TULSA, Okla. — There are many Oklahoma ties at this week’s PGA Championship getting played at Southern Hills.
Rickie Fowler, Victor Hovland and Talor Gooch all played college or university golf at Oklahoma Point out and Hovland, who’s from Norway, in fact even now lives in Stillwater, Okla., which is about 70 miles from Southern Hills.
So, it is a dwelling game for Fowler, Hovland and Gooch, but only one participant in the full 156-male area is actually an Oklahoma native. That would be Gooch, who grew up in a spot termed Midwest Town, which is 110 miles from Southern Hills and whose father, Ron, played for the Tulsa Drillers, the Texas Rangers’ Triple-A farm club.
“Where do I even start off?’’ Gooch claimed Monday. “When you feel about Southern Hills, the luster that it has … do you know if there is any other Oklahoma children right here, like, born and bred?’’
Informed he’s the only a single, Gooch stated, “That tends to make it even that a lot much more particular. I necessarily mean, how quite a few youngsters did we know developing up that ended up studs, right? We know that the tip of mountain to get in this article, it’s not simple. I don’t choose any of it for granted mainly because I’ve noticed so several youngsters that were being so good all over the decades that have not gotten to this place. As humbly put as probable, I’m just grateful that I’m in this article.’’
Gooch set himself in this place by profitable the 2021 RSM Common, his very first PGA Tour victory and a get that qualified him for all four important championships this 12 months. At any time given that the PGA of America awarded Southern Hills this PGA Championship when it took it away from Trump Bedminster in New Jersey, Gooch has experienced his sights set on this week.
“This is what you dream about, actively playing the PGA Championship in your hometown at a single of your preferred places in the environment,’’ Gooch reported. “Once I noticed it switched venues to this course, instantly I’m like, ‘We’ve bought to get there.’ Shortly after [the announcement], I started out wanting at Airbnbs and stuff to test to get a put reserved listed here. It is a dream appear real for an Oklahoma kid to go to Oklahoma Condition and to enjoy the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
“I’ve experimented with to not overhype the place mainly because it’s a single of my beloved locations in the entire world.’’
Fowler reported he “can sort of fully grasp a tiny little bit of the feeling’’ Gooch is having this week “but not wholly. This is certainly home to him, currently being that he grew up in Oklahoma and ended up at Oklahoma Point out. He caddied for me when he was back in substantial college. He’s a damn fantastic participant and I imagine he’s lastly started off to come into his personal. It is been entertaining to check out his accomplishment.”
As humble as Gooch is, the 24-year-previous Hovland, who’s won a few periods on the PGA Tour and is ranked No. 6 in the world, is humble over and above his achievements at such an early age.
When he was requested if he considered he’d speedily obtain achievements on the PGA Tour the way Fowler did, Hovland said, “Actually, no, mainly because I just by no means truly felt like I was that superior. In school, I was just like, ‘OK, I never strike it that much, I’m a streaky putter, my quick game is common.’ I was hunting at other fellas like, ‘Oh, just can't truly do that.’ ”
Hovland named taking part in in a main championship so close to home “a small bit odd,’’ including, “Living in Stillwater, it sort of feels like you are absent from the PGA Tour a minor little bit. You get to unwind, which is quite wonderful. I like that component of it. But it is sort of unusual just driving an hour away from Stillwater and then abruptly you’re listed here at Southern Hills and actively playing a key championship.
“It’s a small different, but it would make me truly feel cozy.”
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