Q&A with James Nicholas - Korn Ferry Tour, Yale University

Alex Elias

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What would you say is your biggest strength?

My best asset as a golfer, a person, and a student is managing my time. In college, you have to balance studying, practicing, and spending time with friends. Starting then, I began writing down a schedule every night before I went to bed.

Tom House recently said, “Tom [Brady] and these other elite quarterbacks don't come in here to get 5% better, they come to get 1% better.” Do you take a similar approach when working on your game?

If I could get 10% better in a day, I wouldn’t be on the Korn Ferry Tour. It’s about getting that fraction of a percent better every single day. I’ll play for as long as I’m improving. If I’m getting better each day, I’ll play until I’m dead.

Since turning professional, what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned from other players?

I learn a lot from my peers. Guys like Brandon Wu and Max Greyserman have been doing this their entire lives, while I got into golf a little later. Being able to pick up advice on mindset, practice, and recovery is very valuable. For example, I use Normatec frequently to recover, which is something Brandon Wu does after every round. Another example is a veteran like Michael Miller, who told me he always plays his practice round Wednesday afternoon to follow a routine. Little things like that help me keep improving every day.

How would you describe your mindset during tournaments?
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When I’m playing well, I have to stay aggressive. If I get to three or four under, I can’t stop there—I can’t start playing safe. On the other hand, if I’m not playing well, it might not be smart to go for a drivable Par-4. Knowing where your game stands that day is really important.