PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Contemplating the Glock-wielding teddy bear tattoo on John Greco’s left forearm, it’s in all probability not shocking that the mustachioed 30-year-old from Cupertino, California, has loved the torture chamber that has been PGA Tour Q-College’s remaining 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, certainly one of 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 enjoying remaining stage, and it’s blowing 40, and all people’s falling aside, that seems like enjoyable to me.”
Greco and his friends bought a break on Saturday, as Sawgrass Nation Membership performed over 4 pictures simpler than the day prior – and practically at degree par. Matthew Riedel and Alistair Docherty every fired 3-under 67s to seize a share of the 54-hole lead at 6 below 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 can be doled out to the highest 5 and ties.
Japan’s Takumi Kanaya (68), the second highest-ranked participant within the 170-man discipline, sits solo third at 4 below, whereas 4 gamers are at present contained in the quantity in a share of fourth at 3 below – Korn Ferry Tour veteran Grant Hirschman (66), who sadly, at the very least for him, is greatest referred to 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-College final month and opened this week with a course-record 61 on the Valley; and Greco (67), who birdied 4 of his remaining eight holes on Saturday and at No. 2,397 on this planet – barely sufficient to be ranked – is arguably essentially the most shocking 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 remembers these afternoons in highschool when his dad would drop him and his brother, Henry, off at Pruneridge, a nine-hole govt structure in Santa Clara, the place rounds had been $2 apiece due to Youth on Course, a nationwide initiative to supply reasonably priced 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 along 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 Seashore, so for subsequent handful of years, Greco’s bag featured the Nike Victory Purple TW blades with the TW brand stamped on them, although Greco may solely take just a few to the vary at a time, bungee-cording them collectively as a result of carrying his entire bag could be harmful on bike.
Greco began his faculty profession at San Jose Metropolis Faculty earlier than transferring to William Jessup College, an NAIA program (NCAA D-II as of late) 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 rely of what number of journeys to Q-College he’s taken, however Greco can say that this week marks his first at remaining 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 person will get any assist as a result of they performed actually good final 12 months. That’s like tremendous releasing as a result of it’s simply hitting golf pictures.”
Although the last 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, gained’t permit himself to go there – not but.
“Clearly you need to play in opposition to the most effective gamers for the largest sum of money, and that’s positively part of it,” Greco stated. “However none of that impacts the following shot. Any time I spend occupied with that’s in all probability a waste of time.”
As for the tattoo, Greco has just a few others, however the teddy bear definitely stands out. He bought it for his fiancée, Karianne, whom he nicknamed the “Harmful Kar-Bear” and proposed to final month on Laguna Seashore after they each ran a half marathon. Karianne owns a pair Glocks, too.
Anticipate Greco to return out firing on Sunday, whether or not it’s enjoying laborious or not.
