Labritz is excited about his big year ahead
By Jeff Babineau
Rob Labritz made a big splash when he transitioned at age 50 from club teaching professional in New York to a full-time competitor on PGA TOUR Champions. He failed to finish inside the top 36 – the magic number to get into all the tour’s open events – as a rookie, but last season played well and had a clutch finish at the Charles Schwab Championship to secure his spot.
Now 52, Labritz smiles and jokes that he has been “upstaged” by California’s Michael Block among the club pros; Block stole the show at last year’s PGA Championship. Labritz says he is proud to represent the more than 30,000 hard-working members of the PGA of America. If he can do this, he said, so, too, can others behind him. He is committed to working hard to keep this dream going for as long as he can.
This week he’s back at the Chubb Classic, where he made his debut two years earlier, and there is a relaxed aura about him. He worked hard on his short game all winter, has a new putter in the bag – for the first time, he is using a long putter – and has renewed belief in himself and what he can accomplish.
“I’m a different man than I was standing here a few years ago,” he said. “I’m a different man, just more confident in myself being out here.
“It feels right. I worked on my game and now am at a level that I know that I can compete and win. I want to keep doing what I’m doing. I respect all these guys and all these courses so much, and it’s just a pleasure to be here.”
The “pinch me” moments never seem to end for Labritz, who on Saturday at the Chubb was in a grouping that included World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples. Labritz shot 69 on Saturday, and at 3-under for the tournament, is tied for 27th.
“My underlying desire is to play good golf, and that’s all I really have,” said Labritz. “I fell in love with the game so long ago, and it’s always had me. I’ve been divorced once, but I never divorced golf, right? It’s always grounded me. If I ever had problems before, I feel I just went to the golf course.
“And now I get paid to do this. It’s crazy.”
