19th Hole

PGA Tour rookie Tom Whitney’s previous job? Working 24-hour shifts as a Nuclear Missile Operator in the Air Force

Published

3 months ago

Jan 18, 2024

Thirty-four-year-old rookie, Tom Whitney, is making his first ever start as a PGA Tour member at this week’s American Express.

Whitney served in the Air Force as a Nuclear Missile Operator prior to becoming a professional golfer. At his pre-tournament press conference, he spoke about what that was like.

“Yes, a nuclear missile operator, 24-hour shifts with a crew partner, eight times a month. I think in total spent around 200 shifts underground by the time it was all said and done. Yeah, a lot of dull moments. It’s not a sexy job while you’re doing it, and at times it cannot even be very enjoyable, but I’ll tell you, it didn’t take very long after I separated and left that job and started golf full-time to where I missed it. I completely misgauged what I had, and you think the grass is literally greener as you’re entering the career of golf, and, man, I had it easy. People told me where I had to be, when I had to be there, what I had to wear, how long I had to be there for, what I was going to get paid. I pretty much knew what I was going to be fed. I mean, all the hard decisions were made for me. I just kind of had to follow a checklist.”

The veteran added that he’s not surprised anyone knows about his story.

“No, I’m not surprised anymore. I mean, I’ve been grinding away for almost 10 years now. I’ve put myself in the public spotlight or tried to get myself in that spotlight for 10 years. Yeah, there’s been a lot of fantastic writers that have written on my behalf and given a glimpse into what my life has looked like in the past, part of the Air Force and the journey afterwards with my wife and our four kids and being 34 as a rookie and, yeah, it’s cool that people get to know my background and how I got where I am.”

Whitney then went further into detail on his job requirements with the Air Force.

“Yes, I was a nuclear missile operator. That means me and a crew partner were positioned about a hundred feet underground in a personnel silo directly wired and attached to our nuclear missiles. So, we have three nuclear missile bases in the United States, one in Wyoming, one in Montana, one in North Dakota, and I was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Of those 150 missiles, myself and my crew partner would be in, primarily in charge of 10 of them.

You would show up to the base, let’s say on a Monday, and mission plan for two to three hours. You talk about expected weather, expected maintenance, maintenance that happens over the last 24-hour period, any intelligent, relevant intelligence threats or situations. Then just anything else that can overall affect your upcoming alert. Then you drive out to the site, which can be anywhere from 45 minutes to two and a half hours from the base. Everything’s spread out among Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. So, it’s a good-sized field, or we call it the missile field. It’s about, the entire complex is about the size of Rhode Island. If you think about it, there’s 150 missiles, 15 personnel sites, and the base, and everything is hard wired underground. So, just the engineering and planning that went into it to install these pressure sensitive cables, and trenching all that to connect everything, it’s a really cool weapons system. So, you get out to the site, you go underground, and you transfer over with the previous crew, get briefed up on everything that happened. Then, once they’re gone, you have anywhere from an hour to three hours of just routine checklist items, going through all your daily test, inventorying everything. Then, it’s just whatever is scheduled for that specific alert.

Sometimes you have maintenance scheduled on one of the missiles, sometimes you have retargeting measures that all the crews have to send out, where we change the targets of where the missiles are aimed, based on current intelligence. Sometimes there’s just communications systems repairs or maintenance we have to accomplish. We respond to security situations. So, basically, we have like, I don’t know, 1,500 pages of technical data and, as missileers, we are trained to know how to prioritize what happens and where to look to follow the checklist. So, anything that happens to the missile goes through the missile crew, which I was a part of.

So, if maintenance is happening, a security response is happening, if a test, exercise, fire, underground shocks from an earthquake, whatever, we have to respond to, basically, we’re the go-between, between security, maintenance, and everything else. Ultimately, our main training part of the mission is we are the ones that launch the missile if the President sends the order. And it goes from the President to the USSTRATCOM, USSTRATCOM to us. So, there’s only one entity in between us and the President, if we are launching a nuclear missile.”

Whitney’s service to the United States of America changed his perspective on life.

“I mean, golf is just what I am currently doing, and I’m completely blessed to do it. But I could still be in the Air Force, at a place I don’t want to be. I could be in harm’s way. I could be fighting enemies. I’ve lost friends and loved ones in the armed forces. I have friends that are deployed. And I’m here in Palm Springs with two miles per hour wind, 75 degrees, getting paid to play these fantastic golf courses. Absolutely, I have a different perspective, because, you know, I signed up to basically saying I’m willing to give my life for this country, and never came anywhere close to that point.

But I mean, that’s kind of what you’re agreeing to when you join the military. Just understanding that, like, Man, there’s tough days out here, but in the grand scheme of things, I get to play golf for a living, I get to represent some awesome companies, I get to do what I love, and pretty much have control over my schedule and what I do day-to-day. So, yeah, it’s definitely fixed my perspective on life.”

The entire country will be rooting for Tom Whitney at the American Express this week and for the rest of the season. The Colorado resident is also set to compete at Torrey Pines for next week’s Farmers Invitational.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again

Published

15 hours ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways Hit

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

3.) Torque

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

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19th Hole

LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years

Published

15 hours ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After fourteen years together, LIV Golf’s Adrian Meronk has decided to part ways with his swing coach, Matthew Tipper.

On Monday, Tipper announced the split via social media.

pic.twitter.com/Q6klxxgyW0

— Matthew Tipper (@Matthew__Tipper) April 29, 2024

“After 14 years sometimes things just come to an end. Last week Adrian decided he wanted to go a new way and I have to respect that decision. I’m proud of everything we achieved together.

“I knew in 2010 he was a great talent and he has only gone to prove that all over the world. To Pietro Gobinho and Stuart Beck, thank you for being amazing caddies when Adrian needed you. Your support and co-operation has been invaluable and I thank you both.

“I want to publicly thank Adrian for allowing me to sit in the best seat in the house for 14 years.

“It’s now time to start my new chapter in the USA alongside my mentor James Sieckmann and I’m excited to go to my first Korn Ferry Tour event later next month. As always tomorrow we begin again.”

Meronk is having a poor season by his standards on LIV. The reigning DP World Tour player had some solid finishes early in the year, finishing T9 and T6 at LIV Las Vegas and LIV Jeddah, but missed the cut at the Masters and has failed to crack the top-10 in his past three LIV starts.

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19th Hole

LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you

Published

4 days ago

Apr 26, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

On Friday morning, Ladies European Tour player, Hannah Gregg, took to social media to share her weekly expenses playing on the LET.

Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour:
Flights: $2600
Work Visa: $350
Food: $377
Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week! ?
Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car ??…

— Hannah Gregg (@hannahbggg) April 26, 2024

“Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350

Food: $377
Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week!
Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car
Gas: $165
Entry Fee: $130
Lounge Pass for caddie: $50
Gym: $0
Yardage book: $0
Total expenses: $3672

Made cut, finished 54th, total earned: $1244 Factor in 35% tax on earnings. To break even, needed to finish 24th. To make money, 21st. Guess we have our goals laid out for next event!”

When factoring in Gregg’s free housing, free caddie and free rental car, it’s evident that most LET players would have to finish well inside of the top-20 to make any money.

With ridiculous amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf these days, it’s important to remember the other side of the coin as well. There are countless professionals out there who struggle to get by on their golf salary.