Back at the Barracuda, hanging out here with Andrew Putnham, 2018 winner back at Montro. Nice 66 today, 12 points. And you had to overcome a bit of an injury sustained here in Truckucky. Why don’t you tell us about that first? I know. Yeah. I uh was out just, you know, looking for frogs, my little boy, and uh ran into a bees nest. Looked down and I had some I don’t know how many bees bit me, but all over my ankle. So, it actually was weird. Yesterday I played the proam. I actually played pickle ball and it felt totally fine. And then I woke up and it just was like I got a baseball just totally swollen. So well if you get the dub this weekend you’ll have to like thank the bees I guess. All things considered you’re feeling all right. You were able to walk 18 and you played all right. How was it out there? Yeah it was good. I mean I was limping around but it’s funny. My wife actually had uh she packed like a bee kit. I don’t know. She’s she packs it all you know with our kids. So shout out to the wives out there. Grab the emergency B kit for the hubby though. Yeah. I don’t know if it helped with the swelling, but um yeah, limped my way around and played pretty good and very much in contention. Yeah. Take us back through just the memories you have of of 2018. Obviously different golf course, but being able to win this tournament in Reno and and just kind of how that all played out. What what kind of stands out as you kind of think back on that moment? Yeah, it was a big moment in my career. Uh probably, you know, it was kind of the year that kind of got me off and running and uh had great memories. This is the, you know, we we got pregnant and this is the first week we told my parents we were having a kid and so felt like, you know, when we come here, I feel like it’s always like feels like a vacation a little bit. So, it’s very relaxed. Takes the pressure off a little bit. Takes a little pressure off. I mean, I always bring the family out cuz it’s close to home and we love just hanging out, especially at we’re we’re staying close to the course and they got an awesome slide. So, been going up and down that a million times. Very much a destination out here. You’re a west side of Washington guy. Tacoma, beautiful in its own right. What do you like about our region though each and every year? I mean, I love coming to High Desert. We uh we go to Sun River, Bend, Oregon every year. So, it reminds me a lot of that. I love how far the ball goes. I don’t hit it very far, but this week, you know, I feel good about myself. So, um that’s nice. And yeah, it’s just a great time to be here. Yeah. We talked to Ben Martin quickly and he said there is a lot of math that goes down when you come up here and you calculate distances. Can you take us inside that and how different this is based on everywhere else you play? Yeah, I mean it it definitely uh that’s kind of the biggest biggest thing out here is in the morning it’s very cold and ball plays about sea level and as the day warms up you kind of constantly adjusting your yardage. So I’ve always tracked every single shot I hit exactly how far it flies. So I’m pretty in tune with um my carry yardage and stuff. But the one thing about out here if you miss the shot a little bit it just falls out of the sky. So it’s it’s important to hit the center of the club face. M you look back at, you know, the fact that you won in 2018, 2021, which was one of the first years here, uh, at Old Greenwood, you finished as the runner up. So, you know what it takes to be in position to win or be amongst the winners in this thing, I guess. What have you learned about playing the system, playing the elevation that, you know, kind of gives you that opportunity to draw from as you go into this weekend now being in in good shape as well? Yeah, I mean, got to make a lot of putts, a lot of birdies. That’s the key. Um the other years I played well I snuck in a couple eagles which really helps juice your scorecard out here that it makes up for a lot of other bad golf and uh yeah I mean avoiding those big errant shots and making doubles is huge too but uh it’s just a fun format. You’re freed up a little bit play a little more aggressive and uh I love doing that. You were reminding us about how after you won in 2018 you got to make an appearance at the Reno Rodeo. I did. Yeah. Yeah. They brought me out for like a media a little skit, right? Media day. And they uh they’re like, “What what do you think about going in the middle of the rodeo and hitting golf balls into the stand?” And I was like, “Let’s do it, man. Why not? As long as there’s no bulls coming after I got to put a clown mask on, you know, and that’s one of the best weeks of the year down in Reno.” So, I’m glad you got a little taste of the Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West. Andrew, what’s the focus now going into Friday and uh and hopefully into the weekend? Uh, I’m probably going to go ice bath and try to get some swelling down on my my ankle and see if that uh calms down and I don’t know, just hang out. Go to the pool. There’s a giant ice bath up the road by the name of Lake Tahoe. Love to see you over there. That too. That works. Take a take a dip. Andrew Putnham, best of luck to you, man. Thanks so much for the time. Thanks for having me. Appreciate.
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