Former US PGA champion Rich Beem is relishing the challenge of the Aberdeenshire links as he tees it up this week in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, hosted by Colin Montgomerie.
The 54-year-old is more likely to be seen on-course with a Sky Sports microphone in hand rather than a golf club these days, but fresh from last week’s Senior Open at Sunningdale, Beem is looking forward to playing the Legends Tour’s flagship tournament as the challenge switches from heathland to links.
“It’s always an honour to play a flagship event on any Tour and this is certainly the case for Legends Tour, Beem said. “I’ve played lots of Players Championships on the PGA Tour and also the BMW PGA on the DP World Tour – which on reflection I wish I’d played more. So, it’s great to play the flagship event with the best players on the Legends Tour and I’m glad that I’m a member because I love coming over. I love playing these style golf courses. We don’t know the course at all so it’s fun to go out there together and try to figure it out.
“Links golf definitely suits my game because I’d rather see balls running on the ground rather than high shots. It’s not the easiest thing to do when you don’t play a lot so you kind of have to make it up on the fly and trust that you know how to do this instead of reaching for the lob wedge and throwing up in the air. I think that whenever you come to golf courses like this, links golf courses, if your first inclination is not to see how I can keep us on the ground and bump it through the humps and hollows then it may not be for you. But that’s my first inclination. When I get around the greens, I don’t want the 60-degree wedge, I want a lower lofted club and a chance to be creative. That’s what makes it so special.”
Beem is just one of many Major champions in the field this week, and he’s joined by a raft of Ryder Cup captains and players, as well as proven Tour winners from around the world. Confirmed names in the field also include eight-time European Tour order of merit winner and tournament host Colin Montgomerie, 1994 & 1999 Masters champion José María Olazábal, 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell, 2003 US PGA champion Shaun Micheel, 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, defending champion Robert Coles, Legends Tour Order of Merit leader Scott Hend – fresh from a top-five at the ISPS Handa Senior Open – and a host of Ryder Cup players including Stephen Gallacher and Tour debutante David Howell.
Earlier in the week Beem attended the official opening of the New course at Trump International, as President Donald J. Trump flew in for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Beem, along with former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, played in the first official four-ball alongside the President and his son, Eric.
“It was quite surreal to be playing with a sitting US president,” said Beem of the experience. “It wasn’t just playing with him, it was the entire entourage and who’s there with him. It’s not just four guys playing golf – there’s 20 buggies in the middle of the fairway, people zipping in and out. It was an incredible experience, and I’m very glad that I said yes. You have to respect the position of President, whether you like the politics or not.
“When they announce your name and you’re playing with the President of the United States, I’ve got to say that I was a little nervous and rightfully so. But he was a gentleman to play with and as he was my partner I was very glad to be able to birdie that last to halve our match.”
This week will be Beem’s first experience of playing at Trump International and he is clearly impressed by the set-up. “I have to say this property is pretty damn special. Playing the New course was a treat and it looks like it’d been there for quite some time. I’m really looking forward to playing the Old course this week and seeing what the similarities are. I’ve not played it yet but can’t wait to see how it plays. It’s great to be having Legends Tour and then DP World Tour back-to-back here so will be a great fortnight of golf up here. It’s a spectacular location.”
In terms of his own game, Beem revealed that an observation from his caddie had helped to identify an issue that had crept into his game as he looks to rediscover the form that took him to a Major victory in 2002 at Hazeltine. “My game’s a work in progress, but I think everybody will always tell you that, especially at our age. You’d think we might know a little bit better how to fix stuff but you can just get more and more frustrated. My caddie this week is Paul, who I’ve known for 10 years, and he just noticed something with me before we teed off. Funny how it’s the smallest things that make the difference – just a simple thing with my stance, my alignment, which then helps me swing the golf club in a different direction… hopefully I can now build on that.
“My expectations for the week are kind of middle of the road to be honest. I’d like to play well in practise and go out and hit some shots and know they’re going where I’m looking, starting on my lines and going from there. But I have to be realistic given my work with Sky Sports. I’ve got my great pal Paul on the bag and I can’t ask for much more than that. We’re sure going to have fun.”
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