Rich Beem is one of a handful of past champions not teeing it up at this week’s PGA Championship. But no one gave a better explanation for the no-show than the 2002 winner.
Actually, it was more of a demonstration.
Beem is still at Quail Hollow this week handling his duties as an on-course reporter for Sky Sports. And in a late chance to play the course ahead of the tournament, Beem took to Instagram to show why he didn’t take a Thursday tee time.
See that sprinkler head that says 259? Well, that’s 259 yards to the front of the green. For his approach on a par 4. Tough.
“So, I’m out here on the ninth hole, and, um, hit a pretty good tee shot out here,” Beem says in the video. “And, um, I’ve got 259 left. That’s to the front. Thank you, no.”
Hey, it’s hard to blame Beem for not wanting to play. That’s no fun. As was last year’s tournament at Valhalla, where he shot 20 over par for two rounds.
“I missed Oak Hill in 2023 because I knew that I couldn’t handle it,” he told talkSPORT earlier in the week. “And I only played Valhalla last year because my family asked me to. My wife and kids wanted me to go there. . . . “I learned my lesson and got very humbled, finishing dead last after 36 holes.”
Beem does plan to play in one more PGA Championship, however. He added that he would enter the 2027 tournament at the new PGA Frisco venue.
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“That’s because it’s in Texas, where I live, and I will hopefully have a lot of friends and family out there rooting me on,” Beem said.
Sounds like a plan, Rich. In the meantime, better start hitting the gym.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
