Classiest, most liked guy on tour?

[BearQ]

Kuchar

[mwkbmw]

I live across from the course where the Greensboro tournament was held from 1977 to 2007. One Tuesday in 1995, I believe, I pushed my 2 1/2 year old son in the stroller over to watch some of the practice rounds. We arrived at the first tee as Billy Andrade, Brad Faxon, Ted Tryba and David Frost were just teeing off. They were already talking smak since it was obviously a money game. On the 2nd, a shortish par 5, Andrade missed a putt to tie the hole and dropped the F-bomb. When they turned to leave the green, they spotted my son and as they walked off, they all handed him a ball and Billy apologized profusely. I told him, no worries because my son had no idea that was a "bad" word.

 

On the 6th tee, Frosty went to his bag and got out a pack of M-n-Ms and started eating them. He walked over and poured some into my son's eager hands. After eating them, my son looked up at me, (upside down from the stroller), and said, "Daddy, I'm still hungry." David apparently heard him and walked over to his bag and got out a Snickers bar and gave it to him. Needless to say, he gained 2 lifelong fans that day.

[Jordan Speeth]

Paul Goydos

 

Paul Goydos was at Olympic yesterday with a lady friend playing a casual round on the Lake. He was on the range and I asked him if he'd mind if I watched him for a while and took a V1 video of his swing. He was very polite and cordial and we spent lots of time talking. He seems like a great guy. Sure, he was a guest at our club and on his best behavior but you can tell if a guy's biting his lip or not, and he wasn't. We talked about the young guys coming up from the amateur ranks right now and he was going on about how completely different the game has become, that it hardly even resembles the game they played even twenty years ago because of their length. It was pretty cool for a change to watch a pro hit the ball in the same distance neighborhood as regular guys. Of course, he's got an insane short game to go along with that. After a week hanging around the 20 yr. olds hitting it 350 off the tee and 150 yd gap wedges, I'm feeling a little better about myself. Anyway, he's high on my list right now.

[Paul065]

Take this with a pinch of salt and not gospel but my best friend's work friend is a member and prominent player at Wentworth. This guy also happens to be best friends with Nick Faldo's son and by best friends I mean going to Augusta every year on a full ticket etc. Also has full inside the ropes access during BMW week each May.

 

Now this surprised me when I was told, but apparently Justin Rose is one of the biggest *****s on tour, according to first hand experience from my mate's mate and also anecdotes from some of his peers.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Take this with a pinch of salt and not gospel but my best friend's work friend is a member and prominent player at Wentworth. This guy also happens to be best friends with Nick Faldo's son and by best friends I mean going to Augusta every year on a full ticket etc. Also has full inside the ropes acces during BMW week each May.

 

Now this surprised me when I was told, but apparently Justin Rose is one of the biggest *****s on tour, according to first hand experience from my mate's mate and also anecdotes from some of his peers.

 

This information has more degrees of separation from source to target than I have with Kevin Bacon!

[aabcuue]

I could see Jimmy walker being well liked. But TV only tells us so much.

 

He hangs around a good group to learn respect -Spieth, Justin & Rickie.

 

His caddy is a former player who had to retire due to MS. Caddy is also a rl good guy. Glad to see him do well.

 

He does many good/charity stuff silently in anonymity inc. MS, etc.

 

His wife has been a leader & v active in the PGA wives group to support the wives/player charities through functions/events, fundraisers/etc.

[aabcuue]

This isn't meant to be controversial in any way, and it's not meant at anyone in particular here, but as many have pointed out, we, as the public, know little about these players, outside of what we've seen on TV.

 

That being said, if you've paid attention in the past, you can gather up a bit of information that lets you in on what someone may or may not really be like, out of the public eye. I've seen a few people named as negatives who I can also name as strong humanitarians. I've seen some people named a favorite, who are quite the opposite.

 

It'd be interesting to see one of these threads be based off of well informed opinions of individuals sometime. If we are talking about what we like to see on TV and on the course, then this is fair game, but I've seen these threads turn into what we like / dislike personally about a lot of these guys, and those opinions seem to be under-informed at times, and I don't exclude myself from this category either.

 

First remember despite the "stardom", they are people 1st. They have good days and bad days that are well known. We are fortunate to see what part of their work day is like.

 

Don't judge a pro on a 20second brief pass by. Besides their tournament life, most lead a very busy life and have many things -business, travel, family & personal in the mix. What we see on tv is actually only minutes of a 12-18hr day and a small part of who they are.

 

How would you react having to travel as much/far, stressful unforgiving job & typically being away from family.

 

Have seen, watched & met most of the tour over the years on & off the course, mostly not on camera. The during tournament round, working on course persona is usually v different from the before/after the round/ tournament.

 

Near the course, many are focused as travel/prep/post is part of their business/work. Now really how many actually like traveling and living out of suitcase for most of the yr.

 

Its a very rare pro that is/are issues. Usually its unintentional. They know the volunteers and support staff make their life easier esp. when wife/so/family travel. They do appreciate the effort and time given.

 

Most pros will relax during practice rounds and before the tournament starts. After, many need a night to reset and to the next tournament/ function.

[aabcuue]

Joking aside, I'm a little surprised no one's mentioned MA Jimenez or Angel Cabrera yet.

 

Being a golf nut and having spent most of my adult life in the UAE I've bumped into many a tour player. MAJ, GMac, David Howell, Rory, Kjeldsen, Chris Wood, Richard Green, Stenson, Monty, Paul Lawrie etc etc. I can say one thing for sure. They are all extremely gracious, friendly and down to earth people. They appreciate nothing more than an acknowledgment and maybe a quick 30 second chinwag about nothing whatsoever. But it is very important to not overstay your welcome. Say hi, talk crap for a short while, wish him the best and move on.

 

Thats accurate for many as they have full schedules and don't have much time between required bits.

 

MA and Cabrera are their own men. Their personality maynot rub everyone the right way but they are definitely the "colorful characters" of the tour.

[aabcuue]

 

 

- Rosie

- Kaymer

- Fowler

- Kuchar

 

I don't pick:

 

- Mickelson (his "always smile" looks a bit fake to me)

 

Funny that you say that about Mickelson's fake smile, yet have Kuchar on your most classy list. It just irks me the way Kuch wanders around the course smiling like a lobotomy patient.

 

Plus Kuch gave that bizarre interview where he kept repeating that he would feel better if he could "punch Faldo in the back of the neck". Supposed to be funny, I guess. Weird sense of humor, I say.

 

Kuchars smile is not fake...neither is Forrest Gumps

He's a good guy,mans has the goofy smile permanently attached!

 

Actually he does look like that off camera all too frequently. He's often low keyed mellow and happy w/ hidden internal fire that burns when needed.

 

Nearly everytime we've been in the same room he's cracked that big smile sometime esp. for a joke.

[aabcuue]

I'm surprised there isn't more mention of Stenson. While he seems like a robot on-course, I've heard countless mentions from the on-air talent that he's extremely funny and loose off the course. I've never witnessed it myself, though I've heard it enough to believe it.

 

Don't know about extremely but he's funny and a pretty normal family guy who happens to be rl good @golf.

 

After 10+yrs contact and the same viewpoint/opinion from others you can get a pretty good idea.

[nicoy3k]

Paul Casey

[tsecor]

Phil Atio or Mike Rotchburns