It was only a few years ago that Friday’s co-leader of The American Express, Rico Hoey, thought his professional playing career was over before he’d reached his late 20s. In fact, he was serving an apprenticeship of sorts at his home club of Goose Creek in Southern California, where his duties including going out before sunrise to set the tee markers. It was a humbling time for the once-flashy player who finished second in the NCAA Championships playing for USC and won the prestigious 2016 SCGA Amateur in record-setting fashion.
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Hoey was one of those “It” young players, but he struggled badly after turning pro in 2017, and when he lost his Korn Ferry Tour card after 29 starts in the extended season of 2020-21 caused by the pandemic, feeling disappointed and physically broken down, Hoey decided it was time for a break and maybe a new career.
“I remember always joking around with my girlfriend, saying, ‘I’m going to fire up the LinkedIn.’ And she’s like, you won’t. I’m so glad everyone talked me out of that,” Hoey recalled in an Interview in 2023,
After a respite that included a complete rebuilding of his swing, along with working the pro shop and teaching kids, Hoey returned to form on the KFT in 2023, notching seven top-10s and his first victory on the tour in Knoxville. That spurred a return to the PGA Tour in 2024, and while the results were mixed, with a finish of 102nd in the FedEx Cup points standings, Hoey nearly got back in the winner’s circle, losing in a five-man playoff in the ISCO Championship won by Harry Hall.
A year ago, Hoey missed the first four cuts at “home” on the West Coast Swing, but he’s set himself up for a potentially huge win in the California desert, only 90 miles east of where he started his comeback. With 10 birdies, Hoey matched Charley Hoffman’s 63 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course in the second round, and they share the lead at 16 under.
Hoey, 29, was reminded that he shot 63 to open the AmEx last year, though it wasn’t noted that he followed by scoring 70-72 on the other two courses and missed the cut.
Rico Hoey and J.J. Spaun shakes hands after the second round of The American Express.
Joe Scarnici
“I wish we were playing like four rounds out here,” Hoey said. “Yeah, I just like Nicklaus; I played a lot of junior events out here, so just feels like I’m home and it’s great. Weather’s awesome, so we don’t really have too many tough conditions with the wind and whatnot. Made it a lot easier to score.”
Hoey believes his rounds—he opened with a 65 at La Quinta—have been boosted by playing with fellow L.A. native J.J. Spaun, who is only four back at 14 under.
“I love playing with J.J., he hits the ball great, he putts it really great too, so everything he does is awesome,” Hoey said. “… He’s just striping it, so I’m, like, ‘All right, it makes the target a lot easier knowing the guy’s inside 15 feet every hole.’”
Growing up in Rancho Cucamonga in L.A’.s Inland Empire, Hoey’s home course was Goose Creek in Mira Loma, where a younger budding PGA Tour star, Sahith Theegla, also practiced. There, general manager Ross Fisher became a mentor to Hoey.
“He was always that fun kid who would pick up an adult club and fire it right at the flagstick,” Fisher recalled in 2023.
Fisher watched Hoey, known for wearing cubic zirconia studs in his ear lobes, win the Junior World Championship at Torrey Pines over the likes of Beau Hossler, head for USC and then start in the pros ranks. He couldn’t have imagined that the once-exuberant kid would find himself a few years later in a deep funk emotionally while dealing with a wrecked shoulder.
That’s when Fisher put Hoey to work at the club, with one eye on a possible transition into being a teaching pro, while also hoping he could restore the player’s love for the game. Hoey responded by doing everything Fisher asked, including going out on dark and cold mornings to set the tee markers for the day.
“He never said this was stupid or it was beneath him,” Fisher said.
The best times were when Hoey began working with junior gofers. “Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, seeing them light up when they hit a shot great, it reminded me of why I love the game,” Hoey said.
Hoey eventually got back to work on his game with Fisher and they basically reconstructed his swing from the ground up. Once in form, Hoey re-earned KFT status at the 2022 Qualifying School.
In the aftermath of Hoey’s victory last year in Knoxville, coming in his 83rd KFT stasrt, Hoey was caught on camera tearfully calling his girlfriend and parents, who happened to be on the golf course. “Just wanted to tell you I love you,” Hoey said into the phone as he sniffed away tears. “Hit ‘em straight.”
Later that afternoon, Hoey said of his emotions, “I think just a mix of everything. A lot of hardships and a lot of enjoyment. So, it’s a lot of mixed emotions, but it’s great. I think it’s not a win for myself, it’s a win for everybody.”
That village of folks in L.A. will watch closely this weekend.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
