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TULSA, Okla. — There are several Oklahoma ties at this week’s PGA Championship being played at Southern Hills.
Rickie Fowler, Victor Hovland and Talor Gooch all played college golf at Oklahoma State and Hovland, who’s from Norway, actually still lives in Stillwater, Okla., which is about 70 miles from Southern Hills.
So, it’s a home game for Fowler, Hovland and Gooch, but only one player in the entire 156-man field is actually an Oklahoma native. That would be Gooch, who grew up in a place called Midwest City, 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?’’ Gooch said Monday. “When you think about Southern Hills, the luster that it has … do you know if there’s any other Oklahoma kids here, like, born and bred?’’
Told he’s the only one, Gooch said, “That makes it even that much more special. I mean, how many kids did we know growing up that were studs, right? We know that the tip of mountain to get here, it’s not easy. I don’t take any of it for granted because I’ve seen so many kids that were so good throughout the years that haven’t gotten to this point. As humbly put as possible, I’m just grateful that I’m here.’’
Gooch put himself in this position by winning the 2021 RSM Classic, his first PGA Tour victory and a win that qualified him for all four major championships this year. Ever since the PGA of America awarded Southern Hills this PGA Championship when it took it away from Trump Bedminster in New Jersey, Gooch has had his sights set on this week.
“This is what you dream about, playing the PGA Championship in your hometown at one of your favorite places in the world,’’ Gooch said. “Once I saw it switched venues to this course, immediately I’m like, ‘We’ve got to get there.’ Shortly after [the announcement], I started looking at Airbnbs and stuff to try to get a place reserved here. It’s a dream come true for an Oklahoma kid to go to Oklahoma State and to play the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
“I’ve tried to not overhype the place because it’s one of my favorite places in the world.’’
Fowler said he “can kind of understand a little bit of the feeling’’ Gooch is having this week “but not completely. This is truly home to him, being that he grew up in Oklahoma and ended up at Oklahoma State. He caddied for me when he was back in high school. He’s a damn good player and I think he’s finally started to come into his own. It’s been fun to watch his success.”
As humble as Gooch is, the 24-year-old Hovland, who’s won three times on the PGA Tour and is ranked No. 6 in the world, is humble beyond his accomplishments at such an early age.
When he was asked if he believed he’d quickly find success on the PGA Tour the way Fowler did, Hovland said, “Actually, no, because I just never really felt like I was that good. In college, I was just like, ‘OK, I don’t hit it that far, I’m a streaky putter, my short game is average.’ I was looking at other guys like, ‘Oh, can’t really do that.’”
Hovland called playing in a major championship so close to home “a little bit weird,’’ adding, “Living in Stillwater, it kind of feels like you’re away from the PGA Tour a little bit. You get to relax, which is very nice. I like that aspect of it. But it’s kind of weird just driving an hour away from Stillwater and then suddenly you’re here at Southern Hills and playing a major championship.
“It’s a little different, but it makes me feel comfortable.”
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