Rising Phoenician, Local Golf Pro Ted Purdy

By Gerry Norquist

The Valley of the Sun is home to many great athletes and more than a few legendary figures. But it is rare to find a true native Phoenician who has stayed here all his life and reached the pinnacle of the sport he plays. Such a find is Ted Purdy. Born and raised in Moon Valley, this 30-year-old graduate of the University of Arizona is on his way to stardom on the PGA Tour.

While it has taken Ted Purdy a few years to establish himself in professional golf, the journey he has taken has been both intriguing and rewarding. Having achieved a level of fame and fortune has not swelled Purdy’s head. He and his wife, Arlene, live with their two young children just blocks from the house where he grew up. I caught up with Purdy recently to find out a little more about one of our local “good guys”.

GN: As an Arizona and North Valley native, what is it about this area that appeals to you, when you could live anywhere in the country?

TP: As a traveling PGA Tour player, I can live anywhere in the country or the world. I choose to live in the Valley for a few reasons. My golf support system is here with my swing coaches, Pam Barnett and Mark Winkley, PING Golf Co., and Mack Newton, my mental and physical trainer. I was born and raised at Moon Valley CC, where I live today. My wife is also a native of Arizona and we both have a lot of friends and family here. I went to Brophy Prep and the U of A. This is home and I love the Valley.

GN: You have had a long relationship with Phoenix based golf club maker Karsten Manufacturing of PING. How did this start and how important has PING been in your career?

TP: I started playing with PING clubs when I started playing golf. I grew up next door to Johnny Solheim, whose grandfather, Karsten, started the company. We played together as kids constantly, and I am sure we were the only eight-year-old boys in the world with a full set of PING Eye 2’s. I have always loved the clubs and admired the effort the Solheim family puts into building the best clubs on the market. I have the same confidence in the equipment today that I did as a kid growing up.

GN: This is your fourth year on the PGA Tour. Can you describe you career
so far?

TP: I am coming to the end of my fourth year on the PGA Tour. I have had a great time on tour. My only regret is that I wish I had won a few more events.

GN: You won the 2005 EDS Byron Nelson for your first PGA Tour victory. How has that changed your life? What did Byron Nelson, who recently passed away, mean to you?

TP: The 2005 EDS Byron Nelson win has changed the direction of my life in more ways than one. It was an accomplishment that I had been working my whole life to achieve. It was a dream come true. Coming so close the previous two years, especially at the 2004 MCI Heritage losing a playoff to Stewart Cink, made it sweeter! The win has secured my PGA Tour status for two years and made me a lifetime member, which gives me medical and retirement benefits for the rest of my life. The $1,100,000 payday wasn’t bad either! Meeting Byron Nelson was a very special treat. His record on the course is nothing compared to his record off the course.

Byron Nelson is the role model that all professional athletes should aspire to be. He made a life out of thinking of others first and founded a school for inner city Dallas children. He helped thousands of families help themselves through education. I have taken his lead and started my own foundation, www.TedPurdyFoundation.org. This has changed my life, as I now have a greater focus than myself. I support A Stepping Stone Foundation here at home. We educate at risk families by educating the child and mother or father. Byron passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 94. My goal is to continue his positive message through golf and life.

GN: Tiger Woods’ greatness is obvious. Many people don’t know of your success against him, particularly as an amateur. Tell us about this and how Tiger’s emergence as the best player in the world has influenced you.

TP: I have played golf with Tiger Woods most of my life. He has always been the best. In amateur golf, I was able to beat him a few times, most notably at the PING Intercollegiate and in the Western Amateur in match play. The EDS Byron Nelson I won was the first cut Tiger had ever missed as a pro on the PGA Tour. However, when Tiger first turned pro, many critics doubted his greatness. My response was, “If Tiger doesn’t make it and make it big, I don’t have a chance!” Tiger is a great guy and the ultimate competitor. We will see him winning for a long time.

GN: It took you a while to reach the level you are at now. Tell us about your journey from U of A to the PGA Tour.

