PGA Championship 2024: Low club pro lucked into practice round with two stars and it settled his nerves

LOUISVILLE — The moment didn’t look too big for club pro Jeremy Wells, who shot a smooth 69 on Thursday in the first round of the PGA Championship to pace the 21 non-touring professionals at Valhalla. And Wells credited the “stress-free” round—which included 15 greens in regulation and two near-hole-outs from the fairway—to being on the skillet the day before during his practice round.

“Yesterday I was on the 10th tee waiting to tee off and snuck my way in with Max Homa and Scottie Scheffler for their back nine practice round,” said Wells, 33, who teaches at Cypress Lake Golf Club Fort Myers, Fla. “That was the real deal, to have that experience and be so heightened and nervous in a practice round. They were super welcoming and kind, and I hit it fine. I survived. That was a big deal.”

Settled nerves and a more measured approach to his preparation left Wells feeling much looser than he did last year at Oak Hill, where he went 74-78 to miss the cut in his first PGA. “Four full 18-hole practice rounds later, I realized I might have overdid it, but for us, you never know if you’re going to get another opportunity at one of these,” he says. “This year was more systematic. I had a plan.”

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Another benefit from the fine round—besides being in prime position to make the cut—came in the form of a message Wells hoped his play sent to some of his colleagues back in Fort Myers. “I’m mentoring associates now who are kind of slow-playing their [PGA] book work just like I did,” he says. “I sent out an email to this group three weeks ago trying to motivate them and I got zero responses. So hopefully they see this interview, and when I get home next week we can get it going, because this is one of the very cool perks and opportunities of being a member.”

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