News
Steve Stricker ‘lucky to be alive’ after spending weeks in hospital with serious illness
Steve Stricker has said he feels “lucky to be alive” after being hospitalized for weeks with a severe illness described as a “mysterious ailment.”
As reported by WisconsinGolf’s Gary D’Amato, Stricker came down with a sore throat and heavy cough on Oct. 23, about a month after captaining the U.S. to victory at the Ryder Cup. The 54-year-old took antibiotics and felt better for a couple of weeks, but then his health issues quickly deteriorated.
Speaking to the publication, Stricker said:
“I came home from hunting one night and I was like, ‘I don’t feel good. My side hurts. I just don’t feel right. That night I had the sweats and all of a sudden, my temperature was 103. I went back to my primary and got amoxicillin, a heavier antibiotic. And I think I had a reaction to that. My throat started to close up, my lips got puffy, my glands got puffy, my tongue got puffy. It was like an allergic reaction. I was still having these 103-degree temps.”
Stricker revealed that his white blood cell count shot up, liver numbers got worse, and he was diagnosed with jaundice.
“So, I went into the hospital about two weeks before Thanksgiving and they kept me in there. That’s when the s— hit the fan. My liver numbers started getting worse. My white blood cell count was jacked up really high. I was fighting something, but they couldn’t find out what it was. My liver was going downhill. I got jaundice. I was yellow and peeing out Pepsi-colored pee.”
Stricker tested negative for COVID and was discharged from the hospital 11 days later, just before Thanksgiving, but he ended up back in the hospital three days later.
“You don’t know where this road is leading to. I never thought that I’m not getting out of there kind of thing. But I didn’t eat for two weeks. I didn’t have any energy or appetite to eat. I had a hard time just getting up and walking because of the heart. I took a few steps to the bathroom in my room and I’d be out of breath.”
The former World Number 2 is back in Florida with his family after being discharged from hospital for a second time at the end of last year. He is currently on several medications and still unable to consume solid food.
“My heart is in rhythm now. It was jumping in and out of rhythm from Thanksgiving all the way to Christmas Eve. So, knock on wood. And I’m on less medication. The inflammation number that they can find out with blood tests is saying that my inflammation is going down. And it must be, because I’m feeling better. I’m walking around a little bit. I’m starting to be a little bit more active and building a tolerance a little bit better. So, things are definitely better.”
Stricker has lost 25lbs in weight while fighting the illness and described his skin as “hanging” as he continues his recovery.
“I’m down 25 pounds. I’m freshman-in-high school weight. I lost all my muscle. I look like an 85-year-old man, dude. My skin is hanging.”
The Wisconsin-native has started to hit a few chip shots at his home in Florida, but per his cardiologist, it may be six months before he can tee it up again on the PGA Tour Champions.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
So, with a couple of weeks off following his latest start at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Thomas sought to re-address his driver setup with the remote help of Titleist Tour fitting expert J.J. Van Wezenbeeck. About two weeks ago, Thomas and Van Wezenbeeck reviewed his recent driver stats, and discussed via phone call some possible driver and shaft combinations for him to try.
After receiving Van Wezenbeeck’s personalized shipment of product options while at home, Thomas found significant performance improvements with Titleist’s TSR2 head, equipped with Thomas’ familiar Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX shaft.
Compared to Thomas’ longtime TSR3 model, the TSR2 has a larger footprint and offers slightly higher spin and launch characteristics.
According to Van Wezenbeeck, Thomas has picked up about 2-3 mph of ball speed, to go along with 1.5 degrees higher launch and more predictable mishits.
“I’d say I’d been driving it fine, not driving it great, so I just wanted to, honestly, just test or try some stuff,” Thomas said on Tuesday in an interview with GolfWRX.com at Quail Hollow Club. “I had used that style of head a couple years ago (Thomas used a TSi2 driver around 2021); I know it’s supposed to have a little more spin. Obviously, yeah, I’d love to hit it further, but if I can get a little more spin and have my mishits be a little more consistent, I felt like obviously that’d be better for my driving…
“This (TSR2) has been great. I’ve really, really driven it well the week I’ve used it. Just hitting it more solid, I don’t know if it’s the look of it or what it is, but just a little bit more consistent with the spin numbers. Less knuckle-ball curves. It has been fast. Maybe just a little faster than what I was using. Maybe it could be something with the bigger head, maybe mentally it looks more forgiving.”
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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The 2024 golf season is in full swing with the warm weather settling in and those long summer days right around the corner, but what if we told you that you should be thinking about golf this fall? While it may seem to be a ways away, now is the perfect time to start putting together your end-of-season fall golf trip.
Courses are in great shape, the weather is more enjoyable as temps cool off, and your golf game is in peak condition after playing all summer! The best part about fall golf trips is that there are some great deals to be found at golf destinations across the country! Additionally, you can get away to the Caribbean on an all-inclusive trip or travel across the pond for some links golf in the UK or Ireland before the end of their golf season in October.
