Residence: Austin, Texas
DOB: 24/08/1970 |
Rich Beem’s is an amazing story. He attended the New Mexico State University and turned professional in 1994. His first five years on tour were pretty barren – so dispirited was he that in 1995 he left the game completely to sell mobile phones in Seattle.
It was there watching fellow Texan J.P. Hayes win the 1998 Buick Classic that his interest was renewed. He rejoined the tour and, amazingly, in 1999 he won the Kemper Open as an unheard-of rookie.
In 2002 he went on to win his second tour event at The International at Castle Rock, Colorado – and the following week won a Major ! – the USPGA at Hazeltine where he held off Tiger who birdied the last four holes. Our biog photo shows him holding the trophy.
Until this win, Beem was best known for the book Bud, Sweat and Tees: A Walk on the Wild Side of the PGA Tour by Alan Shipnuck, which profiled his rookie year on the PGA Tour and the often wild lifestyle of him and his caddy, Steve Duplantis.
Won a Nissan Altima Coupe with a hole-in-once at the 2007 Nissan Open on the par-3 14th hole during the third round. Immediately after the ace with a 7-iron from 176 yards, dove onto the car on the display next to the tee box and eventually found his way onto a Nissan television commercial with the antic.
Rich finished outside of the top 125 (No. 140) on the 2008 money list for the third time in the last five years. The highlight of his season was a third place finish at the Wyndham Championship in September. Rounds of 63 on both Saturday and Sunday were enough to catapult him from the middle of the field to third place. This was not enough though for him to retain his playing privileges through Money List finish; but as a recent Major Champion Rich does not need to worry about it. |