Rich Beem making PGA TOUR Champions debut on birthday

A former major champion and multitime winner on the PGA TOUR will make his PGA TOUR Champions debut on Monday at the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National in Ridgedale, Missouri.

Oh, and Phil Mickelson will, too.

Yes, Lefty stole pretty much the entire spotlight from Rich Beem, but the gregarious 2002 PGA champion holds a special distinction: It’s his birthday on Monday, and he might be the first player in PGA TOUR Champions history to make his tournament debut on a Monday.

It’s just a schedule quirk thanks to the global pandemic. Two events were placed

on the remaining calendar for 2020 at Johnny Morris’ sprawling facility just outside Branson over the course of an eight-day stretch, with last week’s Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge contested Wednesday-Friday and this week’s event starting on Monday and going through Wednesday.

Beem, who since 2015 has been a full-time analyst and on-course reporter for the United Kingdom’s Sky Sports TV network, will hope to continue a season-long trend that already has seen four rookies – Brett Quigley, Ernie Els, Jimy Furyk and Shane Bertsch -- post victories through seven events.

“I was a little surprised that Phil committed,” Beem said Sunday from the

TPC Boston, where he was covering THE NORTHERN TRUST, the first FedEx Cup playoff event. He planned to fly to Missouri late Sunday night. “I think it’s good for the tournament. No doubt about it if he’s there to play golf, have fun and hit bombs it’s not such a bad thing at all.”

Beem said he got in some practice this week at the Franklin Country Club in Wrentham, Massachusetts, in the mornings before his announcing duties. He has greatly enjoyed his role as a TV commentator and takes it seriously.

And given that, he says his expectations for his debut aren’t high. He just hasn’t had enough time to devote to his game.

“What could be better than playing on my birthday, making my PGA TOUR Champions debut?” Beem said. “My family will be there. The only downside, of course, is they can’t come on the course and watch but that’s just how it is these days. It’s all good.

“I don’t think I’ll shoot 80, but I don’t think I’ll shoot 60, either.”

Beem at least will be familiar with coronavirus protocols and playing with no fans. He played at the recent PGA Championship and the 3M Open on the PGA TOUR before that, and he has been at several other events thanks to his duties for Sky Sports. He says the TOUR has done a great job negotiating the virus and that the players have taken a lot of responsibility as well.

Beem has yet to decide what kind of schedule he’ll maintain as far as playing and being a commentator.

“I’ve got a couple more weeks working for Sky, two more playoff events and the U.S. Open, and I’ll play Sioux Falls (the PGA TOUR Champions’ Sanford International) in between, and then Sky Sports is done until the Masters so I’ll play as many as I can,” Beem said. “Starting next year I’ll have to look at the schedule, I’ll probably play a lot more and cut back with Sky a bit. I haven’t figured out what that will look like.”

For now Beem is just looking forward to renewing acquaintances with a lot of old friends and having some fun on the golf course.

“I think I’m gonna go out there and have an absolute blast,” Beem said. “As the tournaments progress and I get a better feel for my game and the fact I can play more than pretty much one off week at a time, one random week here and there and get into a little bit more of a groove then expectation will change and it’s time to get into contention and give ourselves a chance to win. But at the very start it’s nice to just have three days off of work and be going out and playing some golf and hopefully making some putts here and there.

“I’ll be tired and sore from walking and talking and covering golf. But listen, I can’t wait. I’m gonna be laughing and smiling no matter where the golf ball goes.”