293rd Time is the Charm ... an Interview with PGA Tour winner Brian Gay

Brian Gay wins Mayakoba Golf Classic

Brian, congratulations on your win at the PGA’s Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa del Carmen … your first PGA Tour event win in 293 starts.  The popular saying is “third time’s the charm” but would you like to see a cultural shift that says “293rd time’s the charm?”

    Sounds like that would be appropriate for me.  It’s been a long time comin’ and I put in a lot of hard work over the years to get a win on the Tour and I was finally able to do that last week.

There’s a lot of golfers out there looking for their first birdie, their first eagle … in my case, their first par … sometimes it seems as if you can play forever without reaching that special mark.  It took you 9 years to get your first win … how do you remain patient … did you ever want to quit playing?

    Uuuh, no, I certainly never wanted to … this is, you know, what I wanted to do since I was a young kid and all I want to do is play on the PGA Tour.  I just kept at it and kept working hard and just always believed that eventually one day I’d win one.

You had a five shot lead headed into the final round of the Mayakoba … is it easier to play out front or come from behind?

    Well, it was the first time I had the lead like that on the Tour so … Obviously, the more you can be ahead the better off you are.  Of course you want to be able to have some room there, separating yourself from the field.  But on the other hand, it was kind of difficult going out there, sorta playin' not to make mistakes and I was playing real conservative so that part made it a little bit difficult.

Brian, you call the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial your favorite event … what do you like about the event?  Is it the course?  The people?  The fans?  Are you mesmerized by that plaid jacket?

    Well, yeah, I want one of those plaid jackets!  Nah, it’s just one of my favorite golf courses … probably my favorite on Tour.   The people are wonderful there.  They treat us great.   I was actually born in Ft. Worth … even though I didn’t live there … just as a baby.  So you know, that’s got some meaning there for me.  And I’ve just always loved going there and love the golf course and the history there.


Let’s get to the shots off the Tee Box … feel free to wear your metal spikes …

1.  Golfers dress fairly conservatively … what’s the most outlandish thing you’ve ever worn while playing in a Tour event?

    On a Tour event, hmmm.  I don’t know that I’ve ever worn anything crazy on a Tour event.  I wore like different colored shoes and argyle socks with shorts in a junior tournament one time.  But not on Tour. 

2.  If you and your caddie are in disagreement … who wins?   Would you ever resort to physical violence to get your way?

      Well, we argue sometimes, but uh, the player usually wins.  I mean, I let him win sometimes but I realize, you know, he’s right and he’s looking at the situation maybe a little differently than how I feel.  But uh, I’d don’t think we’d ever go to blows.

3.   You attended the University of Florida … have you ever been heckled by a Florida State fan while on the course?

    Uuuh, sure.  You get heckled in Phoenix a lot.  Those guys know everything about everybody.  They’ll give you the Florida State chant and stuff like that to make the Gators that are there, you know, uneasy. 

4.   Since winning your first Tour event, will you entertain superstition?  Same socks, same underwear, same breakfast?

    Uum, I don’t know.  I was in … well, I wore white pants for the first time last week so maybe I’ll do something with the white pants.

5.  The sports world is famous for giving players nicknames … my best three guesses for you would be,  BeeGee, GayB or Gaylord … am I close?

    Uuh, B-G.  I get called BG a lot.

Brian Gay thank you for stepping into the Tee Box … we look forward to seeing you at the Colonial.

I’m Kelly Webster, the Colonial Golf Girl

(Transcribed from phone interview ... you can also listen to the podcast)