Ryan Brehm, Michigan high school’s Mr. Golf in 2004 from Mt. Pleasant and now resident of Traverse City, is playing his second full season with his PGA Tour Card after earning his first shot during the 2016-17 season. The Michigan State grad, winner of five college tournaments and former assistant and interim head coach for the Spartans (2010-12), has two PGA Korn Ferry Tour career victories. He last played a PGA Tour event this season when he was T35 at the Puerto Rico Open in late February – so his break from Tour golf has been longer than most.
He uses a simulator in his living room to hit balls, chipping and working on distance control.
“I think you summed it up when you said we’ve hit the pause button for a little while….if the PGA Tour keeps the Rocket Mortgage Classic that would be a great first event back for us, and all we can do now is gear up for that,” Brehm said.
“There’s two ways you can go. You can either be negative about it or look towards the future when we’re past all this stuff…take it day by day and try to make progress every day. And sometimes progress doesn’t have anything to do with golf. Most of the time it does, but in this scenario, I think getting all your ducks in a row off the golf course is the most important thing to do right now,” Brehm said about the benefits mentally of having this time away from the Tour.
Brehm said every now and then he scrolls ESPN’s phone app during the down time and sees athletes from other sports getting out their golf clubs, chipping around the backyard.
“It just makes me realize how big the game really is,” Brehm said. “I do think golf is a very solitary endeavor if you chose to make it that way, and as long as you’re responsible. But heck, if you can throw your golf clubs on your back and go out for a couple hours to get some fresh air; that’s what really intrigued me about the game anyway,” he said about his youth as a variation from playing on basketball and baseball teams.
“And, growing up in Michigan we’re pretty accustomed to taking time off from golf. Just having it happen mid-season (for the pro tours) is a big adjustment.”