TP: Unlike Tiger, I did not make it on the PGA Tour right away. I went to U of A on a golf scholarship. After getting my degree from the business college, I turned pro in 1997. When I missed at the PGA Tour qualifying school, I ventured out to the Asian PGA Tour. I had great success and was Rookie of the Year in 1997. I won an event in New Delhi, India. I played all over the world and back here at home on the Nationwide Tour. I had a brief visit to the PGA Tour in 1999 but lost my card, making only eight of 28 cuts. In 2003, with my wife six months pregnant, I won my first Nationwide Tour event and it vaulted me back on the PGA Tour by finishing 15th on the money list. It was a long road, but persistence paid off.

GN: Where is your favorite place in the world to play golf and why?

TP: My favorite place to play is where I won, EDS Byron Nelson Championship. I didn’t care for Augusta the first year I played The Masters, but it grew on me and I can’t wait to get back!

GN: How has getting married and becoming a father helped your golf career?

TP: My whole career changed for the better when I met my wife. Arlene has been my biggest supporter. I was playing the Asian Tour when we got married and she quit her stable job at Mayo Healthcare to become my caddy. She caddied until she was six months pregnant. When we qualified for the ATT Pebble Beach Pro-Am, our partner was Herb Kohler, owner of KOHLER Co. Herb really liked Arlene and decided he wanted to be one of my sponsors. I think he felt sorry for a six-month pregnant caddy! Now, The Bold Look of KOHLER is on everything I wear on the course and every plumbing fixture in the house. I won my first Nationwide event when Sammy was born in 2003 and I won my first PGA Tour event when Andie was born in 2005. I told my wife I want 10 kids!

GN: You mentioned your long time teacher, former LPGA player Pam Barnett. Pam has become very popular among local pros. What has Pam meant to you?

TP: My first teacher was Pam Barnett at Moon Valley CC and I still use her today. She always gets me back when I think my swing is broken. She was a good player on the LPGA, so I have had a bunch of help from her on how to be a great pro. I owe the game I have today to the efforts of Pam.

GN: Finally, what can we look for from Ted Purdy in the years to come?

TP: I hope to be playing golf on the PGA Tour for a long time. I want to make some of our national teams, like the Ryder Cup and President’s Cup. I want to keep getting better. We’re all gunning for Tiger!

GOLF TIP: “Improve Your Putting”

The first golf professional I ever knew told me the only putts I needed to practice were from 3 feet and 20 feet away from the hole. His logic was I could get the entire “feel” I needed from the 20 footers, and I would never fear any putt if I could master the 3 footers. I used this theory a lot growing up and developed some drills to help me stay focused. If you try these drills, you are sure to improve your putting.

3-Foot Putt Drills:

1) Place 10 balls in a circle around the hole, equal distance apart, 3 feet from the hole. Line each putt up as you would in normal playing conditions and putt each one, going around the circle. Place the ones you miss in their original position and continue around until you have holed them all. 2) Find a hole on a slight hill and place 3 balls each at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 around the hole. Starting at the position of your choice, hit one putt, move to the next position to hit another putt and continue like this until you have holed them all. This will give you equal practice on R to L, L to R, uphill and downhill putts and let you know which ones you need the most work on.

20-Foot Putt Drills:

1) Take seven normal paces away from any hole and drop three balls. Again, line them up as if this were a real putt in a round of golf. While you will try to make these putts, the goal is to two-putt, working on your “lag” skills. As an added test, pull the balls you leave closer than three feet back one putter length from the hole to practice the 3 footers! 2) Pacing from the edge of the putting green, place three tees in the ground on a straight line, seven paces apart. You will now have six different twenty foot putts. Hit three putts to the first tee and continue on down the line to each successive tee, turning around at the third tee. This is purely for distance control and going through this once a day should be enough to improve your “feel”. There is no magic in these drills; just more of the simple is best philosophy. Avoid going through the motions. Rather, make each putt count by simulating the conditions in a round of golf. Remember to keep your head still and hold your finish!