Nationwide Tour Insider: Gainey’s working to improve (PGATOUR.com)
March 10, 2010
Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey is far enough along in his journey as a professional golfer to not sweat the small stuff.
Sure, it would be nice to play all the time under ideal conditions, but he knows that’s not always the case. When he was battling a two-week illness playing overseas during the early part of the Nationwide Tour schedule he didn’t worry about it too much, either.
“I knew eventually I’d get better,” Gainey said simply.
Not coincidentally, given his less-than-optimal physical condition, the 34-year-old had some mixed results overseas. He missed the cut in Australia and New Zealand, tied for 58th at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open and finished third at the Panama Claro Championship.
“It’s really a transition for me to go overseas and play because it’s a different kind of golf,” Gainey added. “The courses are set up differently and different kinds of bunkers and things like that.”
The third-place finish in Panama was Gainey’s best finish in 27 starts on the Nationwide Tour. He currently stands 13th on the money list with just under $40,000 and says being consistent the rest of the season is his goal.
“That’s the goal for every tour you are on, you always want to be consistent,” Gainey said. “When you are consistent you are making cuts and making money. At the end of the year you want to be in the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour.”
Gainey, who spent 2008 and some of ’09 on the PGA TOUR, became popular during his appearance on GOLF CHANNEL’s Big Break in 2005. That’s where fans first discovered the self-made player and his nickname.
When Gainey gave up baseball and first started playing golf as a teenager, his hands would often slip on the club so he started wearing two gloves. Even now, he uses a baseball grip and says that he still needs to wear the two gloves.
Growing up in the small town of Bishopville, S.C., where the humidity in the summer can be unbearable, he was just looking for any way to keep his hands on the club.
“My dad would give me his hand-me-down gloves and then I’d cut out the fingers,” Gainey said. “That was back in the day when the gloves weren’t made as well as they are now.
“I’ve had the nickname for a long time. It just kind of took off when I got on the Big Break and I guess it brought a lot of fans to me which I like. It’s good to have people pull for you every week.”
The notoriety he’s received for the nickname is nice, but he would much rather folks talk about his game. He came close to winning the 2008 Children’s Miracle Network Classic, finishing one stroke behind Davis Love III, and has made just over $800,000 on the PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour since 2007.
“I don’t let that fame stuff get to me or anything like that,” he said. “I don’t consider myself a celebrity, I’m just Tommy Gainey.”
Only recently was Gainey able to make a living playing golf, though.
For years his full-time job was on a factory assembly line and he moved furniture on the side for some extra money. It’s been a long time since a friend risked $750 so Gainey could enter a mini-tour event. Gainey won the tournament and the $15,000 check.
What Gainey is most concerned about this season is slowing down his pre-shot routine.
“My problem is I have a tendency to get real fast over shots,” Gainey said. “Instead of taking the time and just hitting the shots I’ll play faster and that can’t happen. When I get into a rush mode, that’s not good.
“You have to just focus on one shot at a time and it’s an old cliché, but that’s what you have to do because if you start looking ahead it only gets you in trouble.”
Gainey says he is looking forward to the Nationwide Tour launching its domestic schedule at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open on March 25. He sees the Tour as a great place to improve his game and hopefully get ready for another trip to the next level.
“The Nationwide Tour has proven itself with players who are on the PGA TOUR,” Gainey said. “I can go down the list with Zach Johnson, David Toms, Tom Lehman—I can keep naming guys. Look how well they are playing and it goes to show you that the players on the Nationwide Tour are very good players.”
John Dell has covered golf for the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina for the last 15 years. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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