Say What? with Kris Blanks

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Editor's Note: Kris Blanks won his first Nationwide Tour event last week when he captured the Bank of America Open outside Chicago. The father of two moved from 31st on the money list to No. 5 with his win, giving him $205,505 in earnings this season. Blanks recently visited with Laury Livsey of the PGA TOUR's communications department for another edition of Say What.

PGATOUR.COM: When was the last time you attended a golf tournament as a spectator?BLANKS: I went to the Masters in 2000, the year Vijay (Singh) won.

Blanks (Boehm/Getty Images)

PGATOUR.COM: Do you ever see yourself attending another golf event simply as a fan?BLANKS: You know what, I rarely watch golf on TV. I liked watching the Masters the last couple of years to see what they had done to the course. But it's not exciting for me to watch golf on TV. When you're inside the ropes, it's tough to go watch guys when you feel like you should be doing what they're doing.

PGATOUR.COM: You lived in a lot of places growing up. Can you run through them?
BLANKS: My dad was in the Air Force, and I was born in Warner Robins (Ga.), and then we started moving. San Antonio then Omaha and Fort Worth. Next we were off to Montana -- Great Falls -- and then the northern Virginia area, Springfield. My dad retired after that. Then for me it was Montgomery, Ala., Orlando for a little bit, Myrtle Beach, down to Savannah in Georgia, and we just moved to Frederick, Md., outside (Washington) D.C. So I've been around the block.

PGATOUR.COM: Did you wife move around a lot when she was growing up?
BLANKS: No, it's the exact opposite. She went to elementary school, junior high and high school all with the same people. So she has a lot of lifelong friends she knows. I don't have that one lifelong friend, but my experience is good for pro-am days because I'm used to being the new guy and am pretty comfortable speaking to people I don't know. If I went into a room with a 100 people in it, and I didn't know any of them, I wouldn't sit in the corner and wait for someone to come up to me. I'd find a way to weasel my way into somebody's conversation.

PGATOUR.COM: Any brothers and sisters?
BLANKS: Just me, my mom and dad. I'm an only child.

PGATOUR.COM: How did you land in the Washington, D.C. metro area?
BLANKS: My dad became a defense contractor when he got out of the Air Force, and they live in Frederick. I have a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, and we moved to be closer to them.

PGATOUR.COM: So what's your favorite Washington, D.C. monument?
BLANKS: Can't answer. I've never been. I've seen them from the street on my dad's nickel tour, when friends or family come to town and we drive around and see them from the street.

PGATOUR.COM: What was the last non-kids movie you saw with your wife?
BLANKS: We saw "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." My mom and dad watched our oldest during the West Virginia event (Nationwide Tour Players Cup) a couple of years ago.

PGATOUR.COM: What's your favorite video to watch with the kids?
BLANKS: "Cars." It's my favorite movie. Every time my son is watching it, I get in there and watch it with him.

PGATOUR.COM: Which "car" do you identify with most in the movie?
BLANKS: Lightning McQueen. He's pretty cool.

PGATOUR.COM: You have the unique spelling of your first name. Is there a story behind it?
BLANKS: I'm named for Kris Kristofferson, the country singer slash actor. My mom thought he was cute. I think the movie "The Rose" was coming out at the time, and that's where my name came from.

PGATOUR.COM: Who's your all-time favorite Kris or Chris?
BLANKS: I have to go with Kris Kringle. You gotta like the guy who brings you presents every Christmas.