While sipping his second beer, Nick Bienz realized that he would have to compete in a play-off to advance to his first-ever PGA Tour event.
After tying for the lead in a PGA Tour qualifier, a golf shop employee was unwinding and sipping beer when he saw the startling news on the leaderboard: he would have to participate in a play-off round. Unexpectedly, Nick Bienz found himself in a 5-for-4 play-off round with four other players who had identical scores.
Bienz had just finished the round with a 7-under-65 total, tying for the lead with two other players. This meant he would have to compete to get into the £7.2 million PGA Tour sanctioned event.
The other golfers started to close in, and the employee of the golf shop started to perspire as he watched them leave the green. He was enjoying a well-earned pint at the time. But Bienz didn’t realize he would need to finish his third beer and hit the course again to guarantee his spot in his first PGA Tour event until two other players tied his score.
Bienz stated, “I need every ounce of alcohol to calm the nervous system and not vomit all over myself,” in an interview with Monday Q Info at the time. That’s our current situation.”
At the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club later this week, the Indianapolis-born golfer, who works at Golf Galaxy to support his professional career, was hoping to avoid a play-off and earn his first career PGA Tour start.
Bienz, however, was forced to compete against Beau Breault, Danny Guise, Brandon Berry, and Angelo Giantsopolous in a five-person playoff.
Bienz had finished the last hole with a 12-foot putt for a birdie and had not made a single bogey in his first round of golf. The golfer reportedly said, “I blacked out,” on the final putt, according to NBC Sports.
After that, he downed three beers while anxiously anticipating the results of the remaining matches.
“Remember how I said three beers would be a perfect amount?” Bienz reportedly uttered as he made his way to the first tee for the play-off round. I mean, I’m flawless.”
