Former Substitute Teacher Shines On PGA Tour

Posted on May 14, 2008
Filed Under Sports, TV |

Did anyone watch the Players Championship (TPC) this last weekend?

What was interesting, besides seeing if Sergio Garcia could come through in a big tournament, was the story of Paul Goydos.

Goydos, a self-described journeyman, father of two teenager daughters, began his golfing career as a struggling mini-tour player and substitute teacher.

A turning point in his career was winning an event on the Nationwide Tour (minor leagues for the PGA Tour), thus allowing him to go to Qualifying School, where he earned his PGA card, and hasn’t looked back since.

Paul Goydos, a graduate of Long Beach State University, who has won twice on the PGA Tour, was in a playoff this past weekend with Sergio Garcia. Both golfers were playing well, but Goydos came up just short on the difficult and famous island green on hole 17.

What impressed me most was not how far he had advanced in this huge tournament (”Fifth Major”), but how he conducted himself after defeat. Goydos was a prime example of an athlete losing well.

After hitting his shot into the water, essentially sealing the win for Sergio, Goydos conceded the defeat and congratulated the winner in good spirits while walking to the green. After the round he commented:

“I played good golf, but that doesn’t always translate into a win. You just accept that the guy beat you and move on.”

Great attitude, right!

It wasn’t to bad either to make a 1.026 million dollar pay check for second place, a guy without endorsement deals, and more earnings than his last victory.

C.Harv

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