'Say What' with Chris Nallen  PGA TOUR Staff Editor's note: While his beloved New York Rangers were taking a double-overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Chris Nallen was at the Henrico County Open finishing tied for 58th. Nallen, who won the 2004 Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Pass Resort, is 63rd on the money list this season, playing in his third full year on the Tour. Laury Livsey of the PGA TOUR's communications department recently visited with the University of Arizona graduate for another edition of 'Say What.' PGATOUR.com: What would happen if your dad, a Newsweek writer, walked into your house and saw you reading Time?  When he's not on the course, Chris Nallen keeps his eye on the New York Rangers. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR/WireImage)
Nallen: He wouldn't be too happy, but he'd probably be shocked I was actually reading a magazine. PGATOUR.com: How good a writer are you? Nallen: Not very good. I used to have my sister help me with a lot of my papers to make sure they were fine and where they needed to be. I wasn't a big English guy. PGATOUR.com: Who is your all-time favorite New York Ranger? Nallen: Man, that's a tough one because I love them all. Right now, Petr Prucha. He's my favorite player. PGATOUR.com: What about from past Ranger teams? Nallen: Probably Mess (Mark Messier). He won us a (Stanley) Cup and got us there in '94. PGATOUR.com: How well do you play hockey now? Nallen: I skate pretty well. I played in high school, and had I been a better player I probably would have chosen hockey over golf. I still love playing. PGATOUR.com: What was your best shot in hockey? Nallen: I had a pretty good wrist shot, but that was about it. My slap shot wasn't too good. I could also handle the puck OK. PGATOUR.com: Are there any NHL players you're tight with? Nallen: I know Matthew Barnaby. When I was playing amateur golf, during the Porter Cup, I stayed with him when he was in Buffalo. We just kind of hit it off, and we've been good buddies ever since. I've been to a couple of his games, and he comes and watches me once in a while out here. He came out to the U.S. Open last year. PGATOUR.com: He's with the Dallas Stars now, and they've already been eliminated from the playoffs. But if the Rangers are playing the Stars in the playoffs, who do you root for? Nallen: That's tough. We've talked about it, and he knows I'd be rooting for the Rangers. Plus, he's a former Ranger. PGATOUR.com: Do you have good Ranger ticket connections? Nallen: Yeah, there's a guy I know who works for them, and he gets me tickets. But my dad gets Newsweek seats once in a while. They're the best. Fifteen rows up, center ice. But he's not in the sales department, so he doesn't get them very often. PGATOUR.com: Who is your all-time favorite Arizona Wildcat? Nallen: Andre Iguodala. I got to know him a little. He was fun to watch. PGATOUR.com: What kind of basketball player are you? Nallen: I used to play. I could shoot the three pretty well, but basketball wasn't something I took really seriously. PGATOUR.com: So Lute Olson never sent you any recruiting letters? Nallen: No, definitely not. |
