Nick Bienz was polishing off his third beer when the realisation hit (Image: Twitter)
A golf shop employee was relaxing and enjoying a beer after tying for the lead at a PGA Tour qualifer when he received some shocking news on the leaderboard – he’d have to take part in a play-off round. In a surprising turn of events, Nick Bienz ended up in a 5-for-4 play-off round with four other players who all matched his score.
Bienz had just come off the course with a 7-under-65 score on the board, tying with two other people for the lead – meaning he’d have to fight for his place in the £7.2million PGA Tour sanctioned event.
As he tucked into a well-deserved pint, the other scores began to rally in and the golf shop worker was beginning to sweat as he watched others come off the green. However, it wasn’t until two other players tied his score that Bienz realised he’d have to polish off his third beer and head back out onto the course to secure his place in his first PGA Tour event.
Speaking to Monday Q Info at the time, Bienz said: “I need every ounce of alcohol to calm the nervous system and not vomit all over myself. That’s where we’re at right now.”
The Indianapolis-born golfer – who works at Golf Galaxy in order to fund his professional career – was hoping to avoid a play-off and grab his first career PGA Tour start later on this week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
However, Bienz ended up in a five-person play-off alongside Beau Breault, Danny Guise, Brandon Berry and Angelo Giantsopolous.
Nick was tied for the lead with two others when he came off the green (Image: Twitter)
In his initial round of golf, Bienz hadn’t ended up with one bogey and had ended the final hole with a 12-foot putt for a birdie. NBC Sports reports that on the last putt, the golfer said: “I blacked out.”
He then chugged down three beers and nervously waited for the outcome of the rest of the tournament.
As he headed to the first tee for the play-off round, it was reported that Bienz said: “Remember how I said three beers would be a perfect amount? Well, I’m perfect.”
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Two players – Berry and Giantsopoulos – birdied the first and sixth play-off hole to advance to the PGA Tour event before Bienz was able to secure his spot.
Bienz smashed a 4-foot putt in to birdie the eighth hole and advance to his first ever PGA Tour sanctioned event – a true Cinderella story for the ages with some liquid courage to help him along.
The golfer – who won the Indiana Open last year – tends to work around three days per week at Golf Galaxy during the summer to fund his career and ended up calling out of work after reaching the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Bienz said: “I have to call my boss and call out of work tomorrow. I’m supposed to be there at 7: 30 in the morning, and I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
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