Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 26

Fitzgerald has shot a career-best 70 five
times, including once at Interlachen, and
has crafted a 71 at St. Andrews and a 76 at
Augusta. He's also played in the last eight
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Ams, winning
twice with longtime playing partner, PGA
Tour player and fellow Whisper Rock
member Kevin Streelman.
" My first year there was 2014, "
Fitzgerald says. " My goal was to not hit
anybody. " He didn't. Five years later,
playing to a 13 handicap, Fitzgerald and
Streelman finished 41 under to win by
seven. Two years after that, they won
again, shooting 33 under to win by five.
That's a long way from shooting " a million "
back in 2013. What happened?
" Practice, practice, practice, " he says.
" Hitting balls continuously, until I had
blisters ... I'd go hit balls at 5:45 in the
morning before I went to practice. I'd
get to practice around 7 for my lift. Then
practice at 8 or 9. Then go play golf. "
Fitzgerald played 17 NFL seasons as a
world-class athlete with two of the best
hands in NFL history. He ranks second
in league history in receptions (1,432) and
receiving yards (17,492).
And yet his first couple golf seasons
were spent as a " terrible, high 20-something "
handicapper. (Although he did
notch his first hole-in-one after only six
months, using a 6-iron into Whisper
Rock's 195-yard seventh hole as his dad-
Larry Sr., longtime sports columnist for
the Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder-
looked on in disbelief as a man who still
has no aces in 45 years of trying.)
" Golf is really humbling.
When you are so good at one
thing and so terrible at another,
it's frustrating ...
It's the hardest game to play.
Ever. And I've played them all. "
-LARRY FITZGERALD JR.
" Golf is really humbling, " Fitzgerald says.
" When you are so good at one thing and so
terrible at another, it's frustrating, especially
when the ball you're trying to control isn't
even moving. It's the hardest game to play.
Ever. And I've played them all. "
At this point, it seemed only logical to
ask Fitzgerald to name the absolute worst
golfer among the all-time greatest athletes
he's played with. " Adrian Peterson, "
Fitzgerald says. " Watching him try to
swing a golf club ... it just didn't match
up with his athleticism. "
Fitzgerald now plays to a 5 handicap.
And though he's already enjoyed many
heavenly experiences, he was asked to
pick three partners for a dream foursome.
" Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela
Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and President Obama following
Fitzgerald's hole-in-one at Seminole Golf Club
26
MINNESOTAGOLFER Spring 2024
and Abraham Lincoln, " Fitzgerald says.
" And we wouldn't be riding. We'd have to
walk. Four hours to walk and talk with
those guys. I'd love to pick some of the
greatest minds in history. And play golf
while doing it. "
mngolf.org
PHOTO: COURTESY OF LARRY FITZGERALD JR.

http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024

Contents
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - Cover1
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - Cover2
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - Contents
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 2
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 3
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 4
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 5
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 6
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 7
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 8
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 9
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 10
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 11
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 12
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 13
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 14
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 15
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 16
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 17
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 18
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 19
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 20
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 21
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 22
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 23
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 24
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 25
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 26
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 27
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 28
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 29
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 30
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 31
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 32
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 33
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 34
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 35
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 36
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 37
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 38
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 39
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 40
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - Cover3
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/digitalextra2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/travel2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/travel2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/directory2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/fall2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/summer2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/mga/spring2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com