If you are happy to stay stateside this fall, here are the best golf destinations you should book for your fall trip.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”, this coastal destination is home to over 200 golf courses making it the ideal location for a golf trip! If you’re looking for golf and accommodation onsite, choose from a wide range of resorts including favorites like Barefoot and Legends. Alternatively, you could rent a house or stay by the beach and play top tracks like Caledonia, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes, True Blue, TPC Myrtle Beach and many more! With a plethora of options, you will be able to customize your trip to stay within budget! Fall in South Carolina is a golfer’s paradise with minimal rain, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80s (dipping into the 70s in later fall with lower humidity), the perfect combination for a golf trip.
If you’ve never played golf in the desert, fall is the best time to do so and there is no better selection of desert layouts than Scottsdale. With a wide variety of golf resorts, courses, and attractions, it is easy to see why many professional golfers call this place home. Enjoy a golf and city trip with a stay close to the nightlife in Old Town and a tour of the local courses like Raven, McCormick Ranch, and Ocotillo. Head north of the city with a resort stay at The Westin Kierland or Hyatt Regency and play some Championship courses like TPC Scottsdale, Troon North, or Grayhawk. Or head out to the fabulous We-Ko-Pa Resort and Golf Club and indulge in the ultimate desert golf experience. The weather in Scottsdale will be very warm (mid to high 80s), with cloudless skies and green grass contrasting the desert landscape.
The golf mecca in the state of Florida, Orlando is a great golf destination any time of the year, but fall is really where it flourishes. Course conditions are impeccable, the weather is warm with fading humidity, and there are a multitude of off-course activities for the whole family. Stay & play at some of the best golf resorts like Reunion and Omni Championsgate or tick off a bucket list course when you visit Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A few other reasons this destination is so popular is the wide variety of rental houses throughout the area, perfect for a large group and the quality courses to choose from including Waldorf Astoria, Celebration, Shingle Creek, and the three Disney courses! With easy accessibility through the MCO Airport, Orlando is a no-brainer for a fall golf trip.
PAIUTE GOLF RESORT – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
A destination often overlooked when it comes to golf, Las Vegas in the fall is a wonderful treat! A stay on the iconic Las Vegas Strip gives you a wide range of 3 to 5-star hotel options within walking distance to the city’s biggest entertainment venues, casinos, restaurants, and more! For golf options, you will need to travel outside of the city (roughly 20 mins) to play some incredible desert layouts like Rio Secco, Revere, Cascata, and the trio of courses at Paiute Golf Resort. If you fancy a longer day trip, you can always take the hour-long drive up to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek and Conestoga for a pure desert golf experience.
Alabama – Robert Trent Jones Trail
If you’re a golf nerd (like me) and you’re looking for something a little different for your trip, look no further than the incredible RTJ Trail in Alabama. The Trail spans 11 different locations across the state with over 400 holes of golf all designed by legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The more popular courses on the trail are in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn, making it perfect for an extended trip. Some of the best courses on the trail include Ross Bridge, Grand National (2 courses) and Capitol Hill (3 courses).Weather-wise, fall is the best time to hit the trail with average temps hovering around 80s (dipping into the 70s as fall goes on) with a limited amount of rainfall. The summer months are usually where the pricing is the highest so you can find the best deals in the fall with courses still in good condition.
There has already been a huge uptick in fall golf trip bookings, so make sure to start planning now to get the travel dates and tee times you want for your group!
Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.
RELATED: 7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play
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Steve B.
Jan 28, 2022 at 6:02 pm
I have no idea of SS had a vaccine reaction or not. But I do know this, and it comes from the experience of selling pharmaceuticals for over 20 years.
After carefully reviewing the vaccine information in 2020, I declined to enter the Moderna trial, based on the information available at the time, which was the survivability rate of 99.7%, the availability of a number of cheap drugs that when used appropriately, adequately address the disease.
With the information now available at the Vaccine Adverse Events Reaction reporting system, I’m glad I did not enter the trial. Since then I had Covid and recovered with Ivermection and Hydroxycholorquine, as have hundreds of thousands of other patients, despite governmental efforts to hinder their use.
If many patients do not have a reaction to these drugs, that is great, but over 20,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of adverse reactions have already been recorded on VAERS which is a passive reporting system. What does that mean? That probably only 1% of all deaths and adverse reactions have been counted as a direct result of the new vaccines. Which is not good because the deaths attributable are more than all other vaccines combined since the records have been kept, since 1990.
So, as a person who follows the real data and science, I would not discount the possibility of an adverse reaction to a great athlete like SS. Dozens of soccer players in Europe have collapsed dead with sudden heart attacks, and my next door neighbor also died suddenly after his 2nd Moderna shot. Of course that is anecdotal, but the other part of the equation is the locking up of data for another 55/75 years, which is highly irregular and very suspicious.
