Former PGA Tour Pros Bill Mallon & Scott Gump Join Me...

Golf Podcast: next on the tee

Former PGA Tour Pros Bill Mallon and Scott Gump join​ed me ​in Part 2 of last week's show.

Bill Mallon played Tour in the mid to late 1970s during the Golden Age of the PGA Tour. After winning 43 amateur titles he earned his way through Q-School in 1975. He finished 6th at the 1976 Western Open, 3 stroke​s back of Al Geiberger. He played in the 1977 US Open at Southern Hills. The heat that week was brutal but Bill talks about how he thrives in conditions like that even though he's from New England. We talked about the death threats that eventual winner Hubert Green dealt with that week. Bill decided to walk away from the Tour after the 1979 season and go back to college to get his medical degree. He became a leading Orthopaedic Surgeon and medical advisor to Golf Digest. I got his thoughts on what Tiger Woods is now trying to play through following his surgeries to fuse a joint in his foot and vertebrae in his back.

Scott Gump was a tremendous Amateur player as well. He was the medalist during the stroke play portion of the 1987 US Amateur. He earned his way on Tour by finishing 3rd at Q-School in 1990 and then winning on the Space Coast and Korn Ferry Tours. You'll hear his stories about that US Amateur and the grueling 6 rounds of Q-School. His good play at the '87 US Amateur earned him a trip to the 1988 Masters. Scott recalls his stay in the Crows Nest for the week, the legendary inexpensive meals, playing a practice round with Gary Player, and playing in the Par 3 Tournament. We then hear about his hot play late in the 1991 season at The International Tournament and the Walt Disney World Classic.