By:
Dylan Dethier
November 19, 2022
Kevin Streelman is in rivalry on the RSM Basic.
Getty Photographs
Kevin Streelman is 44 years previous. He performed his first PGA Tour occasion in 2003. And on Friday, in rivalry on the RSM Basic, he dished on a couple of of the issues he’s realized within the twenty years since.
Typically we affiliate youth with aggression and age with warning. Not so, says Streelman.
“You’ve received week by week right here and also you’ve simply received to assault. That’s what I inform these children,” he mentioned. He was referring particularly to Joel Dahmen, additionally within the combine on the RSM, who had spoken earlier Friday about enjoying with concern. Streelman understands the concern however mentioned the important thing to longevity on Tour is studying from that concern. Harnessing it. Staring it down.
“When you have got an opportunity to do one thing nice out right here, you’ve received to go for it,” he mentioned. “It’s robust at instances as a result of we play for some huge cash and there’s numerous FedEx factors and also you’re like, perhaps a second place, a 3rd place isn’t that dangerous.”
Streelman cautions towards that sort of too-safe considering.
“I inform the youngsters like me, 420 occasions into my profession, you don’t keep in mind just like the third locations, the fifths. You keep in mind the wins otherwise you keep in mind the losses and if you had been within the hunt. That’s what we stay for, that’s what we stay for as athletes. I simply encourage them if you’ve received an opportunity, you fricking go for it and see what occurs and be OK with it on the finish.”
It’s not at all times really easy, in fact. The explanation sports activities are fascinating is due to the potential of failure. Each athlete fears failure, and in golf there’s loads of time to assume. To doubt. To concern.
Streelman cited a lesson he received from his caddie in 2013 on the Tampa Bay (now Valspar) Championship. He held a two-shot lead on the 18th tee and questioned if he ought to lay again with 3- or 5-wood. His caddie A.J. Montecinos wasn’t having it.
“He appears to be like at me — I hadn’t missed a fairway all day — and he goes, ‘You rip
that f— driver down the golf green.’”
Streelman stepped up, pummeled driver down the golf green, hit wedge to the inexperienced and gained the event. Lesson realized.
“It’s a positive line between that confidence and concern. Typically we want assist with it, typically it simply comes,” Streelman added. “However you don’t are typically enjoying weekends too lengthy should you’re enjoying with an excessive amount of concern.”
He credited that angle together with his prolonged tenure on Tour. It has been a profitable tenure, too: Streelman ranks 69th on the PGA Tour’s profession earnings checklist at simply over $25 million. However he’s been questioning in regards to the finish of that profession at the same time as he fights towards it. He is aware of he can’t sustain with the younger bombers — he ranked 131st in driving distance final season — however nonetheless has loads of recreation, too.
“I had a terrific speak with my spouse, Courtney,” he mentioned. “We had a date night time a couple of weeks in the past and I advised her: should you’re prepared for me to be residence, let me know. I’m prepared. She has robust instances, all of our wives have robust instances with our youngsters, an 8- and 6-year-old. I’m on the street, this subsequent week we’re gone, my fourth week in a row gone. So I’m lacking, Sophie has a 101 Dalmatians musical at present and tomorrow that I’m lacking, which is killing me. However she has to get her prepared for that. She has to get Rhett to soccer. She needs to be a mother.
“I mentioned, should you need assistance, you’ve given up the final 20 years of your life for me and should you’re prepared, I’m prepared. She’s like nope, I would like you to be on the market, you’re nonetheless doing properly. I mentioned all proper. Whereas I’m out right here, I’m going to do my greatest to be the very best me I could be.”
Streelman’s greatest self was loads good by two rounds on the RSM. He opened with 68 after which fired a second-round 64 through which he hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation and made seven birdies. He acknowledged this as a fantastic thing about golf. And he quoted thinker Toby Keith.
“The nice factor with our sport, you possibly can nonetheless have like a magic week. It could actually occur,” he mentioned. “It’s like, perhaps inferior to I as soon as was, however I’m nearly as good as soon as as I ever was. It’s like the road.”
Different sports activities let you know when way more clearly. Streelman has loads of publicity to these athletes, each the place he performs alongside them at residence in Scottsdale and in partnering with former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald at Pebble Seashore.
“I requested him the identical query and he’s like, I knew. He knew. It’s like a really positive line. He misplaced somewhat little bit of a step and wasn’t as quick because the youthful guys and it was over. But it surely’s not fairly that means with us. Until a few of us need it to be that means, I believe, it’s simply not as a result of one magical placing week and ball-striking week can change the whole lot. Then you definately return to chasing it once more after that. Loopy dumb sport golf is, at instances.”
Loopy dumb sport. Streelman will hold chasing, hoping that is the week that may change the whole lot. And if not this week, perhaps the subsequent one.
Dylan Dethier
Golf.com Editor
Dylan Dethier is a senior author for GOLF Journal/GOLF.com. The Williamstown, Mass. native joined GOLF in 2017 after two years scuffling on the mini-tours. Dethier is a graduate of Williams Faculty, the place he majored in English, and he’s the writer of 18 in America, which particulars the yr he spent as an 18-year-old dwelling from his automobile and enjoying a spherical of golf in each state.