That isn’t conspiracy folks, it’s fact.
Stanley Poopshooters
Feb 18, 2022 at 12:09 pm
I tried an ivermectin enema. Didn’t work. I had a full release.
Joey
Jan 17, 2022 at 1:23 pm
VAX causing an autoimmune response. Not that uncommon. People need to accept the fact that you took a risk out of fear mongering without all the facts. Hate to hear it but accept responsibility and tell the truth about the risks of the vax so people can have a more informed decision of things.
Tyler Durden
Jan 22, 2022 at 2:26 am
You “did your own research” right moron?
Joey
Jan 22, 2022 at 4:19 pm
Not much of an argument there Tyler, sorry.
Luke
Jan 9, 2022 at 8:06 am
Instead of going to the hospital he should have posted his symptoms on the internet so all of the a-hole geniuses could have diagnosed it
Holdin Tudiks
Jan 9, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Chucy the groomer seems to know just about everything. He also has a sign in his front yard signaling all of his virtues, including but not limited to his medical history, his wife’s escapades with the neighbors (while he watched), and which lives matter to “him”. That is the way of a true beta male.
Chucy
Jan 9, 2022 at 10:42 pm
I didn’t speculate on what Stricker’s disease was.
I simply asked, “What was the differential diagnosis?” There’s no hospital record that is ever completed without at least a differential diagnosis, if not a presumptive diagnosis.
Meanwhile, we had these GolfWRX infectious diseases experts:
Manny – “autoimmune hepatitis.”
Mike C – “Lyme disease.”
richie – “Mono.”
Jeff Monik – “Hepatitis.”
I don’t mind their speculation; but let’s just be clear that I wasn’t engaging in their sort of explanation. All I did was ask for a clearer report on the actual differential diagnosis, and a clear, unequivocal statement as to his vaccination status.
I’m tired of all of the weird garbage tossed out by so many of anti-vax athletes. Djokovic. Kirk Cousins. Kyrie Irving. Aaron Rodgers. Carson Wentz. Patrick Reed. Bryson DeChambeau. I hope Stricker is not one of those guys. If he provided any sort of a clear and categorical statement, that alone would set him apart from the foregoing names.
And again, I am not buying any “it’s private” defenses. Stricker has talked in great detail about his hospitalization and illness. He didn’t have to, but he did. My questions about his differential diagnoses and vaccination status are no more intrusive than what he’s already volunteered.
paul mcloughlin
Jan 17, 2022 at 10:35 am
Lime Disease?
Alex Jones
Jan 8, 2022 at 10:10 pm
Take the vax, pay the tax!
joe
Jan 17, 2022 at 11:27 am
post the chit, prove to be a nitwit
Alex Jones
Jan 22, 2022 at 4:18 pm
Sorry that you took an experimental injection pal. Don’t worry, check out the lab results for MRNA shots during the early 90’s on mice! It did wonders for them!
Manny
Jan 7, 2022 at 8:11 pm
White blood cell count and liver numbers both going in the wrong direction, dark colored urine, jaundice, cannot keep solid foods in your system… sounds like what I was suffering from about 3 years ago (well before the China Virus). I was finally diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatiitis.
Anthony
Jan 7, 2022 at 7:26 pm
That’s what happens when our mystery vax ruins your immune system.
Sorry Steve. We have other plans for you. You are not in our club.
Mike
Jan 8, 2022 at 11:53 am
Wow, anti vax nonsense seems to be everywhere , good luck with this crappola.
Antivaxxer
Jan 19, 2022 at 8:56 pm
Let us know how you are in a few years. Lol
Mike Tooktheshotandnowregretsit
Jan 22, 2022 at 4:21 pm
Not an argument Mike.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Jan 7, 2022 at 7:15 pm
Who cares. Someone does every half second in this world.
Mike C
Jan 7, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Sounds more like Lyme disease.
richie
Jan 7, 2022 at 5:29 pm
sounds like mono
John Krug
Jan 7, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Get well Steve.
Jeff Monik
Jan 7, 2022 at 11:58 am
Hepatitis
Clue. Out hunting and not washing him or whoever did the cookin
Jack R
Jan 7, 2022 at 4:19 pm
Yeah hunting def rings alarm bells
Chucy
Jan 7, 2022 at 9:49 am
I recall the hospitalization of Patrick Reed, and the confusing and frankly incredible statements by Reed about how and when he was tested for COVID. Reed never answered the clear and simple questions as to whether he had in fact been vaccinated before that hospitalization, and whether he was treated as a COVID patient during that hospitalization.
