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Courtesy of Greg Hardwig
Naples Daily News
NAPLES - A few months ago, Boo and J.B. were up-and-comers on the PGA Tour. They had wins under their belt, and had met another goal by making the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Now Boo Weekley and J.B. Holmes are on the verge of stardom. Weekley's personality and Holmes' booming drives became centerpieces to the U.S. victory over Europe, 16 1/2-11 1/2, in September.
"I had the best week of my life, golf-wise, so it was an unbelievable experience," Holmes said.
 One of the qualities that endears fans to Weekley is how approachable he is, and how he approaches the fans. |
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Weekley and Holmes went 1-0-1 in fourball and foursomes matches as teammates, and both won their singles matches at the Ryder Cup. Now they are finishing up their seasons as teammates at The Franklin Templeton Shootout this week at Tiburón Golf Club.
"I'm very grateful to be back," said Holmes, who played with John Daly in 2006. "It's a very fun tournament. I like to play the team event, and they do a great job with different formats, so you get a little taste of everything."
Fans got a taste of Weekley's personality at the Ryder Cup -- he upset Europe's Lee Westwood with some of his crowd-encouraging antics, and rode his driver like a horse, slapping his backside going off No. 1 in the singles matches. It also got him on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." That was something different for Weekley. And Leno.
"I never watched his shows," said the 35-year-old from Milton in the panhandle. "That was even more weird. He was like 'I don't know nothing about golf,' and I was like 'Good, because I don't know nothing about you."'
One of the other qualities that endears fans to Weekley is how approachable he is, and how he approaches the fans.
"I wish everybody out here (on the tour) could at least grab that concept because everybody that's out there on the other side of them ropes watching us play, they're paying our bills," Weekley said. "You know what I mean? They're paying my electric bill. They're paying for the diapers my little kid's got on. And it ain't hard to do. It's real simple.
"All you gotta do is walk up and say 'Hey' to somebody, 'How is your day?' And granted, you've got people like Tiger and Phil (Mickelson), it's kind of hard because when they start getting around people, they start mobbing them. I can understand it from their side."
Weekley will get to know Tiger Woods at his Target World Challenge next week, and start off 2009 in the Mercedes Championships and Sony Open in Hawaii before heading to Dubai for a tournament. Weekley admitted he doesn't know much about Dubai, except for the flight.
"All I know is when I get on that airplane I want a raft under me so if it does decide to go in some water, I want to be able to have a fighting chance to get home," he said. "That's all I know. I mean, to tell you the truth, I didn't know I was going to go over there to Dubai to play golf."
Weekley has won the Verizon Heritage the past two years for his only tour victories, and finished 25th on the money list. Holmes, who is from Campbellsville, Ky., won the FBR Open for the second time -- also his only tour victories -- in 2008, to go with his 2006 title. He was 32nd on the money list, and was third on the tour in driving distance.
Add all of that with the Ryder Cup experience, and 2008 may be a tough year to top. But both Weekley and Holmes will give it a shot, and hope to qualify for the Presidents Cup.
"Realizing you can handle the pressure of the Ryder Cup, that gives you confidence for the next year," Holmes said.
"I'd say it makes me want to get more," Weekley said. "I mean, unfortunately right now it's my offseason, so I haven't played a whole lot. I kind of want to give myself a break and spend time with my family, but I'm pretty sure when the season gets started that my main focus will be wanting to get more."
Weekley isn't sure he'll be adding more this week. He admitted he's not quite ready.
"I haven't been doing nothing but hunting," he said. "That and hanging out around the house with the kids and working on my land."
"You told me you were going to practice," Holmes said.
"It got below 50, and I don't like playing when it's 50," Weekley said, chuckling. "I know. I lied to you. I apologize. I'll make it up out here some way."
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