Search for the same old suspects — Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and the most well liked participant within the sport, Scottie Scheffler — to be in rivalry at this week’s P.G.A. Championship at Southern Hills Nation Membership in Tulsa, Okla.
However don’t be shocked if somebody emerges out of nowhere to upstage the massive names.
In spite of everything, 20 years in the past, Wealthy Beem did precisely that.
Heading into the 2002 P.G.A. Championship at Hazeltine Nationwide Golf Membership in Chaska, Minn., nobody was speaking about Beem, although he had received the Worldwide event two weeks earlier in Colorado. Individuals had been speaking about Tiger Woods, who had captured two majors that yr, and different prime gamers.
Heading into the ultimate day of play, Beem was trailing Justin Leonard, the 1997 British Open champion, by three strokes. Woods was 5 again.
On Sunday, nonetheless, whereas Leonard struggled with a five-over 77 to complete in a tie for fourth, Beem surged.
Two photographs that stood out had been the 7-wood Beem hit from about 270 yards away on No. 11, a par 5, which led to an eagle, and the 35-foot birdie putt he transformed at No. 16. He posted a 68 to prevail by one over Woods. It was Beem’s third victory on the tour.
Woods, after a few bogeys on the again 9, birdied the final 4 holes to place stress on Beem — which he felt as he obtained able to hit his second shot on the ultimate gap.
“I actually was like, ‘Simply don’t shank this in entrance of all these individuals,’” Beem stated. “‘Don’t screw this up now.’”
Beem reached the placing floor together with his method, after which obtained down in three putts for a bogey. After the ultimate one dropped, he did just a little dance on the inexperienced.
“I might loosen up,” he stated. “I might breathe once more. I used to be achieved.”
Beem will always remember the shot at 11. Maybe the identical might be stated of Woods.
Throughout a follow day main as much as the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, Woods walked towards the inexperienced on No. 12. Beem was heading in the wrong way.
“Doesn’t say hello,” Beem recalled. “Doesn’t say, ‘What’s up?’”
Then, Beem stated, Woods requested him:
How on earth did you get it residence in two on Sunday on No. 11?
Beem didn’t miss a beat.
“Once you obtained it, you bought it,” he stated.
Leonard, who was paired with Beem in 2002, had the same impression in regards to the method at 11.
“That’s a shot I used to be in awe of,” Leonard recalled. “I felt like that was sort of the event proper there.”
Not fairly. Not with Woods nonetheless on the course.
Beem heard the roars whereas Woods was making his late rally.
“I heard them,” Beem stated, “however by no means actually thought of them or needed to react to them.”
Beem was solely 31, however the victory could be his final on the tour.
“I’m actually bummed out about that,” he stated. “That’s in all probability one of many issues that eats at me greater than the rest about my profession. I in all probability didn’t grind as exhausting as I ought to have in some cases.”
He knew loads about grinding. Earlier than he certified for the PGA Tour in 1998, Beem was an assistant professional for 2 years at El Paso Nation Membership in Texas. His wage was about $13,000. He made roughly twice as a lot as that in mini-tour occasions in New Mexico and West Texas.
Earlier than then, for about 9 months, he bought cellphones and automotive stereos within the Seattle space.
Beem stated he was an excellent telephone salesman. The stereos, nonetheless, had been one other matter.
“I used to be simply terrible,” he stated. “I didn’t notice audio system had been completely different sizes for various automobiles.”
Beem, 51, now works as a commentator for Sky Sports activities, although he hopes to compete extra typically on PGA Tour Champions, the circuit for skilled golfers 50 and older.
Within the meantime, being exempt as a former P.G.A. champion, he’ll tee off Thursday with the youthful guys at Southern Hills. His objective is to play on the weekend.
“I’m wholesome sufficient,” he stated. “The physique feels implausible. I’m very able to making the lower.”