So now we have this story with Steve Stricker; the simple questions that are unanswered by this story are (1) was Stricker vaccinated last summer, when he was eligible, and (2) have Stricker’s doctors said what their differential diagnosis was?
Because whether it is Patrick Reed, or Steve Stricker, or any other patient in a US hospital, the diagnosis is never “mysterious disease.”
Dixon Diaz
Jan 7, 2022 at 10:43 am
Or maybe its none of our business, Chuy.
Terry
Jan 7, 2022 at 11:07 am
Sorry to hear about Steve, what A difficult time. I think it is “our business” once the article is published, with quotes from Steve. It’s the price of fame. Yes, what is the diagnosis?
Chucy
Jan 7, 2022 at 7:54 pm
All the ant-vaxxers say, “It’s private.”
But that can’t be true; Stricker is saying all sorts of “private” stuff about his hospitalization. All kinds of private treatment information. Everything he wants to say, that is.
I’m not stating that Stricker has to answer every health care and vaccination question. I am saying, he should be asked. And having been asked more specific relevant questions, after already speaking at length to the details of his hospitalization, Stricker could hardly justify a refusal to answer.
Gagootz
Jan 7, 2022 at 9:34 pm
It’s probably the vax that caused this you meatball.
Livininparadise
Jan 8, 2022 at 7:59 pm
Gagootz, yeah right. Jacka$$
Chucy
Jan 8, 2022 at 8:57 pm
That’s hateful nonsense, Gagootz.
Tyler Durden
Jan 14, 2022 at 8:51 pm
Steve violated “HIPPA” against himself ?
Chucy
Jan 24, 2022 at 12:37 pm
HIPAA, is what it is.
Brooks
Jan 7, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Ya, people aren’t treated with antibiotics for a virus… COVID doesn’t cause jaundice, also, it doesn’t matter what the differential diagnosis was. Someimes a “mysterious disease” does happen, you treat infections and sometimes they get worse then it clears up with the right treatment.
Medicine is called a “practice” for a reason.
Lastly, who cares what they had or did not, not your business.
Doc Brown
Jan 7, 2022 at 7:22 pm
Mystery disease. Only cured by being hooked up to gigawats.
Jay
Jan 7, 2022 at 1:39 pm
Clearly they are hiding the fact that they were vaccinated (both were)…
Chucy
Jan 8, 2022 at 8:49 pm
I’d be very interested in any clear, authoritative statements on exactly when Reed and Stricker were vaccinated.
It’s like the easiest question in the world. “Were you vaccinated, and boosted?” Answering,“Yes,” and some dates.
This story didn’t have that info on Stricker. And the previous reporting on Reed never made it clear either.
Brandon
Jan 7, 2022 at 7:13 pm
Remember all of human history before 2019 when people got sick and went to the hospital for things other than Covid? Those things still exist.
Sisted Twister
Jan 10, 2022 at 2:42 am
Brandon is correct. The comments about this being caused by the vaccine are fake news and absolutely ridiculous. I’ve been vaccinated for many things in my life, including 3 for cov, and none has caused me any harm. Nor hundreds of millions of other people.
Stricker is lucky, though, that he was able to be treated. Anti-vax, anti-mask, anti-smart people are clogging hospitals nation-wide with serious cov illness. Maybe once we reach 1M dead in the US, a few more will take it seriously?
Bob Pegram
Jan 10, 2022 at 3:18 pm
The Covid shots AREN’T vaccines! They are gene changers.They could have screwed up his system so bad that he became suseptible to something he had previously had no problem with. Did that happen? Who knows. The “vaccine” can cause all sorts of weird reactions depending on a person’s inherent weaknesses. It could be unrelated to the Covid shots. We are not given enough info to know. The comments by others who have had hepatitis with similar symptoms sound relevant at first glance. Could the shots have aggravated a pre-existing systemic weakness he had? Again, who knows?
Herman Cain
Jan 18, 2022 at 10:03 am
Yes, who knows? Clearly you don’t know, so stop spreading false information about things you are completely ignorant about.
Chucy
Jan 24, 2022 at 12:41 pm
I don’t care what sort of public forum it might be; social media, a message board, a comments page…
A comment like the one you posted should not go without being challenged and called out as a lie. Dangerous misinformation which harms public health.
ClubFoot
Feb 18, 2022 at 12:12 pm
Yep. After the 2nd Moderna I had to change my jeans 4 times. Just can’t clench my butt like I used too.
This here injection is definitely jean changer.
Jerome
Jan 10, 2022 at 5:00 pm
It is funny how you belittle those who do actual research.
Dave
Jan 12, 2022 at 8:25 am
Agreed…….dude is brainwashed
Tyler Durden
Jan 14, 2022 at 8:53 pm
Going on the internet while you take a dump is not “doing your oe\wn research”
Stefan Molyneux
Jan 22, 2022 at 4:24 pm
Tyler, not an argument.