PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Contemplating the Glock-wielding teddy bear tattoo on John Greco’s left forearm, it’s in all probability not stunning that the mustachioed 30-year-old from Cupertino, California, has loved the torture chamber that has been PGA Tour Q-Faculty’s closing stage.
By way of two days, scores ballooned in chilly winds, with the scoring common for Friday’s second spherical checking in at greater than 4 pictures over par at Sawgrass Nation Membership, one among two host programs and the place the highest half of the leaderboard performed Saturday.
“I feel lots of people in all probability had been stressing yesterday,” Greco stated, “however , you’re taking part in closing stage, and it’s blowing 40, and all people’s falling aside, that seems like enjoyable to me.”
Greco and his friends obtained a break on Saturday, as Sawgrass Nation Membership performed over 4 pictures simpler than the day prior – and almost at stage par. Matthew Riedel and Alistair Docherty every fired 3-under 67s to seize a share of the 54-hole lead at 6 underneath because the leaders flip their consideration to the Dye’s Valley Course at close by TPC Sawgrass for Sunday’s end, the place PGA Tour playing cards will likely be doled out to the highest 5 and ties.
Japan’s Takumi Kanaya (68), the second highest-ranked participant within the 170-man area, sits solo third at 4 underneath, whereas 4 gamers are at present contained in the quantity in a share of fourth at 3 underneath – Korn Ferry Tour veteran Grant Hirschman (66), who sadly, a minimum of for him, is greatest often known as Scottie Scheffler’s former roommate; current PGA Tour professional Hayden Buckley (67), who misplaced his card this season after recovering from a torn rib muscle the summer time prior; Corey Shaun (70), who earned his DP World Tour card at that Q-Faculty final month and opened this week with a course-record 61 on the Valley; and Greco (67), who birdied 4 of his closing eight holes on Saturday and at No. 2,397 on this planet – barely sufficient to be ranked – is arguably probably the most stunning identify at present in place to vary his life.
Greco was born in Rochester, New York, however he’s a Bay Space child at coronary heart. He fondly recollects these afternoons in highschool when his dad would drop him and his brother, Henry, off at Pruneridge, a nine-hole govt format in Santa Clara, the place rounds had been $2 apiece due to Youth on Course, a nationwide initiative to supply inexpensive rounds to juniors.
The Greco household appreciated the financial savings. Greco gamed a newbie set, the place half the irons had been hybrids, by means of freshman 12 months of highschool. Lastly, when he was 15, he labored a summer time job as a camp counselor, and together with his paychecks he bought his first correct set of irons.
For Greco, there was no debating which sticks he’d purchase. That very same summer time, he watched Tiger Woods compete within the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Seaside, so for subsequent handful of years, Greco’s bag featured the Nike Victory Crimson TW blades with the TW brand stamped on them, although Greco might solely take a couple of to the vary at a time, bungee-cording them collectively as a result of carrying his complete bag could be harmful on bike.
Greco began his school profession at San Jose Metropolis School earlier than transferring to William Jessup College, an NAIA program (NCAA D-II nowadays) in Rocklin, California. He turned professional in 2017, and whereas he’s competed on 5 completely different PGA Tour-sanctioned circuits, he’s logged greater than six begins on only one, the now-defunct PGA Tour Latinoamerica, the place he notched just one top-25 end in 11 occasions in 2022-23.
He’s misplaced depend of what number of journeys to Q-Faculty he’s taken, however Greco can say that this week marks his first at closing stage.
“I don’t have the pedigree that loads of different guys have,” Greco stated. “However like we begin from the identical tee field, no one will get any assist as a result of they performed actually good final 12 months. That’s like tremendous liberating as a result of it’s simply hitting golf pictures.”
Although the final word underdog, Greco exudes a veteran mindset. He is aware of what’s on the road on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, however @champagnejohnnie, as he’s recognized on Insta, received’t permit himself to go there – not but.
“Clearly you need to play in opposition to the perfect gamers for the most important sum of money, and that’s positively part of it,” Greco stated. “However none of that impacts the subsequent shot. Any time I spend fascinated about that’s in all probability a waste of time.”
As for the tattoo, Greco has a couple of others, however the teddy bear definitely stands out. He obtained it for his fiancée, Karianne, whom he nicknamed the “Harmful Kar-Bear” and proposed to final month on Laguna Seaside after they each ran a half marathon. Karianne owns a pair Glocks, too.
Anticipate Greco to come back out firing on Sunday, whether or not it’s taking part in laborious or not.
