This week’s stop on the PGA Tour, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, will feature a new American cult hero who has risen from obscurity in unique fashion.
Nick Bienz was going viral across social media on Tuesday after he won a Monday qualifier to reach the 156-player event, which has a $9.2 million (A$13.8m) purse.
Bienz has never played a PGA Tour-sanctioned event before, while he’s meant to be going back to his day job at US retailer Golf Galaxy.
But those details alone weren’t enough to make him go viral — rather it’s what he did before the playoff that struck accord with many weekend golfers.
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Faced with a daunting five-way playoff, Bienz decided to calm his nerves with a beer.
And then another, and another.
Bienz stood on the tee of the first playoff hole having just pounded three beers.
He emerged triumphant eight holes later having outgunned Danny Guise, Angelo Giantsopoulos, Brandon Berry and Beau Breault.
“I have to call my boss and call off work tomorrow for sure,” Bienz said after his round, according to Golfweek.
“I’m supposed to be there at 7:30 in the morning (Tuesday) and I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
The Rocket Mortgage Classic starts on Thursday with Tom Kim, Cameron Young and Akshay Bhatia the top-30 players in the field.
Australians include Min Woo Lee, Aaron Baddeley, Cam Davis and Harrison Endycott.