Twins make PGA Tour history, even if it was ‘weird’ for them

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The Coody brothers thought it was a typo. The twins, Pierceson and Parker, were playing a practice round ahead of this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open when the tee times for the first two rounds were released. The 24-year-old PGA Tour rookies were listed as playing together with Jacob Bridgeman.

“I thought it was going to be wrong just because we’ve never been, like, first two rounds paired together in any junior event, amateur event,” Parker said.

In concocting the pairings, the PGA Tour decided to produce a bit of history with the Texas natives, as the Coodys became the first pro twins to play in the same group together. They fared decently, too, with Pierceson opening with a two-under-par 68 and Parker an even-par 70 at Memorial Park.

“It was definitely a little more weird until the round started. Once the round started, it felt very normal,” Pierceson said.

Added Parker: “It was a little more serious or less talkative [than a practice round], but we still talked, and our caddies are good friends. Luckily we played with Jacob, who we’ve known for a pretty long time now and his caddie as well. It was pretty laid back still. Definitely a little more tense than a practice round, though.”

The strange thing is that the two have rarely competed in the same groups together through their careers and remember only a “handful” of times it happened in junior events. They did play college golf together at Texas, where they were instrumental in the Longhorns winning the 2022 NCAA team championship.

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In the pros, the Coodys—who are the grandsons of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody—earned their way into a third-round grouping together at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Pinnacle Bank Championship in Omaha, Neb. Parker shot a 71 that Saturday en route to eventually notching a T-5, while Pierceson scored 74 and tied for 29th.

“Omaha’s a little different,” Parker said. “We were both close to the lead and you’re kind of trying to get in the tournament that third round. But today you’re just starting off, so it was a little more laid back, but also a little guessing game to start.”

The Coody brothers are staying in the same house this week with Pierceson’s fiancée and Parker’s girlfriend, and their animals made th trip, too. “I think,” Pierceson said, “our dogs are closer friends that we are. … We’ve been just hanging out having a good time. It’s been fun.”

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com