PGA Tour Champions member Rocco Mediate was in Grand Blanc on August 20 to participate in media day for the Ally Challenge, presented by McLaren. Mediate won the Buick Open in 2000, never having led the tournament until the final hole.
All the big names on the PGA Tour Champions circuit have committed to play at Warwick Hills, making it a player reunion of sorts of the former Buick Open that lasted 50 years on the PGA Tour before shuttering in 2009. 
The following is a Michigan Golf Journal one-on-one Q&A with Rocco Mediate:
Q: How different is the PGA Tour Champions (Senior Tour) compared to what you thought it might be before joining?
A: “It’s not different at all. I knew it would be difficult. It’s a sprint instead of a marathon, three-rounders, mostly. And if you’re not sharp you’ll get run over, just like the old days. Nothing’s changed. Practice habits haven’t changed, the time hasn’t changed – well maybe a little bit with our little girl at home – but I’m still busting my ass like we all are, and if you’re not you’ll get crushed. If you’re around par the first day, you’re done.”
Q: You’ve won tournaments here in 2000 and at Harbor Shores (2016 Sr. PGA). Is there something about Michigan for you?
A: “Yes, I guess there is. Harbor Shores is a totally different golf course obviously than Warwick Hills. But here will always be special for me; just the way it is, coming here all these years. Just a special place. I always loved the course when I first saw it. Didn’t play it very well for a while but then got better at it.”
Q: Are there other Michigan courses that catch your eye that you’ve had a chance to play?
A: “Treetops, Rick Smith’s course up there is fantastic. Arcadia Bluffs; it was years ago that I played that. But you’ve got Oakland Hills not far away. Michigan is just packed with golf that we (Tour players) have never seen. Oakland University is a cool golf course and we’d go play it every year before the Buick and hang out all day. And I might try to do that this time too just to bring back old memories. But a lot of good golf in Michigan.”
Q: If you could be Jim Furyk and pick the Ryder Cup team, what kind of characteristics would you look for, like experience, great putter, aggressiveness, etc.?
A: “I want the guy playing the best. I don’t care about any characteristics. I want to have who’s playing the best right now. I don’t care if they’re 80th on the list.”
Q: Obviously most people will remember you and Tiger in the 2008 U.S. Open playoff. Do you think people would remember you more for that than if maybe you had won the U.S. Open outright?
A: “That’s a good question. I don’t know. That’s a hell-of-a question. Well, I know I’d have the trophy and that’s what you want, but I don’t know what else would have happened as far as memories…Oh, I know what would happen, they would have said ‘of course you won, he couldn’t walk’… who knows how it gets turned. The bottom line is it was the coolest thing and the most fun I’ve ever had, except I didn’t win. But it was so damn fun I couldn’t stand it. National open, against Tiger, and now we go to Monday, hello.”
Q: Name recognition is big in sports. Is there a player on the Champions Tour right now that you think fans are overlooking and can win this thing?
A: “Scott Parel. I don’t think he played the Tour at all (just five events, made one cut) but he’s just really good. You look at Scotty Parel and you think, ‘and you didn’t play the Tour?’ Maybe he did on the Web.com … but you look at him and you go, ‘where have you been? And I’m glad you stayed away until you came out here.’ Go watch him, look at the stat sheets and tell me what you think.”
Editor’s note: Parel was born in Pontiac, Mich. and graduated from the University of Georgia but didn’t play on the golf team. He qualified for two U.S. Opens.
