Don’t bother asking Kevin Streelman his ranking on the PGA Tour’s money list. He doesn’t know it.
“Nope, no idea,” Streelman said.
That’s exactly the way it should be. When it comes to being a rookie in the big leagues of golf, Streelman is learning an essential lesson: Think about making birdies, not cash. Of course, more birdies means more money, which is exactly the point.
For the record, Streelman ranked 123rd with $92,604 in earnings when he teed off Thursday at the PODS Championship at Innisbrook Resort.
Streelman made the cut, so he now is 6 of 8 in that department. However, he soared to 84 in windy conditions Saturday, leaving him last in the field. At least he still will be cashing a paycheck.
Thus far, Streelman has passed the first test of his rookie season. He is making money.
It isn’t the stuff of blaring headlines, but surviving early tournaments hardly is a given for most rookies. Pressure comes in various forms at this level. For Streelman last week at the Honda Classic, it meant closing with three birdies in four holes to make the cut on the number during the second round.
“It felt good to dig down deep and do something good,” Streelman said. “The more cuts you make, the more comfortable you get out here.”
Streelman wound up earning $11,880. While Tiger Woods wouldn’t cross the street for that kind of money, the check is a big deal.
Every dollar counts if Streelman is going to stay on the PGA Tour. The top 125 finishers on the money list retain their cards for the next year.
Streelman is barely inside the magic number now, but he knows that doesn’t mean anything in March.
Early on, Streelman did focus on money. How could he not considering the mammoth purses out here? He was upset over a missed putt on the final hole of the Sony Open that cost him a couple of thousand dollars.
But money is a longtime rookie trap. Streelman soon realized he had to change his approach.
“I’ve stopped worrying about how much money I make and just worry about playing golf,” Streelman said. “If you start thinking about money, you’re just putting pressure on yourself. It won’t lead to better caliber golf. Missing a putt on 18 (on the final day) means the same thing as missing a putt on the first hole of the first day. Now I’m thinking, ‘Let’s play good golf,’ and the other stuff will take care of itself.”
Streelman cashed his biggest check, $30,063, after tying for 29th at the Buick Invitational. Money, though, was secondary to what has been the big highlight of his young career.
Streelman had the lead after the second round, which earned him a third-round date with Woods. Welcome to the Woods circus, complete with the media horde and huge galleries.
Streelman loved every minute of it. He called Woods “a complete gentleman” while chatting with him about his family and Woods’ new Gatorade product bearing his name.
Even though a couple of poor shots led to Streelman shooting a 75, he believes the experience made him a better player.
“To be around that amount of energy was amazing,” Streelman said. “Ever since then, I’m a lot calmer as far as people watching. After going through something that big, everything else seems so much smaller in scale.”
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There is nothing small-time about being a player on the PGA Tour. After years of scrounging on the mini-tours, Streelman still can’t get over the treatment he now receives.
“When you register, you give them your driver’s license, and all of a sudden they’re giving you the keys to a new car for the week,” Streelman said. “You try not to crash it.”
On Monday, Streelman is going to play in a pro-am sponsored by Jack Nicklaus, and then have dinner at his house. That sure beats dining at Wendy’s, as he did many times in his previous life.
Streelman loves the good life now, but he can’t let up. There is plenty of work to be done.
He needs his putter to heat up, as he is averaging 29.7 putts per round, 141st on tour. Also, he has had a few blow-up rounds, including a 78 that prevented him from making the cut at Pebble Beach.
It’s all part of the learning process, he said. The key is to be better in June than he was in January, and so on.
Streelman has accomplished Step 1: making cuts. But that probably won’t be enough for him to place in the top 125. He is going to need a few high finishes; his best is a tie for 28th in Mexico.
Streelman might not know where he stands on the money list, but he knows what he needs to do. As he plunges into the second quarter of the season, he is adjusting his approach.
“My initial goal was to make cuts,” Streelman said. “Now let’s transition. Let’s try to set our goals higher. Let’s see if we can take it another level.”
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