John Huggan: Beem brightens up Euro Tour

IN AN era where big, blond and bland are increasingly the dominant characteristics of so many leading players on his home circuit, Rich Beem is cheerfully none of the above.

Not even close, in fact. This is a man, a future major champion no less, who once quit pro golf to sell cellular phones in Seattle. Four years later, the colourful off-course lifestyles enthusiastically followed by both he and his caddie during his rookie season were immortalised forever in a book – even the sub-title was “a walk on the wild side.” And Beem must be the only three-times PGA Tour winner who has a 13-year old conviction for what his compatriots call a “DUI” (driving under the influence) in, of all places, Ayrshire.

But that was then. Almost a decade on from his victory in the 2002 US PGA Championship at Hazeltine in Minnesota – where he held on to win by a single shot as Tiger Woods finished fast with four consecutive birdies – the now 42-year old Texas resident is a rookie once more, this time on the European Tour. Having lost his playing privileges across the pond in 2011 (he made only five cuts in 21 starts) Beem, right, is taking advantage of the ten-year exemption that now far-off Grand Slam win affords him. This week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth is Beem’s sixth event on what he calls “the great adventure”. And only once has he made the 36-hole cut, in Sicily, where he finished 11th. “I haven’t really considered doing this before now,” says Beem, who will be based in Europe until the Open in mid-July. “I was aware of the possibility. But it wasn’t really on my radar as long as I had my card in the US and two young kids at home. That changed at the end of last year. When my agent called to remind me I told him I’d talk it over with my wife Sara and get back to him. So we decided to go for it. Yes, the travel is difficult at times, but we looked on it as an experience we could all share. She and my kids [eight year old Michael and Ballee who is six] are coming over in the summer for five weeks. It’s an exciting prospect.”

Already the cheerfully outgoing Beem has made some new friends on the European circuit and the experience is growing on him.

“In order for this whole thing to work for me, I have to fully commit to it,” he acknowledges. “I can’t be going back and forth too much. So I’ve made a big effort to embrace everything that goes with playing here. I’ve been to South Africa, Spain [twice], Italy and Morocco so far. And it’s been fun. The players have been very welcoming, which is nice.

“I haven’t seen a bad course over here yet. Andalucia was the only one that was a little quirky. It was short and difficult, but still fun. Morocco was amazing. Sicily was fantastic. So was Seville. And I loved the courses in Johannesburg.

“It’s not America. And the courses are not set up the same way as at home.

“I’ve enjoyed the variety of life both on and off the course. I’ve certainly been out of the comfort zone I now recognise I slipped into on the PGA Tour.

“Instead of going from state to state I’m going from country to country. That’s a big change.”

Amidst all the differences, some things have not altered. Beem, a relatively diminutive fellow at five foot eight inches in height, has never been one of the game’s longer hitters. Where Beem has been hitting hybrids into some greens, he has looked up to see others reaching for no more than their 7-irons.

“Sometimes I’m as much as 40 paces behind,” he declares. “Distance is the key to shooting low here, just like it is in the States. I’ve been struggling in that regard since I had back surgery in 2010. I’m not hitting it as far as I once did. Actually, I’m probably as long as I’ve ever been. It’s just that everyone else is at least 20 yards longer. To keep up, my short game has to be sharp and I have to hole my share of putts. But that’s the case everywhere.”

Still, perhaps the best aspect of Beem’s European experience so far has been the respect he has been accorded by his peers.

“Over here, more people seem to know who I am,” he says with a smile. “Being a major champion seems to mean more over here. I can’t tell you how many folks have asked me about winning at Hazeltine. Everyone likes to have his ego stroked and I’m no exception. And my win was kinda memorable in that I beat ‘the guy’. I’m very fortunate to have accomplished what I did. So it’s nice to have that fact recognised. And the fact that I’m here now shows that I’m still reaping the benefits of that victory.

“In the US we sometimes lose sight of what is important. There’s a lot of ‘flash’ over there right now. Wins are what really count though. And major wins count even more. Ask anyone how many events Jack Nicklaus won and not many will know. Ask how many majors he has and almost everyone knows. I would hope that the young kids on the PGA Tour think that way too, because it’s very evident to me that their counterparts over here think of nothing else. They want to win any tournament, but they really want to win the big ones.”

One player who has especially impressed Beem is Denmark’s rising star, Thorbjorn Olesen. The pair played together for the first two rounds in Sicily, where the Dane went on to record his maiden victory on tour.

“My family was there,” recalls Beem. “In the first round TO hit his ball well off line into the cabbage on the fourth hole. We were all looking for it when my daughter picked it up and asked, ‘is this it?’

“Of course it was. She got a bit flustered and upset. But he went on to make par. That evening she was still bothered, so I told her she may have helped him and that he might even go on and win the tournament. That cheered her up. She looked at me and said, ‘if he does, can I have the trophy?’

“I told him that right before the last round and Ballee wrote him a little note to wish him good luck. He has a fan for life now.”

Don’t you just love a happy ending?