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A behind-the-scenes and beyond-the-glamour look at the life and career of a PGA Tour player. IMI-sponsored Tim Petrovic reveals that hard work and dedication remain at the core of this competitive venture
“It was a little surreal to go from seeing Tiger every week at events to actually playing with him,” Petrovic — an All-American at the University of Hartford — explained recently between Tour stops. The massive crowds. The mobs of reporters and cameramen gathered at every turn. “It took a little getting used to,” he said, echoing sentiments shared by many a professional golfer who has played alongside Woods. “But after a couple of holes it was back to business.” Such is the life of a PGA Tour professional — a job that thrusts golfers under the spotlight and into a high-profile existence full of pressure, publicity and perks, not to mention the challenges that come with all three. In short, this performance-based profession is a remarkable experience but also one of stark realities, where just being good is often not good enough. Petrovic was reminded of this lesson after shooting 68 and 72 at last year’s U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee and still failing to make the cut. While glamorous on its exterior, the time between televised golf tournaments and pro-am appearances can be a grind for touring golf professionals — mentally and physically; full of endless practice sessions, grueling travel and, for Petrovic, the responsibilities of being a husband and father. Petrovic’s is a story that has been well-chronicled: A little over a decade ago — struggling to make it as a professional golfer — he ran out of money and almost ran out of options while playing on the Nike Tour (now the Nationwide Tour). He went to work making and delivering pizzas, mopping floors and washing dishes to make ends meet. Today, even with a PGA Tour title under his belt (he won the 2005 Zurich Classic of New Orleans), the greens hardly represent the biggest challenge Petrovic has to face on a regular basis. As with most touring pros, the ins and outs of everyday life on Tour consistently prove to be the most unpredictable component of his highly desirable career. “Looking back, I certainly didn’t think I would have accomplished the things I have or be anywhere near where I am,” he says. “It’s been quite a ride.”
“It’s basically like a penthouse on wheels and has everything but a hot tub,” says Petrovic. More importantly, the RV also serves as a home to his wife, Julie, and their two young daughters, ages 5 and 8. Most of the time, he takes command of the massive craft himself. And when he is not behind the wheel (parking either at a local campground or a special site created by tournament organizers), Petrovic hires a driver to move the vehicle to the next Tour stop. On those occasions that he does fly, he uses the PGA Tour’s own travel office to help with logistics when necessary, although one rare commercial flight elicited an amusing response from his oldest daughter, who — upon boarding a plane for Hawaii — asked, “Daddy, why are all these people on our plane?” “We bought the RV because we were just tired of packing and unpacking every time we traveled.” Now, with clothes and equipment right on the bus, the family can enjoy meals and time together. “Now, when I see dirt on my RV, I know it’s my own dirt. And there are nine televisions,” Petrovic says laughing, “So I can always watch my Red Sox.” Recharging the batteries “I’m starting to learn now, in my fifth year out here, that you need to recharge. I was starting to feel a little bit burned out, after playing 32 events the last few years, and that usually includes one event in both Europe and Japan. You do that every year for four years and it wears you down,” he explains. Today, part of his “recharge” is striking a good balance between his playing schedule and time with family. “We’re home-schooling our kids and bring them with us a lot,” an experience he says he enjoys immensely. They have the opportunity to enjoy meals together as well as creative and interesting events that matter to the children. He even converted part of the RV into a kids’ playroom. Understandably, time with his family doesn’t come as often as he’d like. Take last summer, for instance, when Petrovic played The International at Castle Pines in Colorado. He arrived in Colorado ahead of his family to participate in an Aspen-based charity event that he does every year with fellow PGA Pro, Chris DiMarco. Petrovic was still in Aspen when his family arrived in Castle Pines that Monday, “So I missed that night with them,” he recalls. “I played nine holes that day and then played the pro-am at 7:30 on Wednesday morning,” he says, explaining that pro-ams present important opportunities to network and socialize. “Then it was back to work on Thursday and Friday.” The weekend culminated with him finishing tied for 17th place. Needless to say, even though his wife and children were there to share in the experience, they didn’t exactly have the opportunity to enjoy a lot of quality time together. “If you’re playing late in the day, you’re not done until 6:30 p.m., so it’s almost 8 p.m. before you roll back in. The kids have already had dinner and the whole day is almost gone. On those days I only see the kids in the morning. And if I have a morning round, I miss them because I’m gone at about 5:30 a.m. since we usually tee off at the crack of dawn.” In fact, Petrovic, like many of his fellow PGA Tour pros, sometimes spends as much time with his caddy as he does his wife. Quips Petrovic, whose brother Stephen and veteran bagman Richard (Jelly) Hansberry have worked for him: “It’s like a second marriage.” Ambassador of “kwan” “Without them I would not be where I am today,” Petrovic says sincerely. “I’m putting up numbers and That “other stuff” includes some very desirable advantages, not the least of which is playing world-class courses. “Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, is a beautiful course and we get to spend some time there with Jack Nicklaus and his sons during the Memorial Tournament,” Petrovic says. “There’s Augusta, which was all I thought it was going to be. I always like going back home to Hartford. We love going to Hawaii and, of course, there’s Pebble Beach. I just love standing out there playing that course.” And, like most Tour players, Petrovic’s phone rings often with ticket requests. “I get all my tickets together and either give them to my caddy or to my wife to take care of. We just put together a list of names and try to knock that out on Tuesday each week. If my worst problem is who gets the tickets, then I think I’m doing pretty well!” Usually, the perks outweigh the pressures. But when the demands of the job get a bit overwhelming, he just pops in a video of his win at New Orleans. “It reminds me, not everyone can get on the Tour, and there are hundreds of guys who have played out here and never won. It’s definitely a special accomplishment to get in the winner’s circle. “It reminds me to keep plugging away to get my next win.” |
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Tim Petrovic is as outgoing and self-assured a golfer as you’d ever hope to meet. Yet, when this five-year PGA Tour veteran learned of his pairing with Tiger Woods at the Ford Championship at Doral last year, he realized he might not be prepared for the front-and-center experience of playing alongside an icon like Tiger, given the throngs that pursue him at every turn.
Getting there is half the fun