The Serve Grill: Aaron Baddeley
 Aaron Baddeley made a spectacular entry to the top of the U.S. Open leaderboard, before making just as spectacular an exit. It’s Baddeley’s turn to be grilled on The Serve.
TS: G’day Aaron, thanks for joining us.
AB: Thank you. I feel I now have the tools to handle an interview like this. Could the younger Aaron Baddeley have dealt with a situation like this in say, 2000, or 2004? No way.
TS: What are you talking about? I’m just asking questions and you’re answering them…
AB: Yeah, but I’ve been throwing that ‘tools’ line out all week and everyone has been buying it.
TS: Let’s talk about that final day, where you had a two shot lead. You looked so nervous at the start of play. There was that moment before your opening shot where you closed your eyes for a good 5 seconds. What was going through you mind?
AB: Taking a lead into the final round of a major was obviously a new scenario for me, so I was trying to think about the greats of the game and how they would tackle their nerves. Over and over, I was saying to myself ‘what would Greg Norman do’.
TS: Ah yes, there have already been comparisons between your choke on Sunday with the numerous collapses from the Shark, particularly the 1996 Masters. Is that unfair?
AB: Oh, absolutely not. He’s such a hero of mine and to be mentioned in the same breath as him is an honour. My aim has always been to replicate what he did and take it to another level, so I’ll say this: It took almost a whole round for Greg to lose his lead at Augusta. It took me one hole.
TS: Hmmm, impressive. Cynics have made light of the fact that you’re a man of faith, yet on Sunday of all days, you fell apart. Have you questioned your beliefs?
AB: Not at all, but I’ll tell you thing: If I was looking for God on Sunday, he wasn’t hiding in the rough at Oakmont, I can assure you!
TS: Just before we go, any positives from the experience?
AB: Well, I got to play with Tiger on the final day.
TS: Thanks for your time.
AB: He even gave me his autograph.
TS: Time’s up, Aaron.
AB: It said ‘Dear Aaron, next time you’re paired with me, can you not suck so much, Tiger’.
Interview may not have really happened
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