there. I think I would try to learn from whatever I would see over the 4 1/2 hours with them. Where would the conversation go? It’s hard to imagine, especially with two people who aren’t here anymore. I’d probably have a notepad of questions for those guys. Or maybe I’d just try to act cool?