Catching up with Jackson’s Brian Stuard
Two Michiganders are on the PGA Tour this year – rookie Joey Garber of Petoskey and veteran Brian Stuard of Jackson, who won the 2016 Zurich Classic and an invitation to the 2017 Masters at Augusta National, where he made the cut to play all four rounds.
Stuard has been on the PGA Tour since 2010, quietly going about his business. He’s earned more than $8 million with two more PGA Tour runners up, and 15 Top-10 finishes. He won the Division 4 state title as a senior at small Napoleon High and earned Horizon League Player of the Year as a senior at Oakland University before turning pro in late 2005.
Stuard began the year with a top-10 in Hawaii, and talked with MGJ by phone after a practice round at the Valspar Championship in Tampa.
Masters Memories
Q: Besides what might seem obvious, what are some uniquely cool memories of playing in the 2017 Masters?
A: “The biggest thing for me is just how on TV it looks pretty pristine, but in real life it’s just a whole another level. You just don’t realize how perfect and beautiful the landscape really is, and there’s so much more elevation change than you can tell on TV. It’s really a unique place, and the greens are just; there’s nothing else like them. You get inside the gate and it’s like a whole other world really. It’s pretty amazing what they’ve done to make it so special and spectacular, for us as players but also for the fans. It was a lot of fun and hopefully I’ll get back there and try it again.”
Q: Did you walk away from Augusta with anything that might be classified as a learning experience?
A: “Every time, when I play in an event like that, with the best in the world and like you say, you make the cut, and you feel like you can compete with all of them. It just always gives you a little extra confidence, knowing you can do it – and you did do it under that pressure. It’s just another way to boost your confidence a little bit.”
“There’s nowhere to hide around there. It seems like some holes at some majors there’s a few less fans, but at Augusta they’re just everywhere. That atmosphere; there’s just always a buzz around there so it’s a pretty special place.”
Q: Do you have a favorite hole at Augusta or a favorite shot you recall?
A: “Tough question. There are some really great holes out there. Playing 10, 11, 12, 13. That’s kind of a cool stretch. Then 14 and 15. You know, you can just say that about every hole. It’s just funny that you asked that.
“But I think the shot I remember the most, I hit 13 (par 5) in two and it was just one of those shots where it came off nice and I got it to 20 feet. I didn’t make the putt (for eagle) but it’s one of the shots I surely remember.”
PGA Tour in Detroit:
Q: Please share your thoughts about the PGA Tour returning.
A: “It’s very exciting for sure. Very exciting for me, for someone who never got to play in the Buick Open (it ended before he joined Tour). I never thought it was going to be an option for me to play in a PGA Tour event in Michigan. I’ve had a bunch of people out here (on Tour) ask me if I’m going to play in the Detroit event, so everybody’s kind of excited about it, and that’s a great thing.”
Q: Will you have an inside edge on the other Tour players having played the Detroit Golf Club several times?
A: “Maybe fractionally, but to be honest it’s been so long since I’ve played the course I don’t remember too much. But I do have great memories of (playing there). It’s a great place, but I don’t remember too many exact lines off the tees or that sort of thing. I’ll have to re-learn it a little bit. So, maybe a little edge.”
Young Guns:
Q: Which young players on Tour now do you think will end up making the most noise over the span of their careers?
A: “Everybody that gets out here now is so talented. They all hit it forever it seems like. They’re all awfully good. Cameron Champ’s got a great chance to do a lot of things, just from his overall distance. If he gets anything going it’s tough to beat him. Jordan (Spieth) has gone through a little bit of a rough patch, but everybody does that. He’s going to get it back. Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka, those guys seem to be in it for the long haul too. And a guy like Rory winning The Players; that’s only going to boost his confidence and make him tougher.”
Q: (Asked in jest) Does it bother you when TV leaderboards come on the screen, you aren’t listed as a “notable” ?
A: “No, it doesn’t bother me. I realize that I’m probably not a notable. I’m okay with that. It’s alright. I’m used to it. And it makes it easier when you kind of slide under the radar a little bit.”
